free online course in mindfulness

 

Mindfulness Meditation

A Free Six Week  Online Introductory Course

Cost: Free (Donation to a non-profit organization such as Vipassana Hawaii or Doctors Without Borders is appreciated)

Instructor: Thanh V. Huynh, M.D.

This course is designed for people new to this practice. However, some experienced practitioners, including MBSR instructors, find it helpful in reviewing and clarifying many aspects of the mindfulness practice.

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Up to now, most programs have taught mindfulness meditation in a face-to-face setting, usually at economic cost. This approach limits the number of people who can take advantage of this training.

This six-week course is designed to make this practice available to many people who find it impractical or impossible to attend regularly scheduled courses outside of their home. This online course would take less time than required for most people just to commute to and from formal classes. All one needs is twenty to forty minutes a day for the formal practice and to be mindful during other routine activities.

One can use a friend’s computer or a public computer (in which case one may need to use a voice/cassette recorder to record the audio instructions from the computer’s speaker, and print out the written instruction to read later).

Catalog Description: 

Mindfulness Meditation

-Six weekly units of online instruction on the theory and practice of meditation.

-Daily meditation practice with audio/video-guided instruction.

-Internet forum for interaction with the instructor and other students.

Course Objectives:

Upon completion of the course, participants would be able to:

1. differentiate various meditation techniques including concentration/relaxation versus insight/mindfulness.

2. understand mindfulness and its components.

3. independently practice by applying mindfulness in formal meditation and in daily life.

4. describe the benefits of meditation.

Course Content:

1. Introduction to meditation

2. Common meditation techniques. Difference between concentration/relaxation and insight/mindfulness.

3. Medical applications of mindfulness practice.

4. Definition and components of mindfulness.

5. Factors influencing the practice.

6. Concept and reality.

7.Techniques of mindfulness meditation:

-Attitude for practice

-Working with the body and the mind

-Sitting

-Walking

-Daily life mindfulness

– Loving-kindness

– Non-harming commitment

Methods of Instruction: Online (flexible schedule) including:

-Written material.

-Audio-guided instruction.

-Video instruction. (in progress)

-Discussion Forum.

Methods of Evaluating Student Progress:

Forum disscussion

Weekly quiz

Evaluation questionaires