Train to Teach Mindfulness – Level 1

During this weekend we teach you how to guide Mindfulness practices, in particular the practice of Mindfulness sitting practice (Intention, Motivation, Settling, Grounding, Resting, Support and Sharing), mindful movement and bodyscan. We look at the rationales for these practices, the language we use and safety issues around guiding these practices. Then we practice guiding each other in small groups and then in our tutorial groups.

We also explore how to lead Mindful enquiry at the end of a session of guided practice. Again we look at the language we use when exploring another’s experience of practice, in a safe way without advising or fixing. We base our enquiry on direct experience by focusing on the triangle of thoughts, emotions or feelings and physical sensations as a starting point for an exploration of habitual patterns and feelings about experience and discuss how and when to bring in teaching points. The overall model of enquiry we use is Insight Dialogue (inspired by the work of Gregory Kramer), using the following steps: Pause, Relax, Open, Trust Emergence, Listen Deeply & Speak Truly.

This course is about teaching from our own practice and so a key element is developing the trust to teach from our embodied presence. We do this by practicing together in small groups, while staying present and in touch with our body and noticing the difference between this and teaching from the thinking activity in our heads that takes us away from our direct experience of the moment.

Students on the University of Aberdeen MSc in Studies in Mindfulness complete this training at their Year 1 retreat. 

In between Weekends One and Two participants write 1000 words about why we teach Mindfulness to groups and receive feedback from their course tutor. 

During this weekend each participant guides a 10 minute guided practice that they have prepared (selected from Mindfulness sitting practice, movement or bodyscan) and a 10 minute enquiry in their tutor groups (of around 12 people). Structured feedback is given and received in terms of one thing that went well, one thing that could be improved and one thing that was interesting. The person leading the practice feeds back for themselves first, then receives feedback from two or three of their peers and then from the tutor. Feedback is given in terms of the Mindfulness Based Interventions – Teaching Assessment Criteria (MBI-TAC) so as to encourage a reflective teaching practice. In this way we learn by doing, observing others and reflecting on our experience.

We also explore working with groups during this weekend and safety, ethical and practical issues around Mindfulness teaching in group settings.

At the end of this course participants will be able to begin teaching informal short sessions of Mindfulness to friends, family and colleagues, under the supervision (generally via Skype or phone) of a more experienced teacher, in preparation for the Mindfulness Based Living Course teaching skills retreat.

“It deepened my understanding of practice”

This course gradually introduces participants to the generic skills of guiding Mindfulness practice and leading enquiry. We learn to do this from our embodied present moment experience, in graduated stages. In guiding Mindfulness practice, we learn to guide as we are doing the practice ourselves and in guiding enquiry we learn to trust that being present is enough. Therefore, it is only suitable for those who have a regular Mindfulness practice.

This course takes place over two weekends spread out over a three month period. After completing the Level One training you can proceed to take the Level 2 Training which takes place as a one-week retreat.

Have you completed the Mindfulness Level 1 – Being Present training with the Mindfulness Association?

This course is designed for those who have completed at least the Mindfulness Level 1 training and is a foundation for those who wish to go on to do the MBLC teaching skills retreat to learn to teach our 8 week MBLC course. 

Are you already a mindfulness teacher?

If you have already trained to teach mindfulness, for example in MBSR or MBCT, and would like to train to teach our 8 week Mindfulness Based Living Course (MBLC) you will need to complete an MBLC 8 week course or attend at least weekends 2 and 3 of the Level 1 Mindfulness Training: Being Present in order to familiarise yourself with aspects of the MBLC curriculum which are not present in MBSR or MBCT before completing the MBLC Retreat. 

“I’ve moved from being apprehensive about being able to teach to being excited about learning to teach”

Our mindfulness courses provide an in-depth, personal, experiential practice of mindfulness that are part of a lifelong journey.  We learn how to be present, respond with compassion and see deeply into our thoughts, feelings and behaviours. This three-tiered approach enables you to embody your practice as a way of life. We also provide:

• Mindfulness teacher training
• Compassion teacher training
• Annual mindfulness practice retreats
• The opportunity to study mindfulness in depth on the MSc Studies in Mindfulness in partnership with The University of Aberdeen.
• Weekend workshops for Continued Professional Development for Mindfulness teachers.

You may be a beginner or have practiced mindfulness with another organisation.  Either way we have courses to offer you.

Our training is based on the work of Rob Nairn. Rob is one of the world pioneers in presenting meditation training in a way that is accessible to the Western mind. He was asked to teach meditation by the Dalai Lama. His experience of over forty years of teaching meditation to Westerners has enabled him to develop a unique secular training in mindfulness, and so the Mindfulness Association was created to support this.

We are one of the top mindfulness training providers in the UK. We have been delivering 100s of compassion-based mindfulness meditation courses over 10 years across the UK and Europe.

All our courses are secular and draw from a broad range of disciplines, including neuroscience, evolutionary psychology and Buddhism.

“It’s been a lovely warm and welcoming weekend but with a lot of great teaching and interesting points of learning”

The Mindfulness Association has 10 years of experience of delivering courses in the UK and Europe. All our tutors are very experienced and knowledgeable compassion-based mindfulness and practitioners.

Our trained teachers are eligible to go on the UK Listing of Mindfulness Teachers.

We have a membership providing our practitioners and teachers with ongoing support. We provide a range of workshops and online sessions for mindfulness teachers to continue their professional development (CPD).

Our tutors and courses comply with the UK Network for Mindfulness-Based Teacher Training Organisations (now BAMBA) who oversee the quality of mindfulness-based training in the UK.

Our fully trained supervisors are available to support teachers through their training and when teaching.

After completing the Level One training you can proceed to take the Level 2 Training which takes place as a one-week retreat.

You can also participate in a five day Mindfulness Based Living Course (MBLC) teaching skills retreat or an equivalent retreat for training to teach 11 to 18 yesr olds (MBLC-YA).

Practicing mindfulness results in an unfolding of our potential. This helps us to make choices about how we live in connection with ourselves and our world. Whatever it is that brings us to take our first steps on the journey of becoming more mindful, we recognise that present-moment compassionate living is the journey of a lifetime.

“I feel lucky to be on this journey to discover and develop my inner teacher”

If you have engaged in mindfulness training yourself and feel you have benefited, then what a wonderful opportunity to help share the benefits of mindfulness practice with others so they benefit too.

As part of your mindfulness training you may have noticed a personal transformation in terms of managing your own stress levels and increased wellbeing. By training to teach the 8-week Mindfulness Based Living Course, we can help others to relieve their stress, manage pain and chronic illness, achieve their full potential and really flourish in their lives.

By going through the teacher training and sharing the benefits of mindfulness with others our own practice and understanding of mindfulness grows. In turn our practice deepens, and we reap the benefit too.
In this video, Heather explains why we should train to teach mindfulness and explains the full Mindfulness Association Teacher Training Pathway.

If you have recently received or are currently receiving treatment from a psychiatrist, psychotherapist or counsellor for an ongoing mental health problem, we strongly advise that you obtain advice from your mental health professional before proceeding further with mindfulness training at this time.

Also, if you have recently or are currently going through a traumatic life event such as a separation from a long-term partner, the death of a close family member or friend or redundancy this may not be the best time for you to start a mindfulness course.