Mindfulness Training

Mindfulness training is a secular form of meditation that teaches us to experience our lives by being fully present in each moment.  Rather than being stuck in the past or worrying about the future, we are taught to live in the present moment and face our experiences with openness and clarity.

Mindfulness helps us to fully enjoy the good in our lives and face the difficult times with confidence.   Mindfulness training teaches us to regulate our response to stress, depression, sadness, anxiety and anger.  Instead of being overwhelmed by negative emotions, we learn to recognize them for what they are and release negative thinking patterns. 

By practising awareness and open-mindedness, we can reflect with clarity on our choices.  This allows us to act in line with our personal values and goals.  Personal relationships, work and health all benefit from this on-going practise.

Jon Kabat-Zinn founded the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MSBR) program in 1979, at the University of Massachusetts, to help the chronically ill.  MSBR is now a common form of complementary and alternative medicine. MBSR is offered in an 8 week training course that incorporates mindfulness meditation and yoga. 

Scientific studies show the benefits of mindfulness meditation for treatment of chronic depression, chronic pain, stress, anxiety and more.  Mindfulness practises are used in the business world, schools, prisons, hospitals, and for improved sports performance.   Those practising mindfulness meditation report greater self-esteem, improved concentration, and improved ability to relax and cope with stress.

Mindfulness training is offered by health care practitioners including physicians, psychologists and social workers.