Foundations of the Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Program

The heart of mindfulness practice is the essence of being human – to waking up to your life in this moment – simple, right? Perhaps not. The almost total reliance on the mind to navigate our lives has created a disconnect between us and being with the entirety of our experience.

The coming to stillness for formal meditation practice, with the intention to sit still and not ‘do’ anything; without the usual distractions of daily life, very quickly you will notice things will arise – thoughts, feelings, emotions and physical sensations. The mind says ‘this is boring, I’d rather watch TV’ or the body becomes tight & uncomfortable demanding that you wriggle around and stretch, or memories of a regretful act from 3 weeks ago show up, and so on – in these moments we may notice our automatic reactivity and habitual way of doing so, the need to fix things, or feel comfortable or to avoid feeling dis-ease, perhaps the judgemental thoughts we have about ourselves and so on.

Mindfulness trains us to step out of ‘autopilot’ mode and become aware of these behavioural patterns – how do I respond to my life in this moment? Life ‘on the cushion’ provides us a bigger sense of our internal world, an understanding of the nature of our mind, so that we may understand how we meet life ‘off the cushion’ – it is the same wherever you are, because you are always there. Becoming mindfully aware is awakening to all our senses, so that we may begin to embody our experience, and feel life beyond merely ‘thinking’ about it.

MBSR is first and foremost an experiential program – you must ‘do something’ before you learn about it. The mind has the tendency to want knowledge and information to store and use later – which is by no means wrong (in fact it's necessary), but can often be limiting in comparison with committing to actually doing the work and finding out for oneself through direct experience. The program touches upon the theory and science of stress physiology and neuroscience as well as how mindful attention and regulation can be a tool in reducing stress, but without the practice and experience of how it affects us and our life, the information is dull – the practice brings it to life.

An 8-week program created by Jon Kabat-Zinn at University of Massachusetts (1979) uses secular evidence-based mindfulness-based approaches to assist people with stress, anxiety, depression and pain. Composed of 8 two-hour sessions + an all-day retreat (between week 6 & 7), the program can be thought of as an invitation to explore oneself with the support of a group and guiding framework. The group sessions feature teacher-led formal and informal mindfulness practices (sitting, lying down, eating, walking, stretching/yoga), breakout partner discussions, self-inquiry & reflection. These classes act as pillars in the week, during which participants are required to carry out individual practices (formal and informal) and reflection on them – with opportunity to bring these observations into the following week’s session.

Intention is key – why do we do what we do in any moment? What do you wish to achieve by committing to an 8-week stress reduction program with home assignments!? If it is relaxation and peace of mind, be warned that this may not be immediately realised. Paradoxically, we are turning towards difficulty and learning to be with it instead of immediately trying to fix or get rid of it – a hard-wired human reaction. By becoming aware and accepting the existence of dis-ease, even sitting with it a little longer, we can decide to mindfully respond how the moment requires. In the same vein, we learn to turn towards ease by become aware of the unnecessary tension that we hold onto and allowing release. Whatever your intention is for the program, one thing is for sure, you will develop a more intimate relationship with yourself, and naturally with those around you.

Ultimately, the 8-week program is an entry or a gateway into yourself, and whilst it won't take away stressful events, it can provide the tools which can help you meet them, and life - with all its beauty and terror; but it is also just the beginning...our practice never ends ??