Starting Thur 16th November, 7.30pm-9.30pm

This ten-module Deepening and Sustaining Mindfulness course is a more advanced mindfulness course for those who have already attended an 8-week course (or equivalent) where we focus on deepening our mindful awareness skills to live the life we choose.

With a new topic each session, we get the opportunity to explore, discuss and practice our mindful insight for the continued development of our wellbeing, resilience, and the simple joy of life, with these intentions:

  • Reinforce and deepen formal and informal mindfulness practice to support your ongoing experiential learning, developing our inner motivation for a sustainable mindful practice.
  • Deepen the learning of the 8-week course themes with opportunities for broader and deeper learning.
  • Improve access to pleasant feelings to support wellbeing and flourishing.
  • Align with our values to support shifting more effectively between our pleasant and unpleasant experiences.
  • Learn to bring it into our daily lives.

Like the 8-week course, sessions build on the previous ones, and of course, assume that you will practise in between sessions.  Here’s a brief outline of the twelve deepening and sustaining mindfulness course sessions to run on Thursday’s

  • Thursday evenings online, 7.30pm to 9.30pm from 16th November 2023:
  • Session 1 – Attention! 16th November
    • Learn to stabilise and deploy this gateway to our experience reliably.
  • Session 2 – Appreciating your life, 23rd November
    • Our minds are great at noticing what’s wrong, what could go wrong, and what’s unfair.  It takes practice for most of us to cultivate the skills of appreciation, joy, gratitude and contentment.
  • Session 3 – The landscape of our experience, 30th November
    • When we can disentangle aspects of our experience, we can more clearly see how pleasant and unpleasantness come about and, in so doing, bring choice into each moment.
  • (No session 7th December)
  • Session 4 – Reactivity to stress and difficulty, 14th December
    • Approaching and safely working with difficult, unpleasant experiences to explore how distress and suffering are created and maintained.
  • Session 5 – Attitudes of attention, 21st December
    • It’s not just that we pay attention; it’s how we pay attention.  Attention with befriending and compassion is very different from the default for most of us.
  • Session 5 – Responding, not reacting – inner world, 4th January 2024
    • In between stimulus and response, there is a gap.  In that gap is our power to choose.  In our power to choose lies growth and freedom.
  • Session 6 – Responding, not reacting – outer world, 11th January
    • It’s not me, it’s them!  Often, it’s our interactions with others that create our challenges in life.  Let’s look at ways to respond in the outside world.
  • Session 7 – Cool head, warm heart and the art of equanimity, 18th January
    • Inner poise and balance are far more than a dampening of our irritation.  It’s an active choice and process that we can develop.
  • Session 9 – Taking care of ourselves and others, 25th January
    • Don’t jump without first weaving a parachute.  Let’s build ways into our life that support mental health and wellbeing, that make us feel more alive, and provide the capacity to deal with adversity when it comes along.
  • Session 10 – Be the change we’d like to see in the world, 1st February
    • Mindfulness is far more than a skill, theory or intention.  It’s a way of being that manifests our aspirations, intentions and values.  What is the phrase… you get what you give?  We’ll also consolidate learning from our prior sessions.

Course running in venue and onlineCost: The course costs £375, paid in two £187.50 payments.  Or pay as you go at £45 per session.
Pre-requisites: This course assumes you have attended an 8-week mindfulness course, whether mine or with another teacher.
Venue: Live online
Book: Book on this course or contact Mark if you have a question

 

FAQs

Where can I contact the organiser with any questions?

If you have further questions, do get in touch using one of the options on our Contact Us page.

What if there is a session I can’t make?

If you know you can’t make a particular session, we can ensure that you still receive the notes, along with the practices.  It may be possible to join the training online if you’re normally attending face-to-face.  So, don’t worry too much if you know there is a session you can’t make.  If it’s three or more sessions, I can’t make?  You might book a number of one-to-one sessions to cover the content you won’t be able to make, or it might be a good idea to book on the following course – every situation is different, so do contact Mark to discuss.

Can I pay by…?

You’re welcome to pay by bank transfer or credit card, we ask for your preference on the booking form.

Can I reserve a place on the course?

You’re welcome to reserve a place with a deposit of £40, which will hold the place until seven days before the course.  So we ask for full payment at least seven days before the course.

What is the refund policy?

A full refund is available if you choose to cancel your attendance 48 or more hours before the first training session, and an 80% refund right up until the first session.  A full refund is also available if you attend the first training session and decide that the course is not for you – just let us know within 24 hours of the first session.

What size is the class?

The course is run with a small group, a maximum of 12 people and a minimum of 4.  This also means that if we get less than four participants, I’m unlikely to run the course.

Is the course suitable for those with depression or other mental illness?

Although mindfulness practises can be beneficial for those who have suffered from depression or other mental illnesses, the course is unlikely to be suitable if you are currently suffering from clinical depression unless under the explicit guidance of a medical professional.  Partly, this is due to the nature of mindfulness practice, which invites us to focus on and work directly with our thoughts and feelings – this can be very helpful for those who have suffered from depression but may not be productive in the middle of a depressive episode.  Please speak with Mark or your medical professional if you’re unsure about suitability.

What are the computer / technical requirements to attend?

The guided meditation practises are provided as mp3 audio files, which can be played on any computer or smartphone.  The files are provided for download using a web link.

Do I need to be able to sit in the lotus position or any other special position?

No!  There is no special sitting position or physical requirements.  For sitting meditation, the suggestion is to sit upright, with your upper body self-supporting (for example, away from the back of a chair).  But if that isn’t practical, then you can sit however you choose.

Is it suitable if I have a physical disability?

Yes!  Although there are recommended postures for practice (see ‘Do I need to be able to sit in the lotus position’, above), they are not required.  There are also simple movement practices – again which can be adjusted or excluded to support anybody who wishes to learn to become more mindful.

Ethical Framework
I believe it is important to teach mindfulness both competently and ethically.  Although mindfulness is not formally regulated in the UK, recommendations for ethical practice are provided by the UK Network for Mindfulness-Based Teachers (the UK Network) for training, practice and supervision, and I follow these guidelines for example:

  • Formal and continual training – my training followed the UK Network guidance for training teachers, and I teach according to the guidelines expected for mindfulness teachers.  This is the same approach recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE; the UK body providing evidence-based information for health and care professionals, including the NHS).
  • Under normal circumstances, we will speak on the phone before you start a course to ensure that the course is suitable.
  • Confidentiality is key in all of my courses.
  • I have regular supervision from an external qualified mindfulness supervisor.

A more detailed description of the guidelines is provided by the UK Network here: Mindfulness-based teachers Good Practice Guide.

Mark’s Deepening and Sustaining Course is an excellent follow-up to the 8 Week Mindfulness. Each session brings new insights and tools that greatly increase one’s understanding of the subject and take mindfulness to the next level. I felt re-invigorated by the course and came away better equipped to create a solid foundation on which to be more mindful in the most challenging moments. Mark brings a relaxed and open style to each session – mixing both in-person and online – in which people can share both their thought and personal experiences.
-Clive

Click here to book the Deepening and Sustaining Mindfulness course, or contact Mark if you have a question

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