Blog
MBSR
Cultivating Balance through Mindfulness and Self-Compassion
By Cheryl Shah, guest contributor
As a corporate finance leader, I got to work at 7:30 am and didn’t return home until 8 pm most nights. I was constantly under pressure to deliver financial results, error-free and with tight deadlines. I relied on my colleagues’ work, and when they made mistakes, I would react with anger and frustration. My workday was dominated by meetings until 4 pm, leaving me a scant few hours to complete work deliverables. My shoulders ached from the weight of stress. I co…
The Ethics of Mindfulness
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By Ted Meissner, Mindful Leader MBSR Instructor
When I first joined a meditative community, they were in the midst of a schism. Past inappropriate behaviors from leadership had recently surfaced, and the group was deeply divided by hurt and different ideas about how to continue. Over time they recovered, but it was a long and winding road to mend the fractures. Those events left a mark on everyone involved, and I was no exception. Though there were no painful m…
The Truth About Trauma: Can Mindfulness Help?
The Unspoken Truth
There is an unspoken truth about trauma that is becoming more and more evident. In varying degrees, we all have suffered trauma. It is the experience of the human condition, well tethered in the understanding and knowing of the wisdom of the ages. It is the pain that is experienced and regurgitated/suffered over and over and over again.
Trauma is a topic that has captured incredible attention and interest in the past few years. There are various understandings of what trauma…
How Do You Practice MBSR?
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By Dr. Gus Castellanos, Mindful Leader MBSR Instructor
Stress is a normal human response to external causes that we experience as demanding or threatening. Good stress is short-term, and it inspires and motivates you. It increases your focus and enhances your performance. Bad stress or distress, however, leads to anxiety, overwhelm, confusion, poor concentration, and decreased performance. Mindfulness-based practices are key to reducing stress and anxiet…
5 Common Misconceptions About Mindfulness
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By Anna Smyth, guest contributor
I’ve noticed in my years of teaching mindfulness–including MBSR classes–that it’s often misunderstood. Headlines often highlight the benefits of mindfulness, and doctors across the world recommend it to patients, but people often have reservations about trying it. Over the years, I’ve identified five common misconceptions. They’re outlined below with some clarification.
1. Are meditation and mindfulness the same thing?
…Can taking MBSR help with Workplace Burnout?
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By Peter Calin, Mindful Leader MBSR Instructor
An unprecedented phenomenon might be one way to describe the tsunami-like changes in the way we work now, compared to pre-COVID-19. COVID completely changed the work landscape. There was a seismic shift from working in offices to working from home remotely. What had been an infrequent concession to employees became the norm, emerging from protocols to restrict the spread and lessen the exposure.
The work…
What Should I Look for When Signing up for an MBSR Course?
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By the Mindful Leader Team
So you've made the decision to sign up for an MBSR class. Congratulations! Now it's time to decide where you would like to take your class. There are certified programs in most U.S. states and in over 30 countries as well as online programs, so there are many options for those looking to try a course.
Here are some things to keep in mind as you choose your class
1. Your MBSR course should consist of weekly group meetings (the…
What Are the 9 Attitudes of Mindfulness?
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By The Mindful Leader Team
Jon Kabat-Zinn is an author, a leader in the mindfulness community, and the founder of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). A molecular biologist by education, Kabat-Zinn was introduced to the concept of meditation through Zen Buddhism, but applied the idea of focused attention to a secular paradigm. MBSR looks to use mindfulness as a regular practice to help people with stress reduction, awareness, and focus. The nine a…
Kindfulness-Based Stress Reduction — KBSR?
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By Cassie Schindler, guest contributor
Right there, in the foreword of Jon-Kabat Zinn’s powerful book, Mindfulness for All; The Wisdom to Transform the World, he coins the word kindfulness, knowing that someone would pick it up, and expand, rather than exploit, its relevance. I hope to do that with this writing.
If the name of the 8-week MBSR course began with the word kindfulness instead of mindfulness, would you register? Would you have a clear und…
3 Questions that Strike the Vital Point of MBSR
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By Janet Solyntjes, guest contributor
Several days ago I received a list of common questions that potential MBSR participants have voiced to the staff at Mindful Leader. In looking over the list I thought I would address one, but found that three questions, when combined, strike the heart of what we could call the MBSR experiential journey. These questions represent the beginning, middle, and end of any journey one might take: the view, practice, and r…