Calmer Choice, non-profit organization in Barnstable, Massachusetts Calmer Choice, non-profit organization in Barnstable, Massachusetts

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foundations of teaching mindfulness homework and resources

Welcome to the Foundations of Teaching Mindfulness Training! This page will be updated monthly with all of the homework assignments and resources to explore for the month. Please submit any required work directly to your mentor.


General Course Resources

Meeting Dates/Times

Weekend Sessions
  • January 24-26, 2025 (5-8pm)
  • March 28-30, 2025 (9am-4pm)
  • June 20-22, 2025 (9am-4pm)

In-person weekends will be held at the Compass Rose Center, 1106 Main St., West Barnstable, MA.

Thursday Evening Sessions (6-9pm virtually)
  • February 6
  • March 6
  • April 3
  • May 1
  • June 5

Zoom Links

FOTM 2025 Contact List

Opening Weekend Resources

Training Overview Slides

Handouts:

Recordings:

February Homework Assignments and Resources

February Group Meeting Resources:

Course Text Homework:

  • You Belong- Chapters 1-7 pages 1-226
  • Clinician’s Guide- Part 1 pages 1-33

Reflection Prompt (Due March 6th, email to mentor)

Please respond to the following prompts in 1-2 pages. Please submit to your Mentor in PDF format with the following naming conventions: SGoley.FebReflection

What concepts are coming alive for you from the training? What concepts are you drawn to? What concepts are challenging? What questions do you have so far?

Extra Resources to Explore

Belonging/DEIB

Compassionate communication

Nature

History of Mindfulness/Secularity

Practices to Explore

  • Stop and Arrive Practice (10 min video)
  • Grounding Practice (10 min video)
  • Feet, Seat Hands Practice (6 min video)
  • Sit Spot- Set up a sit spot for yourself at home and visit it each week- play with different times of day and different days of the week
  • Communication Practice- when in conversation with people in your life (work, family, friends), practice paying attention to what comes up for you as a listener and a speaker. Some ideas to consider:
    • As the speaker:
      • Bring an attitude of curiosity to your conversations
      • Notice your how your body feels. What sensations are present?
      • Notice what you say. How consciously do you choose your words?
      • Notice your feelings. What emotions are present?
      • Notice your intentions. What motivates you to speak?
    • As a Listener:
      • Give the speaker your full attention and practice listening with a genuine intention to understand. Leave enough space for them to fully share without interrupting.
      • When it seems appropriate, summarize if there are many details, or if you are losing track of the content: “So what I’m hearing is..” or "Is that right?" or "Did I get it?"
      • Avoid common non-empathic responses such as giving advice, asking probing questions, reassuring, analyzing.

March Homework Assignments and Resources

March Group Meeting Resources:

Course Text Homework:

  • Resilient- Parts 1 and 2 pages 1-130
  • Clinician’s Guide- Part 2 pages 37-86

Reflection Prompt (Due April 3rd, email to mentor)

Please respond to the following prompts in 1-2 pages. Please submit to your Mentor in PDF format with the following naming conventions: SGoley.FebReflection

In considering the idea of “Belonging”, choose a couple of these questions from Sebene Selassie to explore in your reflection:

How is the concept of ‘belonging’ changing for you as you read You Belong? What is evoked for you about the idea that we are not separate and we are not the same?

What are some examples of comparison or competition in your life (gold stars, contests trophies, gpa, test scores, sales rankings, evaluations, etc). How have these impacted you?

Extra Resources to Explore

Belonging/DEIB

Compassionate Communication

Nature

Brain Science

Practices to Explore

  • Thoughts
  • Emotions
  • Sit Spot- Continue to visit your sit spot weekly (or more!). Perhaps bringing along a notebook to capture your curiosities and observations? What are you noticing about this place so far?
  • Communication Practice (exercise adapted from Oren Jay Sofer)- Practice speaking and listening with presence.
    • As the speaker: Before you begin speaking, set a clear intention in your mind to speak with awareness. As you are sharing information practice staying aware as you speak. Can you feel your body at all as you speak? Your hands, feet, heart? Does it help you stay present to slow down a little or pause?
    • As a Listener: Listen silently with your full attention. Notice how it feels just to listen without commenting, asking questions, responding verbally, trying to fix or solve anything. See if you can keep a small amount of awareness with your body (ie sensing hands, overall feeling of being here, etc).

April Homework Assignments and Resources

Mid-Course Weekend Resources:

These recordings are short introductions to some of the topics covered and not inclusive of the entire weekend.

April Group Meeting Resources

Course Text Homework:

  • Resilient- Parts 3 and 4 pages 131-258
  • Clinician’s Guide- Part 3, sessions 1-3

Reflection Prompt (Due May 1st, email to mentor)

Please respond to the following prompts in 1-2 pages. Please submit to your Mentor in PDF format with the following naming conventions: SGoley.FebReflection


What parts of “Resilient” by Rick Hanson are coming alive for you? How is this resource and the Clinician’s Guide supporting you as you prepare for your practicum?

How is mindfulness showing up for you since you began this training? What topics/activities have been informative?

Extra Resources to Explore

Belonging/DEIB

Compassionate Communication

Nature

Brain Science

Heartfulness Practices

Play

Practices to Explore

  • Sit Spot- Continue to visit your sit spot regularly. Include suggestions Andrea brought to this practice:
    • Deer ears
    • Sound mapping
    • Closing your eyes
  • Communication Practice- With your new knowledge of the NVC feelings and needs lists, use these tools when you are in conversation with others- for both yourself and the other person. If you know you are going to be going into a tense conversation, take a moment ahead of time to see if you can identify your feelings and unmet needs. Conversely, while in conversation with another, see if you can identify what they feel and need. Make sure to ask questions and not assume you know.

May Homework Assignments and Resources

May Group Meeting Resources

Course Text Homework:

  • Trauma Sensitive Mindfulness- Part 1 pages ix-86
  • Clinician’s Guide- Part 3, sessions 4-6

Reflection Prompt (Due June 5th, email to mentor)

Please respond to the following prompts in 1-2 pages. Please submit to your Mentor in PDF format.

In thinking about your practicum, how do you envision the course resources (You Belong, Resilience, Clinician’s Guide, Trauma Sensitive Mindfulness) supporting and informing your preparation? What resources are most helpful.

Share a bit about the nature-based practices we have been exploring and how you are engaging with them.

Extra Resources to Explore

History of Mindfulness

Trauma/Brain Science

NVC/Compassionate Communication

DEIB

Self-Compassion/Gratitude (Heartfulness practices)

Play

Nature

Practices to Explore

Nature-based practice/Sit Spot Suggestions

  • Continue to visit your sit spot as the season changes, use your senses to connect with your surroundings. Journal your experience with words, sound mapping, images, etc.
  • Go on a mindful walk in nature- use 5,4,3,2,1 to guide your experience. (5 things you see, 4 things to touch, 3 things to hear, 2 things to smell, 1 thing to taste (only if safe!)).
  • Try out one of the nature-based activities from the article above.

Communication Practice

  • Self-Expression Practice- Choose one interaction where you express yourself using all 4 parts of NVC: Observation → Feeling → Need → Request. It can be a real conversation (ideal), or if that feels too risky, write it out as if you were going to say it. Pay attention to how it feels to be this clear and honest.

  • Mindful (empathic) Listening Practice- In one conversation, focus solely on listening for the other person’s feelings and needs. Reflect back what you’re hearing, using language like: "Are you feeling ___ because you need ___?" "It sounds like you’re feeling ___ and needing ___, is that right?" Your goal is not to fix, agree, or solve — just to connect.


Practicum

Your practicum approval form is due by the last weekend, June 20-22. You can turn it in ahead of time if you choose and want to get started on your sessions. You will receive a certificate of completion from Calmer Choice once your practicum is complete and your Mentor has reviewed the pieces below. Once you receive this certificate you can apply to the IMMA for official certification.

Requirements for the Practicum

Create a 4 session program focused on the foundations of mindfulness for beginners, which includes theory and practice. The sessions should be 4 consecutive weeks for 1- 1.5 hours. You will need to deliver this practicum to a group of people (at least 4) and receive feedback, which will be submitted to your mentor. Each class should consist of:

  • Mindfulness sitting practices
  • Community building
  • Didactic teachings (talks)
  • Time for participants to share their experience.

Mindfulness talks (didactic teachings) and practice should include:

  • Mindfulness of body, thoughts, emotions, senses
  • Ways to bring mindfulness into your daily life informally
  • Other topics you prefer (ie gratitude, self-compassion, etc)

Items Needed to Complete the Practicum:

Resources for Guidance: