MBSR and Secular Mindfulness
This talk will provide an introduction to Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) in anticipation of the 8-week MBSR course which will be offered at SIM beginning August 21, 2019. This presentation should be of interest both for individuals considering participating in the MBSR course, as well as those interested in the place of secular mindfulness in contemporary culture and its connections with Buddhism.
Designed by Jon Kabat-Zinn in 1979, MBSR is an integrative and scientifically validated approach that combines mindfulness practices with group processing and psycho-education around stress. MBSR helps participants mobilize their inner resources to alleviate suffering associated with chronic pain and illness, as well as conditions such as anxiety, depression, headaches, high blood pressure, sleep disturbances, gastrointestinal problems and the stresses of everyday life. MBSR was featured in Bill Moyers’ television special, “Healing and the Mind.”