Introduction
During the first week we overview the course and establish the context for the rest of your experience. You’ll be introduced to mindful eating, and the body-scan method, with a special emphasis on what it means to be fully engaged in the present moment.
Theme – Awareness and Automatic Pilot
The present is the only time anyone has to perceive, learn, grow or change but we often spend our time on ‘automatic pilot’, losing connection with the present moment.
Watch this video as an illustration of exactly that.
We can learn to cultivate awareness by intentionally paying attention to the present moment – cultivating an ability to BE rather than DO. In mindfulness, we pay attention in a particular way – on purpose, in the present moment, and without judgement.
John Kabat-Zinn, who developed the MBSR course, talks here about how to approach mindfulness …
Informal practice this week
This week bring mindful awareness to some otherwise routine activity such as washing the dishes and/or eating a meal.
Use the informal practice record sheet to keep a track of just five minutes of an ordinary daily activity which you brought full awareness to that day.
In addition, download and complete the 9 Dots exercise below.
Formal practice this week
Formal practice this week is a daily Body Scan Meditation, using the recorded audio.
After your practice remember to complete the formal practice record sheet, making brief notes about your experience of the practice.
Resources
Going Further …
You might like to read:
7 Myths of Meditation
Why We Find It So Hard to Meditate
What Would It Take for You to Be Still?