Mindfulness and Buddhism – Online – Sunday 26th Feb 2023

£130.00£160.00

This continuing professional development practice day for mindfulness teachers and therapists will take place online using Zoom.


Students and participants of mindfulness today are often intrigued by its Buddhist roots and enthusiastic to learn more. As mindfulness teachers, we can greatly enhance our teaching and enrich the experience of our participants by learning more about Buddhist theory and practices that still hold so much relevance for us today.

This practice day will look at what the Buddha taught on mindfulness and the relevance of the teachings today. Mostly, we will practice mindfulness in the Plum Village tradition, as taught by Buddhist Zen Master, Thich Nhat Hanh, so you will get to immerse yourself in the practice in a way that will deepen your understanding and experience.

We will enjoy mindful movement, mindful walking, mindful eating, deep relaxation, the sound of the bell and the contemplations of looking deeply, compassionate listening and inter-being. We will explore a couple of the key Sutras (discourses on mindfulness) and what they mean for us today. We will be introduced to the Five Mindfulness Trainings, developed by Thich Nhat Hanh from the original Buddhism precepts, and providing a global ethic for living peacefully and productively in our modern world.

Participants will experience a deeper connection with the roots of mindfulness and have greater confidence to bring some of this to their teaching practice.

Today is mostly a mindfulness practice day, in the Buddhist Plum Village tradition. A chance to immerse yourself in mindfulness and to learn about some of the key practices of the Plum Village tradition.

Tony has developed a 38-page full-colour booklet to accompany this CPD day, which includes history and facts about Buddhism, the principle teachings of Buddhism, many Plum Village traditions and practices and a list of further resources. You will also receive a digital copy of Happiness: Essential Practices from Plum Village by Thich Nhat Hanh, and a delightful booklet on The Four Noble Truths, written by Venerable Ajahn Sumedho of Amaravati Monastery in the UK. The links for these booklets will be provided immediately when you have purchased this product.

There is a schedule provided below but we may not stick to it rigidly and will flex the day according to what is most of interest and value to participants.

We aim to finish no later than 4:45pm.

Description

Draft Schedule

Sunday 26th February 2023

09:45               Zoom room open for informal greetings

10:00               Inviting the bell

10:10               The place of Mindfulness in Buddhism (a short introductory talk)

You may find it helpful to read Part 2 of the booklet in advance

10:30               Practice: The Sutra on the Full Awareness of Breathing

10:50               Thich Nhat Hanh and the Plum Village tradition

11:10                Practice: Deep Relaxation

Similar to a Body Scan – you may wish to lie down and use a cosy blanket

11:40               Break

12:00               Contemplation: Looking Deeply and Inter-Being

12:25               Practice: Mindful Walking

12:50               Break to collect lunch

13:00               Contemplation Before Eating

Practice: Mindful Eating of Lunch Together

Rest until 14:00

14:00               Practice: Mindful Movement

14:30               Practice: The Five Mindfulness Trainings

Based on the original Buddhist precepts or rules of conduct, brought up to date for contemporary times and providing a global ethic for living peacefully and purposefully in the world today.

15:00              Break

15:15               Practice: Dharma Sharing (Speaking Mindfully & Deep Listening)

16:00              Further Resources and Q&A

16:15               Further practice, subject to time

16:45              Close