Intro Information

Thank you all so much for joining the course and supporting me on this path. I am halfway through a two-year mindfulness meditation teacher training program which requires me to teach two practicums this year. When I initially applied to the program it was because meditation had changed my life and I wanted to deepen my practice. The teaching aspect was a detail that my introverted self put in a box for later, public speaking a truly horrifying prospect to me. However, the time has arrived and though I am nervous and apprehensive, I am also excited and honored to share something so important to me.

I’ve done my best to distill the vast amounts of knowledge from the course down into usable teachings in order to help us all lead lives that are a little more easeful and loving (especially towards ourselves). I am always available to speak to should you have questions, concerns, or would like more information about a particular topic. I certainly do not have all of the answers but I do have access to a community that is a wealth of wisdom.

Since our sessions comprise a relatively short timeframe, it would be very helpful if you could please read through the material below so we can cover everything we need to in the first session. Make a tea, pour a glass of wine… take a moment to orient yourself.

FAQs

I'm already short on time, how do I fit in meditation?

As little as 3 minutes of concentration can shift your brain patterns. Meditate while the kettle boils!

I can't sit cross-legged, are there other meditation positions?

Meditate while the kettle boils – standing up. Or lie down (but not when you’re sleepy). If you’re tired, do a walking meditation. Instead of sitting cross-legged, sit on a chair with your spine straight, not touching the back of the chair.

I'm uncomfortable, can I move?

If you are extremely uncomfortable or in pain while meditating, you may shift your position mindfully. However, students are encouraged to try to sit with some degree of discomfort before choosing to move. Why you may ask? Meditation serves as training for how to stay with difficult emotions, physical pain, or other unpleasant sensations. Interestingly, your response to physical pain is often your response to emotional pain – do you hang on no matter what? Do you react immediately and try to get away? Try to observe your instantaneous response before moving mindfully – and remember, you often can’t escape unpleasant experiences in life, so why not learn to sit with them?

I can't stop my mind from wandering, am I doing it wrong? Is there something wrong with me?

Your mind will think as your heart will beat and your lungs will breathe – thinking is what it does.

Mindfulness is a tool to develop more productive, less harmful thought patterns. As we develop some ability to observe our thoughts, we will eventually realize that we also have the capacity to choose which ones we’re going to believe or follow. When we realize a belief is exactly that – a belief (versus reality), we have the opportunity to choose something more helpful and kind to ourselves.

I managed to observe my thoughts but I still experienced conflict – will I ever stop being reactive?

There is some lag time that most people experience when they first begin mindfulness/meditation. Here is an example of the progression:

  • I fought with my partner – after a couple of days of reflection, I realized what triggered me (what belief I was reacting to, i.e. where the thought came from ) – I was able to explain and apologize.
  • I fought with my partner – as the fight was beginning I noticed myself being triggered but I stuck with my thought-flow anyway.
  • I fought with my partner and was able to catch the thought I was triggering myself with; as we were getting into sticky territory I was able to ask for a time out before things got really heated.
  • I see a harmful thought arising, I proactively ask my partner if we could have a conversation about a repeated trigger that is bothering me and hurting the relationship.

No matter how mindful, we are still human and humans say and do unskillful things. Developing mindfulness helps us minimize these incidences and affords us a little more compassion towards ourselves and others when we do mess up.

Nothing is changing, my mind is still out of control – am I doomed to failure?

PRACTICE!! If you don’t practice piano, you won’t be good at piano. A classic example that you will hear in mindfulness studies is ‘training the puppy’. If you are training a puppy to sit and stay, you do not beat it over the head every time it disobeys. You gently bring it back and try again. Every time you get lost in thought – notice you are lost in thought – and kindly bring yourself back. The self-admonishment is unnecessary. Bringing yourself back is as much a part of the practice as focusing your attention.

To read about my own challenging foray into meditation click here.

Confidentiality

All information and all personal sharing within the group is confidential. Recordings are for group members only and for MMTCP evaluation.

Group guidelines

Please read the guidelines for group dialogue here.

Please read the multicultural guidelines here.

Window of tolerance

Most of us have experienced some type of trauma in our lives. The spectrum of trauma is wide and every human responds differently to challenging events. Our capabilities for handling trauma also change throughout our lifetime. It is common for trauma to surface during meditation. By stilling ourselves we create the possibility for buried emotions and memories to arise. Understanding your own nervous system and psychological boundaries will help you to remain within a healthy window of tolerance. If at any time you feel overwhelmed, unsafe, or triggered, please stop meditating and utilize one of the techniques we’ll discuss to regulate yourself.

Please watch this short video to familiarize yourself with the WOT concept. It may help you identify which side of the window you default to when you’re triggered. From there you can gain a better of understanding of what will help you come back into balance.