Mindful Living

08/21/2024

This poem seems appropriate for the new beginning of this page.

For a New Beginning
In out-of-the-way places of the heart,�where your thoughts never think to wander,�this beginning has been quietly forming,�waiting until you were ready to emerge.�� For a long time it has watched your desire,�feeling the emptiness growing inside you,�noticing how you willed yourself on,�still unable to leave what you had outgrown.�� It watched you play with the seduction of safety and the gray promises that sameness whispered,� heard the waves of turmoil rise and relent,�wondered would you always live like this.��Then the delight, when your courage kindled� and out you stepped onto new ground, �your eyes young again with energy and dream,� a path of plenitude opening before you.��Though your destination is not yet clear� you can trust the promise of this opening; �unfurl yourself into the grace of beginning� that is at one with your life's desire.�� Awaken your spirit to adventure;� hold nothing back, learn to find ease in risk;� soon you will be home in a new rhythm,� for your soul senses the world that awaits you.
John O’Donohue

Send a message to learn more

10/20/2022

New Class! Live via Zoom
​Growing, Aging and Evolving With Mindfulness
Tuesday evenings November 8, 15, 22, 29 and December 6
5:30 - 7:00 (CDT)
6:30 - 8:00 (EDT)

In this life aging is inevitable. To paraphrase an old Andy Rooney quote, the idea of living a long life appeals to most of us but the idea of getting old does not. So how to do we grow and evolve as we meet this process called “aging”? A deeper dive into mindfulness may provide insight as each of us navigate the experience of a body and mind that are changing. And how do we relate to a world that may view us through a myopic lens? What does aging look like through the lens of mindfulness?

This program is designed for participants who have some mindfulness training or an established mindfulness practice. It will be a deeper dive into certain aspects of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) curriculum and how those aspects relate to our movement as human beings across the life-span. The course will revisit some of the core practices of mindfulness and how these practices support resilience and wisdom as we grow, age and evolve.
For more information or to register:

2022 Calendar of Classes and Events

10/02/2022

The Happiness Calendar for October has some great ways to cultivate happiness (your own and those around you). I really like today’s reminder to make friends with lots of different kinds of people.

02/02/2022

Very excited about our new teaching faculty. And also very excited about our new program, Unwinding Anxiety. If you or someone you know struggle with anxiety this program may be just the support you need. This is an eviedence based award winning program. Unwinding Anxiety is an app based anxiety management program that uses your phone or smart device AND a weekly group meeting to help you cultivate your anxiety management tools!!

alabamainstituteformindfulness.com

01/24/2022

If you are interested in learning about how mindfulness might help you manage stress more effectively join us tonight for an introduction to Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. This is a stress reduction class that has been around for over 40 years. It is an evidence based stress reduction program used by hospitals, universities and organizations around the world. For more information go to http://alabamainstituteformindfulness.com/programclass-calendar

06/17/2021

Relatable content, anyone? 🙋🏽‍♀️ 🙋🏽‍♂️ 🙋🏽Let’s breathe through it! 🎨 :

02/03/2021

When we feel our feelings in a healthy way, they no longer need to drive our bus🚍

⏱set a timer for 🖐 minutes

O B S E R V E → Settle in and watch for feelings or sensations in your body. Observe what is present without judging it or trying to change it. You can imagine watching them as clouds floating by.

L O C A T E → See if you can determine how the feeling is showing up in your body. Is there an area that feels tight, tender, warm, tingling, or any other way? Draw your attention to that particular part of your body.

S O O T H E → Gently place your hand or both hands on the area where you notice the feeling/sensation. If it feels right, see if you can physically relax that part of your body as you exhale.

N A M E → As you think about what you’ve noticed, see if there is a word that would best describe the feeling, sensation or experience. Research tells us that when we understand what we feel by putting language to it, our emotional limbic brain can calm down and we can begin to regain access to our “thinking brain.”

V A L I D A T E → There is ALWAYS a valid reason for why you feel the way you do. Remind yourself of this. It might help to say: “it’s okay to feel this way.” Self-validation can lead to self-acceptance! You can also try: “I accept that this feeling is here.”

A S K → After gaining a deeper understanding of your emotional experience, you might have a better idea of what you need. You can ask yourself: what is this feeling trying to tell me and what potential unmet need is this feeling alerting me to?

By inviting our feelings in as honourable guests, we can create a healthy relationship with them and learn that we can feel without having them take over. • 📸.you.navigate

09/18/2020

“You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn how to surf.” Many of us feel like we are barely treading water right now, swamped by one huge wave of stress after another. The Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction class can help you develop practices for responding to stress more effectively, cultivating a sense of inner stability and resilience. We are offering MBSR on-line on Monday nights beginning October 5. For more information or to register, go to www.alabamainstituteformindfulness.com.

The Alabama Institute for Mindfulness offers classes in stress reduction, retreats and workshops to help participants reduce the impact of stress health and daily living, as well as, cultivating a greater sense of well-being.

05/19/2020

Yes program starts today and is a great opportunity to hear leaders in the field of stress reduction, self compassion, and health care. If you’re a healthcare professional you don’t want to miss this free event. It starts today

The Mindful Healthcare Summit will serve as a community platform for healthcare professionals to explore how mindfulness and compassion practices can help address the complex and systemic issues of chronic stress, overwork, burnout, and patient safety. The Summit will offer practical, evidence-based...

04/27/2020

We are offering the 8-week Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction Class online beginning next week! Join us for the orientation on May 5 at 5:30 to learn more about this evidence-based class. There is no charge to attend the orientation. For more information or to register, check out our website

2020 Calendar of Classes and Events