Did you know that 140 UK parliamentarians practice mindfulness meditation together on a weekly basis? And that a 2015 cross parlaimentary report recommended introducing mindfulness programs into schools, health, education and prisons. You could ask why?
Research has been done on MBSR since 1979 and being more mindful is undoubtedly good for you. Mindfulness has been shown to be often helpful in navigating life's difficulties. It may be helpful with depression, anxiety, illness, pain and garden variety stress- we all know it. Being more mindful can lead to improvements in concentration, to our capacity to be in the here and now, to greater emotional regulation, and to increases in access to empathy.
How to Not learn Mindfulness
There are many ways to not learn mindfulness and studying it solely through a book is one of them. Learning to be more mindful is not something you can just get conceptually. It's a bit like teaching a kid how to have fun. You can't just read 'fun' in a book, you need to play. Likewise with mindfulness- it takes experience.
Why an MBSR course is a good way to learn.
An MBSR course provides a good opportunity try on the experience of mindfulness. The 8-weeks formula is tried and tested.
MBSR is the course that a large percentage of the better quality research has investigated. Eight-weeks allows you to engage with the practice, to make mistakes, to ask questions, to experiment, and to find out what works for you in your life. An MBSR course is not an easy thing, it takes work, it is not a panacea for all ills but you may find it infinitely rewarding.
So as the UK Parliamentarians know, the best way to become more mindful, is to practice, and this needds to done over an extended period, with the support of others. We'd love to see you at our next course.
This Blog
In these blog posts we'll be exploring all things mindful. The research, what happens in an MBSR course, what mindfulness meditation does and does not do to your brain, funny anecdotes and much more. We'll also be looking at mindful tips for daily life, reviewing new texts that arise and listening to occasional mp3s with a guided practice.
Tienne Simons