“Mindfulness for the Rest of Us”
“A gentle, 8-week path to healing.” – 1 hour a week. – Always free.
Weeks 1–3 (Foundations)
Week 1 – Arriving & Beginning
Week 2 – Coming Home to the Body
Week 3 – Breathe Body & Attention
Stress, Reactivity & Choices
Week 4 – Stress & Automatic Pilot
Week 5 – Responding Instead of Reacting
Week 6 – Working with Difficulty
Retreat, Self-Care & Forward
Week 6R – Personal Practice Retreat (3-hours)
Week 7 – Self-Care & Compassion
Week 8 – Integration & Moving Forward
Week 1: Simple Awareness & The Body Scan
Welcome to the first week of your MBSR journey. This week, we begin by shifting from “doing” mode to “being” mode. Our primary tools will be the Body Scan meditation and eating with deliberate attention.
Theme: Waking Up to Autopilot
Most of our lives are lived on “autopilot.” We drive to work, eat our meals, and interact with others while our minds are somewhere else—planning the future or replaying the past. This week is about gently recognizing when we are on autopilot and bringing our attention back to the present moment.
1. Introduction Video
Please watch the video below introducing the concepts of mindfulness.
[PLACEHOLDER: Insert “Jon Kabat-Zinn Introduction” Video Here]
Formal Practice: The Body Scan
The Body Scan is the core practice for the first few weeks. It is not a relaxation exercise (though you may relax), but an exercise in falling awake. We will systematically move our attention through different parts of the body.
“The best way to capture moments is to pay attention. This is how we cultivate mindfulness.”
— Jon Kabat-Zinn
Audio: The Body Scan (45 Minutes)
Please use the player below for your daily practice.
[PLACEHOLDER: Add Media > Upload your Body Scan MP3 Here]
The Raisin Meditation
Take one raisin (or a nut, or a piece of chocolate) and eat it as if you have never seen such an object before in your life. Use all your senses: sight, touch, smell, and finally taste.
- Seeing: Examine the textures and shadows.
- Touching: Feel the weight and ridges.
- Smelling: Inhale the aroma.
- Tasting: Notice how the flavor releases slowly.
Week 1 Home Practice
Formal Practice:
- Do the Body Scan (guided audio above) at least 6 days this week.
- Do the Raisin Meditation once.
Informal Practice:
- Choose one routine activity (brushing teeth, washing dishes, taking a shower) and do it with full mindfulness. Feel the sensations, the temperature, the movements.
- Eat one meal (or part of a meal) mindfully, without TV or reading.
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