We are all aware of the explosive popularity of mindfulness in recent years. Many of us know the basic principle: Mindfulness means being present in the present moment. Some of us read about mindfulness and are practicing with it, or are trying to. What is less clear is that, especially in the early stages, progress is critically dependent on a commitment to regular, structured practice aided by the personal guidance of an experienced teacher. Mindfulness has the power to change your life, but it can’t be done in a once-in-a-while or even on a once-a-week-drop-in basis.
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) enables participants to develop the foundations of a successful, long-term practice. Internationally taught, this eight-week course, which is offered through the UVA Mindfulness Center, provides a time-tested, systematic unfolding of the architecture of mindfulness practice. Course participants often come from a diversity of backgrounds, as faculty, staff and students at the university as well as from the wider Charlottesville community. Whether you are interested in learning mindfulness to enhance your effectiveness at work or, more broadly, to live with greater contentment and joy, MBSR offers a trusted, experiential environment in which can you learn with and from other participants. The two-and-a-half hour class periods offer time for personal exploration and inquiry, and guided mindfulness exercises provide a structure for individual practice between classes. Teachers well experienced in providing individual mindfulness guidance can make a significant difference to your progress, helping you move with greater awareness and gentleness through your “stuck” places, that is your places of conditioned reactivity, into a clearer, more compassionate way of being. MBSR instructors are available after courses are over to consult with graduates about their mindfulness practice questions. The Mindfulness Center provides follow-on courses for those who wish to continue their practice.
Your busy schedule demands that you use your time and resources effectively. That MBSR “works” is testified by comments by course participants.
- “You gave me the gift of a lifetime!”
- “This class truly is the perfect complement to therapy!”
- “This class has taught me how to be a better parent.”
- “I have come through my cancer treatments with a clean bill of health and, equally as important, it was the work we did last July, and the meditation that I continue to do, that helped me through the ordeal with minimum anxiety.”
- “It has changed my life – no kidding. I am looking forward to continuing to develop my ability to mindfully manage my stress.”
We at the Mindfulness Center invite you to come and find out for yourself!
Filed Under: Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction