I created this presentation and used it to deliver a Mindfulness Workshop to the Northside Partnership (in Dublin) on 28.02.2019.

1. MINDFULNESS WORKSHOP
JOE KEATING
27.02.2019

2. AGENDA
• INTRODUCTION TO MINDFULNESS 10:00
• THE CONCEPT OF MINDFUL MEDITATION 10:15
• MINDFUL MEDITATION – TECHNIQUE 1 10:30
• COMFORT BREAK 11:00
• MINDFUL MEDITATION – TECHNIQUE 2 11:15
• MINDFUL MEDITATION – TECHNIQUE 3 11:45
• Q & A + WRAP UP 12:15

3. PRESENT MOMENT AWARENESS, WITHOUT JUDGEMENT
MINDFULNESS IS THE BASIC HUMAN ABILITY TO BE FULLY PRESENT, AWARE OF WHERE WE ARE AND WHAT WE’RE DOING,
AND TO NOT OVERREACT OR BECOME OVERWHELMED BY WHAT’S GOING ON AROUND US.

4. THE ORIGINS OF MINDFULNESS
MINDFULNESS ISN’T A NEW CONCEPT, MANY CONSIDER
MINDFULNESS TO HAVE ITS ORIGINS TO HAVE STARTED IN
BUDDHISM (2,500 YEARS AGO), BUT EVEN BEFORE THEN, HINDUS
PRACTICED A RANGE OF MEDITATIONS, AKIN TO MINDFULNESS.
THE CURRENT APPROACH TO MINDFULNESS IS BASED ON A STRESS-
REDUCTION PROGRAM DEVELOPED IN THE LATE 1970S BY DR. JON
KABAT-ZINN, A PROFESSOR OF MEDICINE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
MASSACHUSETTS.

5. WHAT IS STRESS (SUFFERING)
STRESS IS CAUSED BY YOUR REACTION TO AN EVENT
STRESS IS ONLY ERADICATED WHEN YOU CHANGE HOW YOU
THINK AND HOW YOU DESIGNATE EVENTS
EVENTS ARE FUNDAMENTALLY NEUTRAL (NOT GOOD OR BAD), OUR
PERCEPTION OF EVENTS DESIGNATES THEM
IN YOUR MIND IS…SHIT THAT YOU’RE MAKING UP!

6. STRESS AND ANXIETY IS SUFFERING
THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN CAUSE YOU UNDUE SUFFERING,
EXCEPT YOUR OWN MIND
TO EQUIP YOURSELF WITH THE ABILITY TO BE MORE MINDFUL
(AND MINIMISE SUFFERING), THESE STEPS ARE REQUIRED:
1. EXPERIENCE THE MIND (THE INNER LANDSCAPE)
2. LEARN HOW TO STABILIZE YOUR MIND (THOUGHTS AND FEELING)
3. IDENTIFY WHAT CAUSES YOU SUFFERING

7. WHAT IS THE MIND?
YOUR MIND IS YOUR PERCEPTION OF EXPERIENCES
IT IS NOT BASED IN YOUR HEAD (THAT’S YOUR BRAIN), YOUR MIND
IS AN EVER-EXPANDING FIELD OF PERCEPTION EXPERIENCES
BY KNOWING YOUR MIND, YOU CAN DEVELOP STRATEGIES TO
DEAL WITH DESIGNATION AND REACTION TO AVOID SUFFERING

8. LIVING IN THE NOW
55-60% OF OUR LIFE IS MISSED BECAUSE WE ARE NOT ‘PRESENT’
(NOT EXPERIENCING IT)
IN THIS MOMENT, THERE IS NO PAST OR FUTURE
(YOU CAN’T GO BACK TO THE PAST OR FORWARD TO THE FUTURE)
MAKE SURE THIS MOMENT IS A GOOD ONE, BECAUSE IT WILL
BECOME YOUR PAST AND STORED IN YOUR PERCEPTION OF
EXPERIENCES (THE MIND)

9. MINDFUL MEDITATION
DR. JON KABAT-ZINN BASED HIS MBSR PROGRAM ON A TYPE OF
BUDDHIST MEDITATION CALLED VIPASSANA, TRANSLATED TO ENGLISH AS
“CLEAR AWARENESS" OR “INSIGHT“.
THE FIRST SET OF BUDDHIST MINDFULNESS INSTRUCTIONS, PLACE
CAREFUL ATTENTION ON FOUR DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF EXPERIENCE:
1. THE BODY (E.G., THE BREATH)
2. SENSATIONS OR FEELINGS
3. THE MIND/CONSCIOUSNESS
4. MENTAL CONTENTS

10. WHAT EXACTLY IS MEDITATION
A USEFUL TECHNIQUE TO STABILIZE THE MIND AND BRING AWARENESS TO
THE NOW
HUMANS ARE HARDWIRED TO GRAVITATE THEIR THOUGHTS TO THE
NEGATIVE, MEDITATION ALLOWS US TO MANAGE THIS AND GRADUALLY
REDUCE THE NOISE AND STABILIZE THE MIND
HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=O-KMJBWK9E0

11. 6 STEPS TO MEDITATION
1. SIT AND RELAX
2. CLOSE YOUR EYES
3. FOCUS ON YOUR BREATHING
4. NOTICE WHEN YOUR THOUGHTS MOVE AWAY FROM YOUR BREATH
5. CONGRATULATE YOURSELF ON NOTICING AND RE-FOCUS ON YOUR BREATH
6. REPEAT

12. MEDITATION TECHNIQUE # 1
AWARENESS OF BREATH
HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=DEZBDLN2BJC

13. MEDITATION TECHNIQUE # 2
BODY SCAN
HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=DBNC5DQH8ZQ

14. MEDITATION TECHNIQUE # 3
BELL MEDITATION
HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=WGFOG-OUFDM

15. ANY QUESTIONS?
WAS THIS USEFUL?
WILL YOU PRACTICE BEING MINDFUL?
START WITH A FEW MINUTES A DAY – IDEALLY REACHING 20 MINS
IN THE MORNING AND 20 MINS IN THE EVENING
RECOMMENDED: PLUM VILLAGE, PADDY BROSNAN

16. REMEMBER, YOU DECIDE IF YOU SUFFER OR NOT!