Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is an effective, evidence-based method involving meditation, light yoga, and reflection for reducing physical and psychological stress and suffering while building resilience, balance, and peace of mind. MBSR is designed to introduce participants to fundamental mindfulness practices and stress reduction techniques.
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction
at Duck Pond Lotus
Meditation, yoga, and other mindfulness techniques have been practiced by people for thousands of years. The foundations of mindfulness are found in Buddhist teachings from 2500 years ago with earliest teachings of meditation and yoga found in Hinduism 3500 years ago. All major religions, including Christianity, Judaism, and Islam advocate for meditation practices within their teachings. Mindfulness is also promoted by prominent atheists, like Sam Harris.
Since the 1970's scientists and universities like the University of Massachusetts and Brown University have studied these practices in secular settings. Their research has primarily been conducted using the 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course, founded by Jon Kabat-Zinn, Doctor of Molecular Biology. Their findings suggest that MBSR can be a useful tool in helping people reduce the impact of and learn to better navigate stress, anxiety, depression, and many of life's challenges.
Potential Benefits of MBSR:
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Stress reduction
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Decreased medical symptoms
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Improved self-care
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Greater ability to manage anxiety and depression
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Loosening of the grip of negative habits and thinking
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Improved focused attention
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Increased resiliency
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Improvement in symptoms of burnout
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Clearer recognition of when your attitude or mood is beginning to change so you can become less reactive
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Discovery that difficult and unwanted thoughts and feelings can be seen from an altogether different perspective – a perspective that brings with it a sense of compassion and less judgment to the suffering you are experiencing
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Improved sense of well-being and learning how to be present and appreciate the simple pleasures of everyday life, connect with yourself, and the experience of being alive​
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​​At Duck Pond Lotus, Josh Olinger offers introductory MBSR courses, the 8-week MBSR course, and MBSR retreats. Josh is a Qualified Level 1 MBSR Teacher (qualified through Brown University) as well as a Certified Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness Practitioner (a graduate of Dr. David Treleaven's Advanced Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness program). He has been practicing MBSR for over 7 years. Josh credits routine deep meditation practice for teaching him to navigate and make it through intense grief, anxiety, and depression after tremendous loss. Learn more about Josh's experience on our Duck Pond Lotus story webpage (click here).
Upcoming MBSR Programs
with Duck Pond Lotus
Join us for an introductory class, an 8-week course, or a retreat listed below!
MBSR
Introductory Course
​A 2.5 hour introductory course in MBSR offers participants an overview of the history of MBSR, the science and evidence behind how it works, and an opportunity to experience short meditation and mindful movement practices. Intro courses also offer plenty of time for questions and discussion.
Want to see if MBSR is right for you?
Join an introductory course and find out!​
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In the below "sign up" button, you can select dates and times that work best for you and/or your group!
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Designed for groups of 4 to 25
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Cost: $30 per person, $25 per person for groups of 10 or more.
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MBSR
8-Week Course
The MBSR 8-week course is the gold-standard of mindfulness programs. Although the word "mindfulness" is used by many, the 8-week course is one of the most-studied and evidence-driven mindfulness courses available. The MBSR 8-week course has been rigorously studied for 40+ years and promoted by Brown University and the University of Massachusetts.
Participants meet with the instructor once a week for 2.5 hours and practice daily on their own in-between courses. Participants learn many different meditation, light yoga, and reflection practices that help them with managing stress, navigating challenges, mindful communication, mindful eating, and how to shift thinking patterns from automatic habitual stress reactions to mindful and thoughtful responses. When fully completed, this course also helps participants to build a regular mindfulness practice of their own and to incorporate mindfulness into their everyday lives.​​
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Designed for groups of 8 to 25
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The course Includes:
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1 Orientation Class
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8 Once-a-Week Classes
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1 Day-Long Retreat
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1 Individual Check-In Meeting with the Instructor
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Mindfulness Self-Care Resources
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Certificate of Completion (if all of the above are completed.
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Note: This course is for ages 18+​
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Tuition Cost Options:
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Professional: $650 (Annual Income is more than $60,000)
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Standard: $595 (Annual Income is $50,000 - $60,000)
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Scholarship Level 1: $450 (Annual Income is $40,000 - $50,000)
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Scholarship Level 2: $300 (For students or those with an annual income lower than $40,000)
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Scholarship Level 3 Request: Pay what you can - If you select this option, you will be emailed to discuss larger scholarship possibilities or free tuition (if available). We try our best to make MBSR accessible to all.
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Monthly payments available.
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Cancellation policy: After registering and paying, you may cancel your registration and receive a full refund up until the day of class 1 of the 8-week course. Once the day of the 1st class begins, no refunds will be issued.
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​Click here for more details on the MBSR 8-Week Course.​
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MBSR
Retreats
​Participating in a mindfulness retreat is a great way to take a break from the everyday stressors of life and deeply immerse yourself in evidence-based stress reduction practices.
Duck Pond Lotus offers 1-day, weekend-long, and 5-day MBSR retreats. Participants at retreats practice many different types of guided mediation, silent meditation, yoga, mindful walking, mindful eating, and there is time for reflection and discussion.
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MBSR retreats are usually designed for those who have completed the 8-week MBSR course or who have an established daily meditation practice for at least 6 months. However, retreats can be designed for beginning meditators by request.
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Designed for groups of 4 to 25
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Retreats typically begin at 9:00AM and End at 4:30PM
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Online Retreat Cost: $80 for 1-Day, $200 for Weekend, $400 for 5-Day
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In-Person Retreat Cost: Varies based on location but estimated to be $200 for 1-Day, $350 for Weekend, $500 for 5-Day . All in-person retreats will have additional costs for travel, lodging, facility rental, meals, and supplies.
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Low-income and student discounts may be available by request.
​​​​Click here for More Details on MBSR Retreats
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Fall 2026 MBSR Retreats
Fall Day Retreat: Sat. 10/10 9am-4:30pm ET
This retreat is hosted online via Zoom.
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On the below sign up form, you will have the option to select the above retreat option or input days and times you might want to have a private retreat for your group.
MBSR
Mindfulness Meditation Group
​After completing the MBSR 8-Week Course you are invited to join our weekly online meditation membership group.
This group is a regular time set for you to continue and stay on track your practice, to build community, and make connections with other MBSR practitioners.
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Each session will offer meditation and/or yoga, and time for discussion. There will be occasional additional sessions focused on mindfulness reflection and discussion topics, just for this group.
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We meet once a week (3 weeks of the month) on Zoom for an hour and a half. After 6 months of continuous membership, you are also invited to join any of our online retreats at 50% off, during months that you pay your membership fee. The group will not meet one week per month.
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Cost: $25 per month
MBSR 8-Week Course Curriculum Outline
The MBSR 8-week course is an interactive, experiential program. Participants learn and practice new mindfulness meditation and light movement techniques as well as didactic discussions and reflection practices in each class. They also receive meditation recordings to practice at home each day between the weekly classes. Each class builds off of the previous ones, so it is important that participants attend each class and complete home practices in order to experience the full potential of the course.
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The orientation, each weekly class, and the day-long retreat are all required to receive a certificate of completion of the 8-week course.
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Designed for groups of 8 to 25
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Tuition Cost Options:
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Professional: $650 per person
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Standard: $595 per person
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Scholarship Level 1: $450 per person
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Scholarship Level 2: $300 per person
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Monthly payment & larger discounts may be available by request​
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The course Includes:
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1 Orientation Class
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8 Once-a-Week Classes
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1 Day-Long Retreat
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1 Individual Check-In Meeting with the Instructor
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Mindfulness Self-Care Resources
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Certificate of Completion (if all of the above are completed)
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Weekly Class Themes & Outlines
Orientation
Welcome & Intro to MBSR
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The orientation class is a required part of the program.
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We go over the outline, history, and science of MBSR.
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It is also a time to go over course logistics and expectations.
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The practices learned in orientation are brief focused-attention and mindful movement exercises.
Class 1
Theme: Wholeness & Capability
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As the first class of the course, participants learn the definition of mindfulness and bring awareness to their own capabilities, courage, and strengths. Practical self-care tools and resources are offered to prepare participants to practice meditation and yoga while respecting their own boundaries and recognizing their own strengths and body autonomy.
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The full focused-attention meditation, body scan meditation, and mindful eating practices are introduced.
Class 2
Theme: The Role of Perception
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Our personal perspectives on occurrences in our lives strongly determine how we react or respond to them.
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In this class we practice puzzles on perception and explore our own pre-conceived ideas of how we see ourselves, our limitations, and our assumptions in our lives and in the world.
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We practice the focused attention meditation and mindful-movement techniques.
Class 3
Theme: Power & Pleasure in Being Present
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In this class we explore and discuss how we react and respond to pleasant occurrences in our lives.
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Further, we explore methods of noticing pleasant experiences in everyday life, even when we might not usually notice them.
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We also practice the full MBSR lying down (or sitting) yoga sequence as well as continuing to practice the focused-attention meditation.
Class 4
Theme: Patterns of Automatic Habitual Stress Reactivity
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In this class we explore and discuss our automatic habitual stress reactions to unpleasant experiences.
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Participants learn about the stress reaction cycle of the body and our own fight, flight, or freeze reaction patterns.
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We learn and practice meditation methods of working with challenges and difficulties. We also do mindful yoga.
Class 5
Theme: Mindfulness-Mediated Stress Response
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In this class we explore and discuss methods of bringing mindfulness and awareness into situations where stress occurs in our own lives. This helps us learn to creatively respond instead of habitually reacting, potentially leading to more constructive outcomes to stress occurrences in our lives.
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Participants learn about how mindfulness practices interrupt the stress reaction cycle of the body and how this may lead to improved health outcomes.
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We continue practicing meditation methods of working with challenges and difficulties. We also learn the full MBSR open awareness meditation practice. We continue mindful yoga practice as well.
MBSR All Day Retreat
Theme: A day dedicated to MBSR practices.
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A required part of the 8-week course, the day-long retreat is an opportunity for participants to step away from their regular stressors and dedicate a longer period of time to evidence-based MBSR practices.
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The instructor guides the participants in many different MBSR practices, some learned in previous classes and some new:
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focused-attention meditation
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body scan meditation
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open awareness meditations
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mindful yoga
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mindful eating
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walking meditation
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loving-kindness meditation
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mountain or lake meditation
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and more!
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The retreat is 7.5 hours long on a Saturday
Class 6
Theme: Mindfulness and Communication
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In this class participants discuss and explore their automatic habitual reactions and patterns when in communication with others.
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Participants learn and practice mindful communication techniques. These methods may provide participants with awareness in conversation, which may allow for more constructive responses and reactions with others.
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We continue practicing the full MBSR open awareness meditation practice. We continue mindful yoga practice as well.
Class 7
Theme: Mindfulness in
Everyday Life
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In this class participants discuss and explore ways of incorporating mindfulness into their everyday activities, not just in meditation practice.
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Participants reflect on their usual daily activities, exploring "what we take in" and how to utilize mindfulness techniques to bring awareness to what usual activities are nourishing and depleting us.
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We continue practicing the full MBSR open awareness meditation practice. We continue mindful yoga practice as well. Guidance is offered but less than previous classes, as participants have gradually been learning to practice without guidance during home practices at this point.
Class 8
Theme: Mindfulness for Life and Keeping Up the Momentum
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As the final class in the 8-week course, this class focuses on preparing participants to bring mindfulness into their lives moving forward.
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Resources and reflection practices are offered to assist participants with keeping a regular practice once the class has concluded.
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We practice the full MBSR open awareness meditation practice, the body scan meditation, and mindful yoga practice one more time together. Guidance is offered but less than previous classes, as participants have learned to practice without guidance at this point during their home practices.
MBSR Retreat Curriculum Outline
​Participating in a mindfulness retreat is a great way to take a break from the everyday stressors of life and deeply immerse yourself in evidence-based stress reduction practices.
Duck Pond Lotus offers 1-day, weekend-long, and 5-day MBSR retreats. Participants at retreats practice many different types of guided mediation, silent meditation, yoga, mindful walking, mindful eating, and there is time for reflection and discussion.
​
MBSR retreats are designed for those who have completed the 8-week MBSR course or who have an established daily meditation practice for at least 6 months. However, retreats can be designed for beginning meditators by request.
​​​
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Designed for groups of 4 to 25
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Retreats typically begin at 9:00AM and end at 4:30PM
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Online Retreat Cost: $80 for 1-Day, $200 for Weekend, $400 for 5-Day
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In-Person Retreat Cost: Varies based on location but estimated to be $200 for 1-Day, $350 for Weekend, $500 for 5-Day. All in-person retreats will have additional costs for travel, lodging, facility rental, meals, and supplies.
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Low-income and student discounts may be available by request
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The below retreat outline is a standard snapshot of a MBSR retreat day schedule. For weekend-long and 5-day retreats, each day will have a similar structure but will incorporate different practices and lessons.
Standard MBSR Day-Long Retreat Outline
9:00AM | Welcoming
Starting the Retreat Day
The retreat begins with a brief opening meditation to get people settled in. The instructor then goes over the retreat schedule, guidelines, and resources, followed by inspirational poems or quotes. There is also time here for participants to ask questions and introduce themselves.
9:30AM | Morning MBSR Session
1st Half Day Meditation & Mindful Movement Practices
The morning session will typically consist of the following practices:
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Focused-Attention Meditation
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Body Scan Meditation
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Lying Down Mindful Yoga
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Open Awareness Meditation
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Walking Meditation
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Mountain Meditation
12:30PM | Mindfulness Teaching
Instructor-Led Lesson on a MBSR Topic
The instructor offers participants a story-based teaching on an MBSR subject area. This could be about one or more of the following MBSR topics: mindful navigation of life's challenges, mindful communication, automatic-habitual stress reactions, the stress reaction cycle of the body, mindfulness-mediated stress response, or other topics.
1:00PM | Mindful Lunch
Lunch Practice of Mindful Eating
After participants retrieve their meals, the instructor begins the lunch with a guided mindful eating practice. Through this guidance, participants may find that they enjoy the taste of their food more, are more appreciative of their food, and that they don't need to rush when eating.
2:00PM | Afternoon MBSR Session
2nd Half Day Meditation & Mindful Movement Practices
The afternoon session will typically consist of the following practices:
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Standing (or sitting) Mindful Yoga
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Loving-Kindness Meditation
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Focused-Attention Meditation
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Walking Meditation
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Open Awareness Meditation
4:00PM | Dissolving the Silence & Closing
Closing Discussions, Practices, & Remarks
The instructor offers participants time to share their experiences of the day. Resources and guidance are also offered on transitioning from the retreat day back to everyday life.