About MBSR

Ages 18 to 80+ take the course… many different nationalities: university students, householders, parents, working professionals &  retired people… anyone wanting to learn about mindfulness and how to improve the quality of their life, people wanting to learn new ways to work with the difficulties and/or challenges in their lives.  Many people have the course recommended to them by a health care professionals or friends who have benefited from the course themselves.  

MBSR was designed for adults. Different student mindfulness curriculums suitable for primary ages and adolescents can often be found in local and international schools taught by trained staff. Please ask your local educators.

No… it is not necessary. Everyone will have the opportunity to explore and experience mindfulness practices with a skilled teacher to guide and help answer questions about practice. For those that have any prior experience with meditation or yoga, the course can be a good refresher to rebuild a strong daily practice. For those that have physical/pain challenges and feel that yoga may be difficult to manage, there are modifications available in the guidance to address individual issues.

The yoga is very gentle, and the main focus is working within our limits whatever they are. The teacher will guide how to work within any physical restrictions. There will always be encouragement to take care of yourself in the best way possible. Modifications in all movement postures are available.

Many participants worry about this initially. Mindfulness is not necessarily about sitting still or moving slowly, but more about bringing attention to the present moment whether in stillness or restlessness. The class is a good place to explore the nature of our minds and bodies when developing practice skills and notice how conditions may change over time.

For the duration of the course, it is recommended to follow the curriculum, which involves some very specific meditation practices. Many experienced meditators take this course because while they have learned to meditate, they may wish to discover new understanding and ways to incorporate meditation and/or mindfulness into their everyday lives.

Group sizes vary from 4 – 20+ people.

MBSR sessions are both experiential and didactic. Each class will have formal practices including meditation and mindful movement as well as inquiry around the actual experience of doing these practices. The inquiry helps to clarify the students’ own experience; and since most people in a class discuss their experience, you learn from everyone else as well. The didactic portions of the class are about specific meditation techniques, stress reactivity and response, communication, nutrition and more.

The MBSR curriculum is sequential and each class builds on the prior class and the individual work you do in between. It’s important to try and attend all 8 classes plus the All-Day. Sometimes things come up (travel, illness, work, etc.) and if there are parallel courses being taught, an arrangement can sometimes be made to make-up classes in another group. If more than 3 classes are missed, it is recommended to re-take the course at another time.

The Retreat Day (7-7.5 hours) is usually held in the second half of the curriculum length. This is a valuable opportunity to consolidate the practices learned over the previous weeks in a full day of mindfulness practices guided by the teacher.

The Information Session is an important opportunity to meet the teacher in person, learn about the course details and also to sample some of the meditation practices. If a participant cannot attend an Orientation session, then a telephone interview is arranged with the teacher to discuss course details, explore application points and answer any questions in order for the participant to understand the commitment involved in undertaking this kind of coursework.

Learning about mindfulness is highly experiential and the most important component of the course. All participants are encouraged to use the 8-weeks as a “testing ground” for cultivating mindfulness practice, to discover the impact, insight and benefits for themselves. Engagement with the guided recordings and informal practices in the home practices throughout the weeks are essential and serve as the foundation for learning. 

If a participant has experienced a recent (in past 6 months) bereavement, major relocation, divorce or serious health diagnosis, then it is important to discuss with the teacher. Sensitive and vulnerable emotions may feel magnified during the coursework and it’s best to discuss beforehand. If there has been recent sobriety from addiction, a depressive episode, and/or a traumatic experience, it may be encouraged to delay entering an MBSR program or seek other treatments. The hope is that participants can complete the MBSR course at a point in their life where they are supported and able to gain full benefit from the mindfulness practices. Please consult with the teacher about any issues.

MBSR was developed in a way with practices and techniques that are neutral and secular. The concepts and meditations are accessible to all people regardless of their religious traditions or spiritual beliefs. Mindfulness practice is about awakening to our lives and seeing ourselves more clearly in the relationships of mind and body for well-being. Often, participants report that cultivating mindfulness practices are a complement to their religious traditions, rather than incompatible.

Yes, you may request a Certificate of Completion for this course if 7 out of 8 weekly classes are attended plus the All-Day event. The Certificate of Completion does not however mean that you are qualified to teach mindfulness to others. This course is intended for personal enquiry in learning concepts and cultivating mindfulness practices. The MBSR course Certificate may be required as a pre-requisite if you go on to more professional teacher-training and development in mindfulness.

Please ask the teacher for the latest mindfulness training institute recommendations, both in person and online, local and international, that may suit your needs.