Mindfulness 8-week training (English)

Just coming out of two years of Corona, we stumble into a war in Europe. Energy prices are going through the roof, and the outlook for the future seems uncertain. Amidst all of this, your life is taking place with all of its own challenges. Now more than ever, it is important to be kind to yourself. To take good care of yourself. In this training, you learn to relax within your own skin, bring the inner struggle to rest, and make peace with all that is alive in you. More compassion, less judgement. Learn to be more present and enjoy the moment and all that it holds. Mindfulness holds the key to doing just this.

Benefits

This is not just a mindfulness training, it is the official Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program as designed by Jon Kabat-Zinn. It is worldwide the most scientifically researched meditation form ever. The results are substantial and mind blowing. Mindfulness has been proven to significantly improve well-being with lasting effects such as:

• Improved memory and concentration
• Becoming more productive and creative
• Awareness of primary responses and recognising choices you have
• Recognising automatic response patterns 
• More kindness and compassion for oneself
• Less tension and struggle around disappointments and adversity
• Awareness of the body, deescalating tension
• More intense joy and appreciation of little things in life. 

The program

The program consists of 8 sessions of 2.5 hour on Sunday mornings (see below dates) plus one day of retreat (Saturday 18 June). 

1. Sunday 24 April: 09.30-12.00 
2. Sunday 1 May: 09.30-12.00 
3. Sunday 8 May: 09.30-12.00 
4. Sunday 15 May: 09.30-12.00 
5. Sunday 22 May: 09.30-12.00 
6. Sunday 29 May: 09.30-12.00 
7. Saturday 18 June: 10.00-16.00 (retreat)
8. Sunday 19 June: 09.30-12.00 
9. Sunday 26 June: 09.30-12.00 

Each session includes:

• Guided meditations (sitting, walking, lying)
• Practical mindfulness daily life exercises
• Discussing and sharing practice experiences

Each session has a different theme. In the first three sessions we start by establishing a connection and hightened awareness of the body. In session four and five we explore what stress means, how it affects you and the patterns you have in the way your respond to it. In session six we dive into mindfulness in communication to others. How to stay connected with oneself in relation to others. In session seven it is about how to cope with every accelarating external stimulus and care for oneself. In the final session we explore how to maintain mindfulness practice in daily life. 

Cost 

Every penny you spend on making a change in how stress is conducted in your life, is like planting a fruit tree. You will enjoy its shadow and fruits for a long time to come. It is a meaningful gift that you can offer to yourself or to someone you know that really needs it. 

Some health insurance companies offer a (partial) coverage of the cost of mindfulness trainings. Particularly this Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction training when given by a VMBN-registered trainer (registration procedure ongoing and should be finalised by 21st of April). Click here to check whether your health insurance is among them.

The cost is: 475 euro in total. Register now with the 20% early-bird discount (valid till 15 April)

This price includes:

• Guidance by Gaula and an individual intake
• 8 sessions of 2,5 hour
• A full day of retreat and practice
• Course workbook and handouts
• Audio recordings of guided meditations
• Coffee/tea during sesssions

How does it work?

When we talk about stress, the first association is often with work. In reality, stress is much more than the pressure we feel at work. It is a psychological, emotional and physical reaction to unpleasant situations. It could be a difficult conversation you had, an expectation you struggle to meet, a loss of a loved one, living in uncertainty, adapting to change, etc.

There is always a stress reaction. This can be perceived in the body at many levels. It could be a tightness in your jaw, a knot in your stomach, a frozen shoulder, a painful back, eczema . Your whole immune system can get shaken up by stress. You may experience anxiety, restlessness, lack of sleep, irritation, sadness. Over time you develop (unhealthy) habits to cope with this stress. Habits such as eating disorders, working too hard, smoking, blaming others, etc.

Whatever the stress or the coping mechanism is, stress in itself is not directly dealt with. You are not very well aware of how your body is responding to stress and how stress is moving inside your body. By ignoring the stress reaction or fighting it, it can stack up and lead to more serious and lasting problems such as burn-out, depression, apathy, and physical sickness. By bringing awareness to the stress we experience at all levels, you can stop fighting it and lean towards accepting all that is there. You can be with whatever is there, without judgment, from moment to moment. This is the core essence of Mindfulness.

Trainer

This MBSR-training will be guided by Gaula Shehadeh. A fully certified trainer with many years of extensive meditation experience. She is known for her profoundness, wisdom, kindness and humour. You can check out reviews on the website or on Google Review. 

If you have any questions or doubts, please contact Gaula at info@notanother.nl