1. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction
Welcome to Our
MBSR Orientation
MAKE SURE RECORD IS ON FOR ZOOM!
----- Meeting Notes (1/10/19) -----
Stay after with any questions
Angela Parrish & Rosy Sharma Sedhain
Florida Community of Mindfulness

2. Intentions for Our Orientation
Share a brief history of the MBSR program
Introduce Mindfulness
Meet each other
Review class logistics
Understand the risks and benefits of the program
Turn in registration forms

3. History of MBSR
Founded in 1979 by Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D, at UMass Medical Center for patients suffering from anxiety and chronic pain
Over 24,000 graduates in hundreds of centers throughout world
almost 40 years!

4. History of MBSR Professional teacher training program
Many studies demonstrating benefits of mindfulness practice for people with many psychological and physical ailments
Anxiety & panic attacks; work/family/financial stress; asthma, cancer, chronic illness, eating disturbances, fatigue, headaches, heart disease, GI distress, sleep problems and more
Most everyone you meet today seems to suffer from stress at some level. At work, home, in relationships. Most take it for granted and assume it's normal. It may be common, but it is not healthy!

5. Benefits of Regular Mindfulness Practice
Stress Reduction Lower levels of cortisol
Reduction in symptoms of anxiety and depression
Decreased reaction in the amygdala
Lower blood pressure
Increased Focus
Greater attentional stamina
Better awareness of metacognitive processes
Improved awareness of the present moment
Enhanced Executive Function
Cortical thickening leads to more integrated brain and faster info processing
Fluid Intelligence / Working Memory more readily accessible
Improved Well-Being
Strengthened auto-immune response
Better emotional regulation / impulse control
Increased pro- social emotions and behaviors
Studies have shown ...
(Metacognition refers to higher order thinking which involves active control over the cognitive processes engaged in learning. Activities such as planning how to approach a given task, monitoring comprehension, and evaluating progress toward the completion of a task are metacognitive in nature.

6. What is Mindfulness?
Our natural capacity to be present to our moment to moment experience
Paying attention in a particular way, on purpose, in the present moment, and non judgmentally – Jon Kabat-Zinn
whether that experience is enjoying nature or noticing that stress is arising. We are often somewhere else in our minds and miss what’s right in front of us.
We often react to life on autopilot without stopping and seeing what is present and responding in a way that supports our wellbeing.

7. Grounding in the Present Moment
Awareness of internal sensations
Body, emotions, thoughts, memories, attitudes, moods
Awareness of external perceptions
Form, sights, sounds, smells, tastes
Impermanence
All things change, moment to moment
Within and without
Being aware of constant change in what we observe

8. Non Judgment
Mindfulness involves paying attention on purpose without judgment or resistance
Acknowledging and allowing your experience to be the way it is, even when not pleasant
Pain/Discomfort + Resistance = Suffering
Leads to compassion, new possibilities and wise action
We are often “at war with reality.” Something has happened that we don’t like, or just the thought of that something happening, and we resist, become stressed, angry, fearful. We’ll explore this.

9. Practice
5 minute sit
Posture, relax face & shoulders, let your attention rest on the breath at nostrils
IQ: What did you notice?

10. Introductions
Share name and something that makes you smile.

11. Logistics Our schedule: Every Sunday, Jan 13 to Mar 3, 2:00 to 4:30 pm
One “Daylong”, Feb 23, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Please arrive a few minutes early
Call or Angie ( , if you will be late or are unable to attend class
No scheduled breaks

12. Logistics
In each class we will learn different forms of mindfulness practice:
Body Scan
Sitting meditation
Mindful Eating
Yoga
Walking meditation
Train the muscle of mindfulness! In a variety of ways through our practices over the 8 weeks. Everything you know how to do, but we'll be doing it perhaps a bit differently, with mindfulness.

13. Logistics Our Journey: Cultivate the habit of mindfulness
Learn about stress, exploring our behavioral, physical, emotional and cognitive stress patterns/reactivity and more skillful responses to these reactive patterns
Learn mindful ways to communicate
Choose nourishing behaviors and activities

14. Logistics Some Important Details:
Wear comfortable clothing, avoid perfumed toiletries
Respect confidentiality
Materials to be handed out 1/13
Importance of Home Practice ( minutes/day)

15. Home Practice
Will be sending a link right after first class

16. Benefits & Risks of MBSR
Self Care
8 weeks, invite you to join us on this journey, participate in practices. We ask each of you to be your own caretaker, to be mindful of any limits you may have and to dialogue w/us about any concerns.

17. Physical risks: practicing mindful yoga

18. Emotional Risks
Feelings of sadness, anger, fear, could seem stronger at the beginning since you may be paying attention in a conscious way for the first time
History of trauma, abuse or addiction may heighten these reactions. Please talk with Angie
You may make discoveries about yourself that you may not like
You may be challenged, and find yourself facing the unknown
This is not therapy; it is a complement for therapy, does not take the place of working with a therapist
We ask each student to be very attentive to any past trauma, psychosis or suicidal tendencies
We don’t know if anyone here has had suicidal thoughts, but if they do, this might not be the right time for this class. Please see teachers outside of class if any such thoughts arise during the program.
If you question issues with therapy please meet with your therapist to resolve.

19. Other People in Your Life
It may be a challenge to set aside the space and time to do this practice; important to request support from family, friends and/or co-workers
Your patterns of reactivity, behavior and communication may change, and your family, friends and/or co-workers may be uncomfortable with the “new you”
Your relationships with yourself and others may change

20. Establishing a Regular Time for Practice
Consistent time of day
Create a space
Put your “track shoes” on each day, even if for just a short period of time
Use of timer may be helpful

21. Increased awareness and concentration
Benefits
Increased awareness and concentration

22. Quieter mind, sense of balance and enhanced wellbeing
Benefits
Quieter mind, sense of balance and enhanced wellbeing

23. Benefits
New ways to cope more effectively with your own condition, difficulty, pain or suffering
Inner resources

24. Learning to take better care of yourself
Benefits
Learning to take better care of yourself

25. Completing Registration Forms
Making sure MBSR is suitable for YOU
Sharing important information

26. Questions?