Welcome
Namaste
Welcome 2020 Mindfulness 101 Group Members!
This page contains links to session summaries and audio-visual resources to support your learning.
All Audio resources can be found here: http://www.sharingmindfulness.com/audio/
All Video resources can be found here: http://www.sharingmindfulness.com/videos/
Summary of Session 1: Handout-S1-email
Summary of Session 2: Handout-S2-email
Summary of Session 3: Handout-S3-email
Summary of Session 4: Handout-S4-email
Summary of Session 5: Handout-S5-email
Summary of Session 6: Handout-S6-email
Below are notes from the Introduction to Mindfulness group facilitated by C. Zelenak and R. Wojkowski (2015-16). Happy Reading!
Please scroll down for more recent posts
19OCT15 Resource List: Resource-Handouts_mindfulness
This is a link to the resource list mentioned in our first group meeting.
16NOV15 A link to an article that discusses the “Sympathetic and Para-Sympathetic Nervous Systems”
16NOV15 ** REMINDER ** THIS WEEK THE MEETING IS AT THE RODNEY RECREATION CENTRE **
17FEB15: PLEASE NOTE: This month’s meeting will be held at the HUB
Downloadable breathing exercises prepared by Clara Zelenak are now available:
(Breathing exercises are adapted from: http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART00521/three-breathing-exercises.html)
1. Breath Awareness (11min): Download here (click save as)
Audio Player
http://wechc.on.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/breath-awareness-11-min.mp3
00:00
00:00
00:00
Use Up/Down Arrow keys to increase or decrease volume.
2. Stimulating breath (4min) CAUTION: Do not attempt this activity while driving or operating machinery. It may cause dizziness: Download here (click save as)
Audio Player
http://wechc.on.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/stimulating-breath-4-min.mp3
00:00
00:00
00:00
Use Up/Down Arrow keys to increase or decrease volume.
3. Calming Breath (5min): Download here (click save as)
Audio Player
http://wechc.on.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/calming-breath-5-min.mp3
00:00
00:00
00:00
Use Up/Down Arrow keys to increase or decrease volume.
4.Breath Counting(6min) Download here (click save as)
Audio Player
http://wechc.on.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/breath-counting-6-min.mp3
00:00
00:00
00:00
Use Up/Down Arrow keys to increase or decrease volume.
Notes taken during Feb. Meeting
Recorder’s Sheet I
Accepting a positive comment or praise is a form of self-compassion
1. Do you agree with this statement?
YES
2. What conditions are required to make it true?
Absorb
3. Have you ever encountered resistance to this?
Growing up!
4. How can one overcome resistance to accepting praise?
Acceptance
Assessment of yourself
Criticize self-awareness
Recorder’s Sheet II
The mind is a garden. You are the gardener. Mindfulness is tending to your garden.
1. Do you agree with this statement?
Yes, absolutely
2. What daily activities could one do to cultivate self-compassion?
Keep a routine (daily)
Try to be consistent
Take time for yourself
3. What are weeds in the garden?
Fear
Worry
Anger/resentment
Negative energies
4. What opportunities do finding weeds present?
Opens our mind
Gives us opportunity to grow
Gaining perspective in life
Recorder’s Sheet III
Being self-critical can open doors to self-improvement through mindful awareness and noticing, recognizing.
1. Do you agree with this statement?
yes
2. How can one practice self-compassion from this perspective?
Recognize what you don’t like
Recognize what you do like
Question whether you need to change/improve or accept
3. What tips could you give to others to help find the balance between self-compassion and self-criticism?
There’s a) time to do better b) time to accept it and should do your best
Self-reflection
Self-criticize
Self-review
Self-conscious
Self-aware
Recorder’s Sheet IV
The quality of your relationship with yourself influences the quality of your relationship with everyone and everything else…
1. Do you agree with this statement
2. How do you maintain a positive your relationship with yourself?
Meditation
Thankful for good things
Rid of negativity
Know your happy place
3. What happens when you neglect the relationship to yourself?
Others suffer the consequences
No one wants to be around you
Send off bad
4. What practices could you share to help others maintain an awareness of one’s relationship with one’s self?
Meditation lets you breathe more
Do something nice for a person
Listen
16MARCH16 ALL ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND! Discussion is on forgiveness. See poster here
March 16 @ Dutton Municipal Office, Please arrive prior to 5:30pm
Video presentation: Jack Kornfield
MARCH DISCUSSION NOTES
Recorder’s Sheet 1 (a small group did not gather at this discussion topic)
The mindfulness approach to forgiveness is unique.
1. Is there a clear understanding how mindfulness views forgiveness? What stands out to you?
2. How does the concept of forgiveness presented today differ from your own concepts (or other concepts you know about) of forgiveness?
3. If there are differences, how can one use differing concepts of forgiveness?
Recorder’s Sheet 2
You can actually sense the weight of not forgiving.
1. Where does this weight come from?
Not letting go and forgiving
Keeping it in your mind
You just hurt yourself by feeling you are right and not forgiving
2. How does it interfere with life?
You’re in constant physical and emotional stress and pain – like a low grade toothache
The longer you hang onto it the bigger it gets
Crowds your active space and time; a great waste and a big blockage
Missing so many things; carrying weight; exhausting
3. How can one develop an awareness of the weight one carries and be free of it?
Deters you from being with people and engaging in activities
Step back and consider it and be aware how preoccupied you are with it
Have a desire to change
Be free of it by counseling, attending meetings to try to
Recorder’s Sheet 3
Loyalty to suffering blocks forgiveness.
1. One chooses to whom/what they are loyal.
You decide what to think, dwell on
Broken record
In a rut
Apologize = sign of weakness
Don’t know how to apologize or forgive
2. Why would we choose to be loyal to suffering?
Makes you feel comfortable
Protection
Blame others
Not willing to accept that we are wrong
Fear
Like the reward (eg. attention)
3. If loyalty to suffering blocks forgiveness, where do we place our loyalty to avoid suffering?
Scary – your own failings
Face who you really are
Recorder’s Sheet 4
To forgive we must be willing to grieve.
1. What is grieving? How is it done?
Complicated process
Shedding, releasing, cleansing
How:
• by letting go of illusions of hope-filled unrealistic world
• self-care – lots of self-care and loving kindness
2. Is it really tied to forgiveness?
Yes
3. Does grieving need to end before forgiveness can happen?
NO!
The beginning of one is the end of the other – but it’s difficult to discern where one ends and the other begins
4. Does grieving end when forgiveness happens?
Grief morphs into something more tangible and meaningful – a learning experience
Giving up the hope…
Recorder’s Sheet 5
Forgiveness involves perspective and a shift in identity.
1. How does forgiveness affect one’s identity?
Relate from deeper self
If you can’t forgive you feel angry
2. How does perspective contribute to forgiveness?
When I put into perspective I can forgive quicker
3. How can one foster a shift in identity and perspective that brings one closer to forgiveness?
Community
Collective consciousness
Finding your own modality