INTRODUCTION TO MEDITATION

AND MINDFULNESS

FRENCH FRAKERFLFRAKER@EIU.EDU

GOALS OF THE CLASS

• Present an overview of meditation and mindfulness

• Present training in the process of self-awareness

• Teach skills necessary to begin a personal meditation/mindfulness practice

• Provide supervised meditation/mindfulness practice

• Provide information to facilitate personal growth

THE CONTENT OF THIS COURSE IS DRAWN FROM

• Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism, Taoism

• Philosophy

• Psychology

• Physiology

MY PATH TO STARTING A DAILY MEDITATION PRACTICE

WHAT IS YOUR PATH?

• Why are you taking this class?

• What do you expect to learn from this class?

• What is your INTENTION

THE DEFINITION OF MEDITATION

• Meditation is Training your Mind to Be Aware of the present moment

• Training is repeatedly bringing your thoughts back to the present moment

• Your Mind is your moment conscious experience

• Resting is to experience without response or judgement

• The Here and Now is your moment to moment experience

• Experience is the sensations from five senses, thoughts, feelings and moods

• Meditation isBeing Present in the moment

Practicing Meditation is training the Mind to be present in the moment

Learning Meditative Mindfulness is learning to be Self-aware in the moment

BUDDHIST MEDITATION

Shamatha

• Calm abiding

• Clear awareness

• See how the mind works

• We are not creating this state

• This state already exists within us

Vipassana

• Insight (the true nature of reality)

• Emptiness

• Impermanence

• Egoless

• We are all connected

A NEW APPROACH

BUDDHIST PHILOSOPHY MEETS WESTERN PSYCHOLOGY

MEDITATIVE MINDFULNESS

USE MEDITATION TO CALM THE MIND

USE MINDFULNESS TO GAIN INSIGHT INTO

YOUR SELF

LEARNING MEDITATIVE MINDFULNESS

IS LEARNING TO BE

SELF AWARE

MASLOW'S HIERARCHY OF NEEDS

Self-actualization

Esteem needs

Social needs

Safety Needs

Physiological needs

WE ARE GENETICALLY PROGRAMED TOSELF ACTUALIZE

SELF ACTUALIZATION IS GROWING TO YOUR FULLEST POTENTIAL

TO BE HAPPY

CARL ROGERSNON-DIRECTIVE THERAPY

HE WAS AN ALL ACCEPTING MIRROR

THE INTENT OF THIS CLASS IS TOTEACH YOU TO BECOME A MIRROR TO

SEE YOUR SELF WITHOUT JUDGEMENT

MEDITATIVE MINDFULNESS IS

SELF AWARENESS

SELF AWARENESS FACILITATES

SELF-ACTUALIZATION

Four Noble Truths

Life is Suffering (Dukkha) Dissatisfaction

There is a Cause of suffering

There is Freedom from suffering

The Eightfold Path

A MODERN VERSION OFTHE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS

•Shit happens

• Deal with it

The Eightfold Path

Right Speech

Right Conduct

Right Livelihood

Right Resolve

Right Effort

Right Mindfulness

Right Concentration

Right View

MEDITATIVE MINDFULNESSHAS A SINGLE PATH

THE PATH HAS FOUR LANES

THE PATH IS SELF AWARENESSTHE FOUR LANES ARE:

WE FEEL (BODY)

WE THINK (MIND)

WE FEEL (EMOTIONS)

WE BEHAVE (ACTIONS)

FOUR LANES OF SELF-AWARENESS

LANE ONE

AWARENESS OF THE BODY

USE THE BODY TO ANCHOR AWARENESS TO THE PRESENT MOMENT

HOW TO MEDITATE

Posture Stable Comfortable

Eyes Closed*

Breath 3 slow deep breaths then breath naturally

Length of time 5 – 60 minutes

Time of day Same time each day works best

Place Quiet and free from distraction

GUIDED MEDITATION

BODY SCAN

FEEL THE SENSATIONS OF YOUR BREATHING

REST YOUR AWARENESS ON THE BREATH

ANCHOR YOUR AWARENESS ON THE PRESENT MOMENT

BY RESTING YOUR AWARENESS ON YOUR BREATHING

DEALING WITH MONKEY MIND

•Catch and Release

GIVE THE MONKEY A TASK

IN ADDITION TO FOLLOWING YOUR BREATH

COUNT YOUR BREATHS

WEEK ONE PRACTICE

Find a comfortable place to meditate

Set a time to meditate

Find a comfortable position to use during meditation

Meditate for five minutes counting your breaths

Do a short body scan several time a day

Your intent is to be present in the moment

MEDITATION APP FOR YOUR PHONE

INSIGHT TIMER

NOTES TO SELF

Be Persistent

Be Patient

Be Kind

WISDOM FOR THE WEEK

GOOD SHIT HAPPENS

NOTICE IT