Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/87297
Distance Learning Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Courses Duke Integrative Medicine www.dukeintegrative medicine.org/classes- workshops-and-education/ mbsr-foundations- home-study In Person Informal Mindfulness University of Massachusetts Medical School The way to begin your informal practice is simple— slow down. Slowing down offers you the ability to be truly present and mindful about what you are doing. It is fi nding the being in your doing, and fully experiencing an activity rather than rushing through it. It allows you to experience not only the simplicity, but also the richness of the moment. The opportunities are endless—practice during dishwashing, eating, stretching, walking, yoga, and more. You also have the opportunity to practice informal mindfulness in your massage sessions. Being present in your massage sessions will enhance your palpation skills and help you make adjustments to your techniques, as well as to your body mechanics. Additionally, it fosters a healing environment in which the client feels your presence and compassion. Practice Finally, the way to harness the power of presence is to simply practice. As a unique individual and bodyworker, it is important to know that there is no right or wrong way to begin and sustain a consistent mindfulness practice. The important part is to pick something that resonates with you and simply begin practicing. Lost for a place to start? Here are some ideas: • Take 1 minute every hour to stop and be mindful— set an alarm on your computer or phone. • Take 3 minutes several times a day to breathe— when you fi rst wake up, before your meals and snacks, or before each massage session. • Take 3–7 minutes once a day to lie down on a blanket or your massage table. Mary Beth Braun owns, and is the chief massage therapist at, One Body Therapeutic Massage in Indianapolis, Indiana. She is also a life and health coach, and coauthor of Introduction to Massage Therapy with Stephanie Simonson (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2007). Contact her at marybeth@marybethbraun.com. http://w3.umassmed. edu/MBSR/public/ searchmember.aspx Free Meditation Podcasts University of California, Los Angeles http://marc.ucla.edu/ body.cfm?id=22 • Pick one yoga posture, such as legs up the wall or child's pose, and do it for 1–3 minutes. • Pick one activity—eating, mowing the yard, walking, or washing dishes—and practice slowing it down for one week. • Pick one massage session out of your day and practice breathing and being fully present during it—take notes on what your experience was like. Taking the time to be consistently present may be challenging, as the noise and pace of daily life can easily hijack your best intentions. When this occurs, go back and focus on your breath, and start again, repeating the process until your unique practice of mindfulness becomes a habit. It will enhance your ability to respond rather than react to life and can dramatically increase and sustain the quality of your massage sessions, adding a multitude of reasons for your clients to keep coming to you for bodywork. www.abmp.com. See what benefits await you. 69