Day 1 - Introduction to Mindfulness: Foundations on How to Work with the Brain & Manage Stress

To register, please fill out the linked registration form. 

Introduction to Mindfulness: The Foundations on How to Work with the Brain, Manage Stress, Increase Focus & Joy

We tend to apply our brain towards trajectories that may be most efficient through: determining the direction we wish to take, where we are now, and navigating how to get from where we are to where we want to go. Mindfulness invites us to delve into our goals bearing in mind our unique inner being.

This four - week introductory course includes:

- Short talks on meditation

- Exploring mindfulness of breath, thoughts, sounds, emotions, heart

- How to apply mindfulness in day to day activities

- Q & A and reflections

Day 1 (March 5): What is mindfulness (introduction, common misconceptions about meditation, benefits; breath, sounds, emotions, thoughts)

Day 2 (March 12): Working with our emotions (awareness of emotions, self-compassion)

Day 3 (March 19): Working with our heart (joy, equanimity)

Day 4 (March 26): Applying mindfulness on a daily basis (breath, heart, body, sounds, emotions, thoughts)

You do not have to attend each session of the series. 

- Each session is 55-60 mins in length

- Each session contains 10-20 minutes talk, 15-20 minutes meditation practice/mindful movement, 10-15 minutes question and answer period

Start and end time of each session: March 5, 12, 19, 26, 2024: 7-8 p.m. 

Location

Carruthers Hall Room 102

Cost: Free! 

Refreshments and certifications provided.

Introduction to Mindfulness: 4 – Week; 60 – Minute Sessions

We tend to apply our brain towards trajectories that may be most efficient through determining the direction we wish to take, from where we are now, and navigating how to get from where we are to where we want to go. Mindfulness invites us to delve into our goals bearing in mind our unique inner being.

Session 1: What is Mindfulness

Time – 5 Minutes

Cumulative Time – 5 Minutes

Activity – Greeting: Welcome to diverse backgrounds and experiences to all, recognition of the territory on which we stand, meditation focused on grounding, all the unique gifts we bring to this world, enquire about participants’ gifts, what they love. Introduce students to one another by asking them to let everyone know their names, pronouns, reason for enrolling in the sessions, and any requests they may have for focus that is of interest to them.

Time – 10 Minutes

Cumulative Time – 15 Minutes

Activity - Outline: Class organization and general guidelines. The emphasis is on habits. Each class, we will talk about our experiences with our day to day habits. There will be a short question and answer period in the beginning of each class.

Time – 20 Minutes

Cumulative Time – 35 Minutes

Activity – Talk: Introduction to Mindfulness

Topics to be covered:

· General misunderstandings about mindfulness, its known effects, preliminary concepts.

· Four elements of mindfulness: being alert in the present moment, being with events as they are, non-static nature of our world, non-judgemental perception.

· Advantages of meditation: from the scientific literature, being aware of how our brains work, being kind to our thoughts (just as our bodies excrete enzymes, so do our minds excrete thoughts to keep us alive), having insight about ourselves as human beings.

· Mindfulness as encouragement to face different life vocations aimed at dealing with discrimination, ethics, diversity, varying socio-economic status, global climate variability, and disease epidemics. When we are present, we can be in the moment and interpret what we see with mindfulness, coming from our hearts. Then, embodied discernment may take place so that any responses may be dealt with compassion.

Time – 15 Minutes

Cumulative Time – 50 Minutes

Activity – Guidance and Process: Mindfulness of Breath, Body and Other Anchors

· Meditation (guided) of breath, body, sounds, thoughts

· Body movement (qigong)

Time – 10 Minutes

Cumulative Time – 60 Minutes

Activity – Gathering Together: Q&A period and suggestions for practice during the coming week: notice presence throughout the days while performing different activities (walking, washing dishes); try out body movement and anchoring (qigong), infusing it into day to day activities, call up times of being in the moment, notice the feeling when this happens.

Make note of times when it is not easy to be in the moment. Pay attention to the body and thoughts. Employ methods to let any uneasy sensations be and let them pass. Ask what is needed in the moment to be present and how to be gentle to oneself in doing so.

Session 2: Working with our Emotions

Time – 10 Minutes

Cumulative Time – 10 Minutes

Activity – Greeting: Meditation focused on grounding, check up on the previous week: how did it go? Q&A for student perceptions regarding mindfulness of the body.

Recognize any dire personal events and the general state of the world relating to epidemics, wars, discrimination, global climate change. Get a sense from the group on sentiments regarding being mindful during these times. Enquire what or who is backing them in being mindful.

Time – 20 Minutes

Cumulative Time – 30 Minutes

Activity – Guidance & Process: Mindfulness of Our Emotions Meditation

Tackling emotions, beginning with the breath, body, sounds and thoughts, then being cognizant of emotions, providing techniques to open eyes, move around if any sensations or emotions are strong. Provide a pause at the end of meditation, before the talk that comes next.

Time – 20

Cumulative Time – 50

Activity – Talk: Mindfulness of Emotions

Topics to be covered:

· There are always ups and downs in our day to day living. This way of life belongs to our human condition. Use RAIN as a helpful anchor, moving away from “I am sad” so as not to identify with the condition, instead say “I have sadness passing through me”, trying not to retaliate, but rather respond to emotions, how to call forth self-care when dealing with complex emotions.

· Learning strategies to discern when and how to handle tough emotions.

· Decipher own needs and tend to them in dealing with the emotions.

· RAIN meditation (guided).

Time – 10

Cumulative Time – 60

Activity – Gathering Together: Q&A period and suggestions for practice during the coming week: notice presence throughout the days while performing different activities (walking, washing dishes); try out mindfulness and body movement and anchoring (qigong), infusing it into day to day activities, call up times of being in the moment, notice the feeling when this happens.

Make note of times when it is not easy to be with emotions. Pay attention to the emotions. Employ methods to let any uneasy sensations and emotions be and let them pass. Ask what is needed in the moment to be present with the sensations/emotions and how to be gentle to oneself in doing so. It is okay to let the sensations/emotions be and come back to them if they are strong.

Session 3: Working with our Heart

Time – 10 Minutes

Cumulative Time – 10 Minutes

Activity – Greeting: Meditation focused on grounding, check up on the previous week: how did it go? Q&A for student perceptions regarding mindfulness of emotions.

Recognize any dire personal events and the general state of the world relating to epidemics, wars, discrimination, global climate change. Get a sense from the group on sentiments regarding being mindful during these times. Enquire what or who is backing them in being mindful.

Time – 20 Minutes

Cumulative Time – 30 Minutes

Activity – Guidance & Process: Mindfulness of the Heart Meditation

Guided mediation for the heart (equanimity, joy, compassion, self-forgiveness, metta). Provide a stretch break at the end of meditation, before the talk that comes next.

Time – 20 Minutes

Cumulative Time – 50 Minutes

Activity – Talk: Mindfulness of the Heart

Topics to be covered:

· Listening to our heart, with the many thousands of neurons that are there, connected to our millions of neurons in our brain: equanimity, joy, compassion, metta, visualization calling forth those who are dear in our hearts.

Time – 10 Minutes

Cumulative Time – 60 Minutes

Activity – Gathering Together: Q&A period and suggestions for practice during the coming week: notice presence throughout the days while performing different activities (walking, washing dishes); try out mindfulness of the heart, calling out in visualization for those dear to us, infusing it into day to day activities, striking up loving connections, calling up times of being with the emotions, noticing what happens. Remember to quieten the body through belly breathing to call forth compassion when witnessing suffering.

Session 4: Applying Mindfulness on a Daily Basis

Time – 10 Minutes

Cumulative Time – 10 Minutes

Activity – Greeting: Meditation focused on grounding, check up on the previous week: how did it go? Q&A for student perceptions regarding mindfulness of the heart. Were you able to call forth compassion and equanimity by invoking belly breathing (calming down the nervous system)?

Recognize any dire personal events and the general state of the world relating to epidemics, wars, discrimination, global climate change. Get a sense from the group on sentiments regarding being mindful during these times. Enquire what or who is backing them in being mindful.

Time – 20 Minutes

Cumulative Time – 30 Minutes

Activity – Guidance & Process: Mindfulness on a Daily Basis Meditation

Revising earlier sessions: beginning with the breath, moving onto the body and thoughts, sounds, emotions, finishing off with metta, compassion for the self and for others.

Stretch break at the end of meditation, before the talk that comes next.

Time – 20 Minutes

Cumulative Time – 50 Minutes

Activity – Talk: Mindfulness on a Daily Basis

Topics to be covered:

· Pragmatic invitations for creating regular mindfulness practice, applying mindfulness on a daily basis, being aware of our words and our heart.

· Being aware of the practice for self-compassion and compassion towards others.

· Share experiences with others, who may also share onto others still to benefit all.

· Listen to the heart, body and thoughts, so that they can guide with compassionate and authentic actions.

Time – 10 Minutes

Cumulative Time – 60 Minutes

Activity – Gathering Together:

Ending remarks and feedback – what was harnessed from these sessions? How will this be useful to you in your daily life?