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).


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:

  • Practicum Approval Form
  • Feedback from session participants
  • Video or audio recording from one session (30 min)