Before applying to work at Mindfulness Northwest (MNW), I added up the time I’d spent in MNW programs: over 200 hours, most of those in 8-week Mindful Self-Compassion and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction classes.Ask anyone in my life, and they’ll tell you I’ve...
In our classes, when we turn toward difficult emotions, we often say, “This is where the rubber meets the road.” In other words: This is where it gets tough, but also, this is why we’re doing this practice. I have five parents: two in-laws, two birth, one step. In the...
The practice of forgiveness is both a practical and deep exploration in a world where we humans regularly cause each other harm, and can even harm ourselves. This practice is based on one described by American Insight Meditation teachers Sharon Salzberg and Gina...
I have to admit that I didn’t like loving kindness meditation at first. I took to silent meditation pretty readily. I found it challenging at times, but generally calming and refreshing, and I treasured the simplicity and silence of it. Loving kindness just...
I remember the first time I took a Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) course. I had just finished Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and wanted to keep learning all I could about the subject. MSC was described to me as taking a bit of a turn from MBSR: I would...
In this video practice, Catherine walks us through the Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) Gestures, which are positions and movements that can help us sense and physically embody the different qualities of Mindful Self-Compassion. The first three gestures correspond with...
A tonglen (“giving and receiving compassion”) meditation with an emphasis on being relaxed and alert in our practice. You can learn more about tonglen meditation at Tim’s introductory recording. Delivered at the Winter 2023 MSC II: Roots of...
A meditation oriented around developing the quality of heart-mind the Buddhists call “bodhicitta” – the altruistic mind of awakening. This practice is based on an article by Ven. Thubten Chodron. Delivered at the Winter 2023 MSC II: Roots of...
Tonglen is a practice developed in Tibetan Buddhism for cultivating compassion. As the 7-minute supplemental audio explains it is also the basis for the Receiving and Giving Compassion practice offering our Mindful Self-Compassion classes. In some ways Tonglen is more...
One of the things I so appreciate about training in mindfulness and self-compassion is how it helps bring things to light for me. Mindfulness has the potential to help me notice and understand what my mind is up to. Self-compassion can help me meet my suffering with...
So much has been written around how mindfulness practice helps us cope: how we learn to use our attention more wisely, accept things more fully, and become more resilient under stress. This is all true and a wonderful thing. When I practice and lead others in...
Photo by Sonia Lynne Sia How comfortable are you with changes to a usual routine? For instance, our childhood caregivers likely taught us to wash our hands before eating or to remove our shoes before entering a house. Maybe at school our teachers encouraged us...
