Mindfulness

Mindfulness is our ability to be completely present. With it, we can be calmer, more accepting, and more responsive in our relationships. Mindfulness is a kind of non-reactive awareness that allows us to be more effective and more compassionate, in touch with our inner wisdom and purpose.

Even though every human being has this capacity, we rarely cultivate it. The result is that we are distracted, preoccupied with thoughts about the future and past, inefficient, and stressed. We so often operate on “automatic pilot” that we do not actualize our values and realize the joy, meaning, and vitality that is available in the present moment.

For millennia, mindfulness has been practiced by people who wanted to find a way to live a rich and meaningful life. Mindfulness was originally part of ancient spiritual traditions, but over the past several decades, modern psychology has found methods of teaching mindfulness that are secular, authentic, and effective.

Therapies like Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) teach mindfulness using guided meditations, workbooks, readings, and individualized discussion and instruction. In these therapies, we learn to be calmer and more aware. We find ourselves able to be really present in our daily lives, and as a result, we can respond much more effectively to our difficulties and more lovingly to our families and friends. These therapies have been shown to be effective with a wide range of problems, such as anxiety, depression, and worry.

Similarly, our workshops and courses are designed to apply mindfulness principles and techniques to common difficulties, like stress and compulsive eating. They help you develop a different relationship to the challenges in your life. With greater awareness, patience, and compassion, even long-standing problems can be transformed.