What is MBSR?

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction is an 8-week course designed to reduce stress, anxiety, headaches, chronic pain, depression and to promote balance in our lives. It will assist you with the daily challenges we all face by teaching you how to take better care of yourself. Using meditation, mindfulness and other tools, such as mindful movement, you will be guided to make the most of each moment by “being present,” living in the here and now and not in the past or the future. Meditation and mindfulness can change the relationship you have with stress, pain and depression, thus making it easier to deal with these states. The mind has often been referred to as the sixth sense and with awareness we can learn to respond to situations, rather than reacting. The MBSR program involves creating a different relationship between you and your challenges, to take ourselves off “auto pilot” and create a state of mindfulness. Have you ever found yourself driving on “auto pilot”, eating out of habit, or unaware of what you are feeling? Often this “mindlessness” makes matters worse and creates greater hardship and suffering.

This course is an opportunity to re-discover your inner wisdom, to be less judgmental and more accepting of yourself, to touch base with who you really are in a new and healthy way.

In order to make the most of this course, you are encouraged to “make” (not find) 30 to 45 minutes for home practice at least six days a week. You may have to arrange your daily schedule but once you begin to see the benefits of MBSR, you will find it is time well spent. Your commitment to practice is essential.