Lying on the floor for body scans, gentle stretching and light yoga, and walking meditation are part of the curriculum. Accommodations are made by the teacher to support all levels of physical ability, including using chairs and props, and working with you to create an experience that will work for you.
You are in full control to choose when and how you participate in each practice. No expectations. No judgments. Do whatever is right for you
Dress comfortably in clothes you can move in, like if you were dressing to go for a walk or to the gym. You will be moving and sitting for long periods. You may want to dress in layers. The temperature in the room and your body can vary throughout the class.
Chairs, blankets, and yoga mats are provided. However, if you prefer to sit on a cushion, I recommend you purchase your own. My preferred cushion for the best support is the Hugger Mugger Zafu. (I like it for its firmness and malleability.) You may also prefer to bring your own yoga mat.
Please bring water, notepad and pen (if you choose).
Please eat a light meal prior to attending class. The digestion of heavy foods can disrupt your practice. NO FOOD is allowed. We will be meditating throughout; the smells and sounds of food and eating are disruptive.
To respect the sensitivities of others, please refrain from wearing perfume or using scents of any kind, not even essential oils. Thank you for your understanding.
Attendance in all 8 classes and the all-day “retreat” class is preferred. Each week builds on the next and each class includes valuable guidance and instruction. If you need to miss 1 class, that is okay, however, if you expect to miss more than 2 sessions, please consider enrolling in a future series. There are no makeup classes during the 8-weeks, however, summary emails are sent out each week so you can be aware of the content you've missed and receive ongoing encouragemt for your practice.
The time commitment is as much or little as you choose. Participants who realize the most benefit are those that are practicing up to 40-45 minutes a day - which includes both informal practice, like focusing your attention on daily activities and formal practice like meditation. Consider how you will set aside time for daily practice, as this is an essential part of the program. Participants often find that setting aside time for practice increases the sense of spaciousness in the rest of the day. Participation in the MBSR program can create its’ own stress, as you create new habits, schedules and changes in ways of being. Requesting assistance from family, friends and co-workers may be supportive.
While mindfulness and self-compassion skills are taught in both Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) courses, the emphasis on each of these components is different. In MBSR, our time is focused in meditation and mindful movement through gentle yoga. In MSC, our time is focused on self-compassion exercises using mindfulness as the foundation of meditations and no mindful movement/gentle yoga component except for standing and stretching mid-class. The emphasis in MBSR is on developing mindfulness skills—both mindfulness meditations and everyday mindfulness, to stay in the present moment, even in unpleasant and stressful situations. The emphasis in MSC is on developing non-judging, self-compassionate responses, and to practice applying them to your current life challenges while continuing to deepen mindfulness skills.
Please plan to attend the course Orientation/Free Introduction for a thorough overview of what to expect. Once the course has begun in session #1, refunds will not be provided. However, if by class #2, you find there is a conflict with your schedule, we will hold your registration fee for a future course date. After class #2, no refunds or holdovers will occur.
If you have any questions, issues, or wish to get a refund, contact me in the chat bar or by phone. You can find my contact information in the header and footer of my website.