Intro to Mindfulness

intro to mindfulness

The Introduction to Mindfulness course explores what mindfulness is (and isn’t) through direct experience and discussion. The course is held live via Zoom over 4 weeks for 1.5 hours per week or as a one day intensive for 7 hours.   

Topics include
  • Mindfulness of the Body
  • Mindfulness of Thoughts
  • Mindfulness of Emotions
  • Awareness Itself 
What you will learn
By the end of the class, you will be able to:
  1. Define what mindfulness is – and isn’t.
  2. Discuss at least two of the benefits supported by scientific evidence that you think might be useful to you.
  3. Articulate how mindfulness could bring (or has brought) welcome changes in your life.
  4. Identify the challenges you could face when meditating and strategies to address them.
  5. Identify at least two practices that you will do in daily life.
And we hope that you will set an intention to practice at least 10 minutes a day!
 
Who this class is for
This is a great class for adults (18 and older) who are interested in exploring what mindfulness is and how to start practicing it. It is especially useful for anyone who is looking for ways to address stress and daily anxiety or who wants to be more present, less reactive, and more open in their life.
 
What to expect 

During this course we will:

  • Check in about our practice
  • Do guided meditations
  • Discuss challenges and strategies
  • Share some interesting research about the benefits of mindfulness
  • Learn about ways to practice in daily life
The intention is to provide a safe space to try mindfulness and share your experience with others in the class.  Are you doing it “right”?  The only way to find out is to try, ask lots of questions, and hear from others how normal your perceived challenges are—and how easy it is to address them!

This course intersperses teacher presentations with meditations and experiential or reflective exercises. We invite participants to discuss their experiences in small groups and the class as a whole. While we offer self-reflective options, you might be more comfortable in class if you are open to sharing with other participants. 

We'll provide access to recorded guided meditations for use after class.

 
Additional course resources
In addition to the sessions, we provide:
  • Instructor-led guided meditation audios so you can practice on your own
  • Suggestions for daily practice activities
  • Text summary of key points 
  • Tips to address challenges and enhance your practice
  • Supplemental readings/viewings

To make disability-related accommodations, please contact Molly Buss, program and event manager (bussx057@umn.edu, 612-625-8164).

 
Outcomes
By the end of class, you will know, through your own experience as well as exposure to the research evidence the benefits that mindfulness could offer you personally.  Most importantly, you will have the ability to practice mindfulness on your own, both as you practice at home and in daily life.
 
Instruction
Center courses and workshops are facilitated by our experienced instructors, who have deep experience in teaching mindfulness and meditation courses, workshops, and retreats.

louise delagranLouise Delagran, MA, MEd is a writer, researcher, teacher, and the founder of the popular consumer website: Taking Charge of Your Health and Wellbeing. She has a particular interest in mindfulness from a research and teaching perspective and, most importantly of all, has practiced meditation for over 20 years. 

Louise is a member of the International Mindfulness Teachers Association and received her training in mindfulness facilitation from the Mindful Awareness Research Center at the UCLA's Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior.

mariann johnsonMariann Johnson is a wellbeing and mindfulness instructor for the University of Minnesota Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing. Before dedicating her professional life to teaching mindfulness, Mariann Johnson was an accomplished organization development consultant and mediator, having worked extensively with national leaders of Fortune 500 companies, government agencies and nonprofit organizations. Since 2010, she has designed and taught mindfulness programs throughout the United States and consulted on the design of Mindful Leadership and mindfulness at work programs in corporate, professional and academic settings. Mariann has practiced mindfulness meditation for over 25 years and studied with national and international leaders in the field. She completed extensive Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) teacher training through the Center for Mindfulness at the University of Massachusetts, founded by Jon Kabat-Zinn, and received her MBSR teacher certification from the Mindfulness Center at Brown University. 

Return to Mindfulness Homepage

Registration for 2022 is Open

Intro to Mindfulness Webinar

Sliding Scale Pricing

The Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing is deeply committed to the wellbeing and flourishing of all communities. In order to make our programming accessible to a broader audience, we have implemented a sliding scale fee structure.

The suggested registration fee for this program is $125. We also offer a scholarship rate of $99 and a supporter rate of $149 for those who would like to contribute toward making this programming accessible to all.

We do not want cost to be a barrier to participating in our programming. If you are not able to pay one of the listed registration fees, please reach out to us at mindprg@umn.edu. We will arrange for you to participate in the program at a reduced fee or at no cost.
This course is approved by the National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching for 6 continuing education units (CEP # 100057).

Mindfulness Programs Information Session

Attend our session and take the opportunity to practice a short mindfulness meditation, to share their experiences, and to ask questions. Examples will also be provided for practicing "everyday" mindfulness, at work and at home. The webinar will conclude with an overview of the Bakken Center's mindfulness resources and programming.

Free Registration, Live via Zoom on June 7 from 12pm to 1pm Central.