Meditation has been practiced by Buddhists for over 2000 years, in unbroken line. In yoga, meditation -Dhyana is number 7 of the 8 limbs of Pantanjali yoga sutras.
Jon Kabat-Zinn defines mindfulness as “paying attention to the present moment in a particular way”; non-judging, patience, beginner’s mind, trust, non-striving, acceptance and letting go.
Mindfulness is a hybrid developed from Buddhist meditation practice. It has been one of the fastest growing scientific or research disciplines with impact across different disciplines from education, neuropsychology and neurobiology to general medicine.
Mindfulness has provided the missing link to our understanding how faith-based concepts such as community and compassion impact wellbeing and health.
The five common benefits of mindfulness are:
- Reduced stress
- Improved wellbeing
- Reduction in symptoms of depression
- Ability to deal with illness and difficulties
- Ability to tolerate and manage difficult emotions
The Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) courses are structured to develop knowledge, skills and practice in an incremental way, guiding you from a complete beginner to a skilled practitioner.