LifeSkills Mindfulness (LSM) Courses
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By Chris Ward in General Published: Friday, 23 April 10 - 12:07 PM (GMT) Last Updated: Wednesday, 04 August 10 - 12:08 PM (GMT) |
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Triple Gem Buddhist Foundation – LifeSkills Mindfulness (LSM) Courses
Over more than thirty years there has been a growing ‘mindfulness’ meditation movement of which Jon Kabat-Zinn was an early pioneer. The practice of mindfulness is a core element of the teachings of the Buddha and has now been used in a variety of secular settings particularly for the treatment of recurrent depression and anxiety, for chronic pain and for a wide range of related conditions where particular mental habits lead to unhappiness, poor performance or sickness. There is a growing body of scientific evidence demonstrating the efficacy of mindfulness based practices.
Many if not all of the early pioneers of secular mindfulness techniques were practitioners in Buddhist traditions. They realised that mindfulness based practices had a lot to offer in the field of mental health and that by teaching mindfulness in a secular way, and not as part of Buddhism, the reach of the techniques would be greater. Without any obvious Buddhist trappings they would become acceptable in public health, educational, and other secular settings, and this has proved to be the case.
Mindfulness techniques are now not only offered as standard treatments in the NHS but are gradually becoming a part of ‘well-being’ initiatives in schools.
TGBF supports the use of mindfulness for mental health and well-being, but we are also aware that in the Buddhist path, mindfulness forms but one part: a key factor amongst other factors. And the other factors of the Buddhist path work synergistically with mindfulness to create a more comprehensive path to release from, and avoidance of, stress.
We recognize the great importance of basing practice on mindfulness. But we also know the value of using a more complete framework to bring our lives into perspective. Developing a broader conceptual framework which includes mindfulness encourages us to gain insight into our suffering and stress and to take action to alleviate or remedy the particular conditions that we can control.
Recognising this, TGBF are designing a course which extends the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) framework to include a consideration of how stress arises and ceases and what aspects of our behaviours in daily life in relationship and at work are closely connected with, or causal of, our experience of stress.
LSM is firmly based upon mindfulness practice in all its aspects and maintains a secular attitude; LSM is suitable for those from all faiths or none and has no overtly religious aspects or aims.
We have called our course LifeSkills Mindfulness (LSM) and just as for MBSR, LSM is offered in a course of eight 2 hour sessions with one session per week. Participants are encouraged to practice in between the sessions and to review their progress each week as a group with the course instructor.
We intend to launch some LSM teacher training courses later this year. If you are interested in joining a future LSM course as a participant, or are interested in applying to become an LSM teacher, then please make contact.
Email (remove spaces and brackets) to: metta [[@]] petalmoore.net or c.ward [[@] triplegem.org.uk
About the Triple Gem Buddhist Foundation.
The Triple Gem Buddhist Foundation (TGBF) exists as a vehicle to support a range of socially engaged initiatives which all have their source and inspiration in the establishment of a culture of awakening. Although inspired by the Dhamma teachings of the Buddha, TGBF is a non-denominational and secular organisation that invites support from well-intentioned practitioners from any and all Buddhist traditions.
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