Mindfulness Courses

What is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness meditation is a practice designed to bring the mind's thoughts under control in the present moment. The mindfulness practice uses teachings from several Buddhist schools of thought to build a meditation practice to ease suffering and improve wellbeing. To practice Mindfulness, you don't have to belong to a particular school or be religious. Mindfulness meditation is part of a wellness practice, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, designed by Jon Kabat-Zinn. It takes elements of traditional Buddhist meditation to improve mental health through habits built around daily life. It's based on Zen, Vipassana, and Tibetan meditation practices, brought into the public consciousness through thought leaders like Thich Nhat Hanh. It involves the awareness of everyday life without securing judgment.

Learn Mindfulness

Mindfulness meditation has many modern-day applications, whether it's a formal study or something you practice at home. The effects of Mindfulness help relieve stress, process trauma, and encourage self-compassion. Meditation sessions involve paying attention to the breath and bodily sensations, a practice highly accessible to a variety of people.

Mindfulness Meditation Courses and Certifications

EdX.org has several courses designed in partnership with leaders in the field to help teach mindfulness techniques in a variety of settings. You can learn about Mindfulness in the workplace through Berkeley, which will increase resilience and stress management. You could also learn about the history of Tibetan and Indian River Buddhism, traditions that led to the rise of the form of meditation we practice today. You'll see the connection to those philosophies and the mindfulness exercises created by Kabat-Zinn at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. You might also be interested in the Science and Practice of Yoga, a class from the University of Texas. It can help you connect your breath to the present with yoga sequences. It's an application of mindfulness principles.

Practicing Mindfulness

Mindfulness meditation has so many applications from work to everyday life. It helps us develop resilience to negative emotions, alleviate the symptoms of depression, and savor the moments in life that mean the most to us. The health benefits of mindfulness meditation extend to the physical body, as well. There's evidence to support its effectiveness in managing chronic pain and activating brain regions affected by trauma. Meditation techniques can help you develop self-awareness. It's essential to build a daily routine to experience the most significant benefits of meditation. Your mindfulness meditation practice could soon become the habit that helps sustain you in your most difficult times.