In week 7 of MBSR, we begin with a mindfulness practice. This time without guidance from the teacher. We talk about how the experience of not being guided differs or the same.
We then spend time talking about the all-day retreat. Opening it up to participants for them to talk about what came up for them and how they met their experience. What participants learned about themselves.
We talk about using questions to guide ourselves in our personal lives, “What is called for now/today?” “What do I need to take care of myself now?” Some share they can’t remember the last time they asked themselves this question, always racing around taking care of others (i.e. patients, clients, cases, children, parents).
We spend time discussing which lifestyle choices are adaptive and self-nourishing while also acknowledging which choices may be maladaptive and not supportive.
We do a simple exercise of changing the seat we normally take. Even in a zoom room this exercise proves to be very powerful. We notice how we feel in this new place. Noticing this is a change in our pattern. Noticing all that comes up for us when our patterns change.
The fieldwork does not include any recordings this week. The emphasis is to incorporate mindfulness into our daily lives without using the recordings. Perhaps focusing on brushing one’s teeth or washing their hands, while being intentionally mindful.
Participants are encouraged to maintain a daily 45 minutes, perhaps by engaging in 20 minutes of mindful movement like yoga, sitting for 20 minutes, and doing a mindful walk for 5 minutes. The idea is to practice without having the structure of the course.
We end with a mindful practice.
This is it.
Photo by Alberto Triano
