CLASS 0:
George and I took a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction course from March through May.MBSR was developed at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center in the 1970's by Professor Jon Kabat-Zinn. It uses mindfulness meditation, body awareness, yoga, and an exploration of behavioral and mental patterns to help reduce stress, anxiety, depression, and pain. MBSR also helps with emotional regulation and attentiveness. "Full Catastrophe Living" is Jon Kabat-Zinn's book on MBSR, originally published in 1990.
I told my friend about my new meditation course, and she said, "I didn't know that mindfulness and mediation were the same thing." Sigh. I don't know what either of those words means, really, so we'll begin with that.
Regarding meditation, thinking deeply is usually more like thinking about nothing as deeply as you can, which is the opposite of thinking deeply about analyzing Bach's "Art of Fugue." In other words, it's not as fun as it sounds.
Here are some of the types of meditation, with "mindfulness meditation" being a popular one.
CLASS 1:
awareness that emerges
by paying attention
on purpose
to the present-moment experience
non-judgmentally, with kindness and curiosity
CLASS 2:
CLASS 4:
Everything we encounter has a feeling tone of pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral
10:00 getting settled, getting oriented, any q/a before entering silence
10:15 intention, entering silence
10:20 qigong
10:40 sitting meditation
11:20 movement meditation
11:50 mountain meditation
12:20 movement meditation, mindful eating, rest
1:30 body scan
2:00 movement meditation
2:30 forgiveness and loving kindness
3:15 movement meditation, tea and snack, rest
3:45 sitting to reflect
4:00 breaking silence (in small groups)
4:20 offering gratitude (silent)
4:25 breaking silence (in large group)
4:45 preparation for returning to the talking world
4:50 gathering belongings and leaving the property
I told my friend about my new meditation course, and she said, "I didn't know that mindfulness and mediation were the same thing." Sigh. I don't know what either of those words means, really, so we'll begin with that.
Meditation - the act of thinking deeply or focusing one's mind
Mindfulness - the practice of being fully present, aware, and accepting the present moment
Regarding meditation, thinking deeply is usually more like thinking about nothing as deeply as you can, which is the opposite of thinking deeply about analyzing Bach's "Art of Fugue." In other words, it's not as fun as it sounds.
Meanwhile, mindfulness is probably most often achieved through meditation, but not always. So meditation and mindfulness are not synonymous, and "practicing mindfulness through meditation" is a phrase that makes sense. Having a class based on mindfulness where meditation is practiced a lot also makes sense. Ultimately, MBSR aims to teach more than meditation, but potentially a new way of being.
Here are some of the types of meditation, with "mindfulness meditation" being a popular one.
Compassion/Loving Kindness/Metta Meditation
Strengthening feelings of compassion, kindness, and acceptance towards self and others
Concentration/Focused Meditation
Focusing on an object, sound, or thought
Focusing on any of the five senses, such as looking into candle flames (trataka)
Contemplation/Visualization Meditation
Visualizing positive scenes or images to enhance relaxation, peace, tranquility
Chanting/Mantra Meditation (associated with Hinduism, Buddhism)
Incorporating repetitive sounds to clear the mind like "om"
Mindfulness Meditation (associated with Buddhism)
Awareness of present moment, letting thoughts come and go without judgement
Movement Meditation
Gentle movements such as gentle yoga, walking, gardening, tai chi, qigong
Progressive Relaxation
Body scans, stress reduction, promoting relaxation
Spiritual Meditation (associated with Hinduism, Taoism, Christianity)
Seeking deeper connection with God/universe
Transcendental Meditation
Quieting the mind, inducing peace and calm with a mantra (traditionally in Sanskrit words)
Vipassana/Insight Meditation
"To see things as they really are," observe thoughts and feelings without reacting to them
Delving into insight and an understanding of reality
Our class practiced more than half of these:
Compassion/Loving-Kindness Meditation
"May you be safe, healthy, protected from harm, happy and peaceful"
Concentration/Focused Meditation
Listening to sounds around us or feeling of hands as "anchors"
Contemplation/Visualization Meditation
Guided mountain meditation
Mindfulness Meditation
Focus on the breath, our sitting meditation
Movement Meditation
Gentle yoga, gentle stretching, walking, qigong
Progressive Relaxation
Guided body scans
CLASS 1:
Introductions "I see you" "I am here"
Create a trusted learning environment
Nine Attitudes:
non-judgment
patience
beginner's mind
trust
non-striving
acceptance
letting go
gratitude
generosity
Mindfulness definition by Jon Kabat-Zinnawareness that emerges
by paying attention
on purpose
to the present-moment experience
non-judgmentally, with kindness and curiosity
The three parts of the present moment
attention
intention
attitude (9 attitudes)
Exercise: Eating of a Raisin
Body scan
using the 9 attitudes
noticing that attention is flexible - broad or narrow
physical body is always in the present even though the mind is often in the past or future
not visualizing, but sensing messages from the body
physical sensations can be comfortable, uncomfortable, or neutral
as long as we're breathing, more is right than wrong
if falling asleep, gently open the eyes or lift the arms
CLASS 2:
Sitting meditation
three anchors - breath, sounds, and hands
Standing meditation
gentle yoga and gentle stretches
Discussion of different perceptions
story of the goats
story of the bag of cookies in the airport
story of Joshua Bell in the Washington Post
reactivity (automatic) vs. response (chosen)
perceptions and conditioning shape our thoughts and emotions
thoughts and emotions mold attitudes, intentions, actions
repeated actions become habits and behaviors
behaviors become character
We want to improve awareness, and specifically, awareness of perceptions
What are we missing by moving from doing to doing without pauses for being?
Incorporate mindfulness into regular activities
Notice how you feel during pleasant moments this week
CLASS 3:
Thinking Distortions
"right" or "wrong" - binary thinking
"generalizing" - "always" or "never"
"filtering" - choosing a single negative detail and dwelling exclusively on it
"jumping to conclusions" - "mind reading" and "fortune telling"
"catastrophizing" - expecting the worst possible outcome
"should statements" - deciding how things should be instead of accepting the world
"labeling" - yourself and others, making people one-dimensional
"personalization" - everything people do or say is a reaction to you
"woe is me" - being the victim
"reductionism" - failure to see complex causes and potential benefits of a stressful experience
Nothing is solid, fixed, or permanent
Assess what things are vs. what they should or could be, not more or less
Notice mindfulness of the body as it relates to feelings of pleasantness or unpleasantness
Notice pleasant moments that are surprising, especially when with loved ones or in nature
Take in the pleasant moments; our brains have a negativity bias
Notice harmless habits and deliberately change them in a playful, curious way
Notice how you feel during unpleasant moments this week
CLASS 4:
Everything we encounter has a feeling tone of pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral
the body expands, lightens, bounces, smiles with pleasant
the body tightens, blocks, numbs with unpleasant
we remember unpleasant experiences more and easily forget pleasant experiences
it takes courage to be present with the unpleasant without trying to fix the situation
pleasant experiences can turn unpleasant or neutral, and vice versa
Exercise: Where Do We Hold Stress in the Body?
Scientific body charts of automatic reactions (cortisol) vs. mindful responses (oxytocin)
When we are stressed, our thinking gets distorted, and this becomes a habit
When we become aware of habits that don't serve us well, we can break them
Repetitive body practices help us interrupt this by investigating what is happening in the body
Pain is real; suffering is optional
Resistance (non-acceptance) of inevitable pain creates suffering
Observe habitual automatic stress reactions and behaviors without trying to change them
When noticing pleasant or unpleasant feelings, explore if or how they are affecting your body
Allow the body to tell you what you may be feeling
CLASS 5:
We've been observing physical sensations, but now we will observe thoughts and emotions
STOP tool
stop what you're doing
take a few deep breaths
observe your experience, reflect on physical sensations and emotions
proceed with something that will support you
RAIN tool
recognize what is happening
allow the experience to be
investigate with kindness
not personalize it (anger is here, this is how anger feels right now)
Exploring four foundations of mindfulness
Mindfulness of the body
Mindfulness of feeling tones (pleasant, unpleasant, neutral)
Mindfulness of the mind
Mindfulness of the truths you discover through direct experience
We have the power to interrupt fight/flight/freeze and return to calm/connect by being aware
Notice difficult communication events this week
CLASS 6:
Loving kindness meditation
Walking meditation
Exercise: Mindful Speaking & Listening
When needs are met
affectionate, friendly, hopeful, grateful, curious, engaged, happy, confident, peaceful, playful
When needs are not met
agitated, troubled, confused, withdrawn, embarrassed, frustrated, sad, scared, wary, stressed
Communication Styles
passive/submissive
aggressive
assertive
Can we be assertive when our needs are not met?
Ways to Reduce Stress During the Work Day
take time to be quiet or meditate
notice tension while driving and let go of it
drive in silence, drive slowly
pay attention to your walks
take time to orient yourself and know where you're going
use breaks to relax and renew instead of pausing
stop 1-3 minutes every hour
use everyday cues as reminders to center
eat in silence occasionally
when you park the car, take a moment to orient yourself before entering your home
change out of work clothes and greet the people you live with
congratulate yourself on what you've accomplished at the end of the day
Verbal Aikido
maintain a calm presence
acknowledge and validate the other person's perspective
redirect the conversation by finding common ground and seeking a peaceful resolution
use non-confrontational language (I statements)
Non-Violent Communication
differentiate observation from evaluation
differentiate feeling from thinking; express feeling free from criticism/blame
connecting with universal human needs
requesting what we would like in a way that clearly and specifically states what we want
Class Retreat:
9:45 arriving, creating your space10:00 getting settled, getting oriented, any q/a before entering silence
10:15 intention, entering silence
10:20 qigong
10:40 sitting meditation
11:20 movement meditation
11:50 mountain meditation
12:20 movement meditation, mindful eating, rest
1:30 body scan
2:00 movement meditation
2:30 forgiveness and loving kindness
3:15 movement meditation, tea and snack, rest
3:45 sitting to reflect
4:00 breaking silence (in small groups)
4:20 offering gratitude (silent)
4:25 breaking silence (in large group)
4:45 preparation for returning to the talking world
4:50 gathering belongings and leaving the property
Class 7:
Review
intention, attention, and attitude of kindness, curiosity, and non-judgement
pausing and breathing helps us reassess
seek an awareness of the mind and an awareness of perceptions
rephrase to shift from personal to impersonal
mountain meditation reminds us of strength and resilience
forgiveness and loving kindness open our heart to experience freedom from the past
notice habits, curiously break them to make it easier to break harmful habits
create your own practice without a guide, be able to practice any time, anywhere
Doing vs. Being
automatic pilot vs. conscious choice
analyzing with the mind vs. sensing with the body
striving vs. accepting
seeing thoughts as real vs. mental events
avoidance vs. approaching when unpleasant things visit
mental time travel vs. remaining in the present
depleting vs. nourishing activities
Where attention goes, energy flows - bring attention to breath and body
Neurons that fire together wire together - conscious formation of habits
Exercise: Hours of the Day
Class 8:
Practice Elements
mindful checking in
balance alertness with ease in posture
body scan
mindful yoga
awareness of breath
anchoring to the present moment with breath, sounds, and hands
awareness of pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral tones of our perceptions
awareness of thoughts and emotions and where they land in our bodies
forgiveness and reconciliation with the past
mindful eating using all 5 senses
mindful walking
the ability to be mindful for longer periods of time
Themes
impermanence
challenge thoughts and perceptions
look closely at pleasant and unpleasant moments and our reactions to them
stress has an effect on our health
being more aware of habitual stress reactivity patterns
the choice of reacting habitually vs. responding consciously to stress
pause to be aware of what is happening
choose an impersonal narrative
mindful communication, using assertive non-violent communication styles to make needs known
awareness of our life activities and if they are nourishing or depleting
how to live daily lives more mindfully with more kindness and care
The first and most important step in breaking free from a lifetime of stress reactivity
is to be mindful of what is actually happening while it is happening. - Jon Kabat-Zinn
Between stimulus and response, there is a space.
In that space is our power to choose our response.
In our response lies our growth and our freedom. - Victor E Frankl
Personal Reflections:
One thing I learned to love about class was "taking a moment to arrive."
There is no dedicated time in "arriving" for other activities, and it's a very settling practice.
I also really like the way gentle yoga feels.
Paying attention to every day soreness and stiffness and addressing it for a few minutes is a luxury.
I don't like the idea of spending so much time on formal practice, and that's difficult.
I do enjoy meditation in shorter practices.
I also like the idea of processing every day moments in a more present way.
I have been successful with this.
I like the idea of viewing thoughts as mental events that come and go.
Reevaluating perception and thinking distortions is very helpful but challenging.
We heard many poems throughout the course.
One of my favorites, shared by a class member was:
My Brain and My Heart Divorced
by John Roedel
my brain and
heart divorced
a decade ago
over who was
to blame about
how big of a mess
I have become
eventually,
they couldn’t be
in the same room
with each other
now my head and heart
share custody of me
I stay with my brain
during the week
and my heart
gets me on weekends
they never speak to one another
– instead, they give me
the same note to pass
to each other every week
and their notes they
send to one another always
says the same thing:
“This is all your fault”
on Sundays
my heart complains
about how my
head has let me down
in the past
and on Wednesday
my head lists all
of the times my
heart has screwed
things up for me
in the future
they blame each
other for the
state of my life
there’s been a lot
of yelling – and crying
so,
lately, I’ve been
spending a lot of
time with my gut
who serves as my
unofficial therapist
most nights, I sneak out of the
window in my ribcage
and slide down my spine
and collapse on my
gut’s plush leather chair
that’s always open for me
~ and I just sit sit sit sit
until the sun comes up
last evening,
my gut asked me
if I was having a hard
time being caught
between my heart
and my head
I nodded
I said I didn’t know
if I could live with
either of them anymore
“my heart is always sad about
something that happened yesterday
while my head is always worried
about something that may happen tomorrow,”
I lamented
my gut squeezed my hand
“I just can’t live with
my mistakes of the past
or my anxiety about the future,”
I sighed
my gut smiled and said:
“in that case,
you should
go stay with your
lungs for a while,”
I was confused
– the look on my face gave it away
“if you are exhausted about
your heart’s obsession with
the fixed past and your mind’s focus
on the uncertain future
your lungs are the perfect place for you
there is no yesterday in your lungs
there is no tomorrow there either
there is only now
there is only inhale
there is only exhale
there is only this moment
there is only breath
and in that breath
you can rest while your
heart and head work
their relationship out.”
this morning,
while my brain
was busy reading
tea leaves
and while my
heart was staring
at old photographs
I packed a little
bag and walked
to the door of
my lungs
before I could even knock
she opened the door
with a smile and as
a gust of air embraced me
she said
“what took you so long?”
