Mindfulness Teacher Training Level 1 TTC1 Course Curriculum -

Below you will find an outline of each of the extended 10 days of training on the Mindfulness Teacher Training Level 1. The course primarily focuses on the teaching process and curriculum of the official UMass and CMRP group based 8 week Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction MBSR course, however the underpinning experience and understanding is also valuable for those who wish to integrate mindfulness into their work or teach mindfulness in a different form. 

Day One - Introduction to Teaching Mindfulness-based Interventions and Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction MBSR

• Opening the Circle and morning Mindfulness Meditation and yoga based Mindful Movement practice 
• Teaching Methodology -  
  • Structure of the Mindful Academy International 8 Week MBSR course, what are you learning to teach?
  • Exploring Mindfulness both experientially and from the viewpoint of a teacher
  • What is Embodiment?
  • History of Meditation and other Mindfulness Based Initiatives (MBI’s)
  • Benefits of Mindfulness and practical Neuroscience - The Brain part 1
  • The Mindfulness-Based Teaching Assessment Criteria (MBI-TAC) and how it can support your development as a teacher
• Practice and Training -
  • Meditation Posture workshop
• Teaching Practical in the large group -
  • Awareness of Breath Meditation

Day Two - Exploring Mindfulness

• Morning Mindfulness Meditation and yoga based Mindful Movement practice
• Teaching Methodology -  
  • Benefits of Mindfulness and practical Neuroscience - The Brain part 2
  • The importance of setting the scene for practice with Intention, Attention and Attitudes for practice
  • Exploring Methods of teaching Mindfulness including the Triangle of Awareness and how the 8 Attitudinals can support both our teaching and the participants practice and life
  • What is Inquiry style guiding? - a Key element of both Mindfulness Meditation and Mindful Movement
• Practice and Training - 
  • Exploring and learning how to teach the Awareness of Breath Core meditation practice
  • Preparation and practice teaching
• Teaching Practical -
  • Guiding a 20 minute version of the Awareness of Breath core meditation practice with informal or formal feedback (formal by Kathy Ward or a Teaching Assistant supported by the MBI-TAC assessment)
• Teaching Methodology -
  • Regroup and discuss the day, time for questions and answers, closing the day

Day Three - Exploring our perceptions and relationship to the challenges and stressors in our lives

• Morning Mindfulness Meditation and yoga based Mindful Movement practice
• Teaching Methodology -  
  • Exploring Perceptions and thinking outside the box
  • Why the Wandering Mind is an Unhappy Mind
  • Inquiry workshop part 1 - What it is, the Intention of Inquiry and the 3 Layers of Inquiry
  • Exploring the MBI-TAC Domain 2 & 5
• Practice and Training -
  • Inquiry workshop part 1 continued - The Keys to Mindful Communication, Mindful Listening & Mindful Speaking 
  • Senses Practice - dropping into the present moment, practicing just 'being'
  • Exploring Pleasant events 
  • Practice, exploring and learning how to teach the Mindfulness of Body Scan Core meditation practice
  • Preparation and practice teaching
• Teaching Practical -
  • Guiding a 20 minute version of the Body Scan practice followed by 5 minutes of Inquiry with feedback (formal by Kathy Ward or a Teaching Assistant supported by the MBI-TAC assessment)
• Teaching Methodology -
  • Regroup and discuss the day, time for questions and answers, closing the day 

Day Four - Cultivating Curiosity and Openness to the Whole of my Experience

• Morning Mindfulness Meditation and yoga based Mindful Movement practice
• Teaching Methodology -  
  • Exploring 'What is Stress?"
  • Physiological and Psychological basis of Stress Reactivity
  • Recognizing and naming Challenges and Stressors in our lives
  • Exploring habitual automatic patterns of reacting, "what is my way?"  
  • Practical ways of Being with the Difficult - The Autobiography in 5 Chapters
  • Inquiry Workshop 2 - Practicing Inquiry of body sensations in small groups
• Practice and Training -
  • Exploring and learning how to teach the Mindfulness of Breath, Body Sensations & the Whole Body - Being with the Difficult Core meditation practice
  • Preparation and practice teaching
• Teaching Practical -
  • Guiding a 20 minute version of a Mindfulness of Breath, Body Sensations & the Whole Body - Being with the Difficult Core meditation practice followed by 5 minutes of Inquiry with feedback (formal by Kathy Ward or a Teaching Assistant supported by the MBI-TAC assessment)

• Teaching Methodology -
  • Regroup and discuss the day, time for questions and answers, closing the day 

Day Five - The Power of being Present: Living all your moments.

• Morning Mindfulness Meditation and yoga based Mindful Movement practice
• Teaching Methodology -  
  • Mindful Movement workshop part 1 - Conscious Presence through Movement, exploring what it is, and why it is a key component of the 8 week MBSR Course
• Practice and Training -
  • Mindful Movement workshop part 2
  • Exploring and learning how to teach a seated Mindful Movement Core practice
  • Preparation and practice teaching Mindful Movement in pairs
• Teaching Practical -
  • Guiding a 20 minute version of seated Mindful Movement practice followed by 5 minutes of Inquiry with feedback (formal by Kathy Ward or a Teaching Assistant supported by the MBI-TAC assessment)
• Teaching Methodology -
  • Regroup and discuss the day, time for questions and answers, closing the day   

Day Six  - All day Silent Retreat. Teacher Lead Mindfulness Meditation and Movement practice 

• Morning Mindfulness Meditation and yoga based Mindful Movement practice
• Practice and Training -
  • Mindfulness Meditations
  • Mindful Movement
  • Mindful Walking
  • Mindful Eating
• Practice and Training -
  • Disolving the silence
  • Group discussion 
  • Closing circle 

Day Seven - Building on our Foundation of Mindfulness - Paying attention to our capactity to Respond to Challenges and Stressors

• Morning Mindfulness Meditation and yoga based Mindful Movement practice
• Teaching Methodology -  
  • Problem focused coping (situation itself) & Emotional focused coping  (thoughts and feelings) the two wings of a bird
  • Primary Physical or Emotional Pain and Secondary Suffering
  • The 10/90 Rule - What we Resist Persists
  • Exploring the possibility of Responding
  • Paradox of Mindfulness Acceptance
  • Physiological and Psychological basis of Responding
  • Inquiry workshop part 3 - Inquiring on thoughts and emotions
• Practice and Training -
  • Mindful Movement workshop part 3
  • Exploring and learning how to teach a standing Mindful Movement Core practice
  • Preparation and practice teaching
• Teaching Practical -
  • Guiding a 20 minute version of a standing Mindful Movement practice followed by 5 minutes of Inquiry with feedback (formal by Kathy Ward or a Teaching Assistant supported by the MBI-TAC assessment)
• Teaching Methodology -
  • Regroup and discuss the day, time for questions and answers, closing the day 

Day Eight - Interpersonal Mindfulness & Building Resilience 

• Morning Mindfulness Meditation and yoga based Mindful Movement practice
• Teaching Methodology -  
 
• Interpersonal Mindfulness 
• Exploration of Stressful, difficult or Challenging Communications
• The 5 Keys to Mindful Communication 
• Building Resilience
• Inquiry workshop part 4 - Review of Inquiry and deepening Inquiry skills
• Practice and Training -
  • Exploring and learning how to teach the Mindfulness of 5 Awarenesses - Breath, Body, Sounds, Thoughts and Emotions Core Meditation practice
  • Preparation and practice teaching
• Teaching Practical -
  • Guiding a 30 minute version of the Mindfulness of 5 Awarenesses - Breath, Body, Sounds, Thoughts and Emotions core Meditation practice followed by 5 minutes of Inquiry with feedback (formal by Kathy Ward or a Teaching Assistant supported by the MBI-TAC assessment)
• Teaching Methodology -
  • Regroup and discuss the day, time for questions and answers, closing the day 

Day Nine - Integrating Mindfulness - Reflecting on Life-style choices: How can I best look after myself?

• Morning Mindfulness Meditation and yoga based Mindful Movement practice
• Teaching Methodology -  
  • Practicing Kindness to the whole of my experience, “what is called for now/today?”
  • Mindful Choices - “What do I need to take care of myself now?”
  • Recipe for a Mindful Life 
• Practice and Training -
  • Exploring and learning how to teach the Choiceless Awareness Core Meditation practice
  • Preparation and practice teaching
• Teaching Practical -
  • Guiding a 30 minute version of either the Choiceless Awareness core Meditation practice followed by 5 minutes of Inquiry with feedback (formal by Kathy Ward or a Teaching Assistant supported by the MBI-TAC assessment)
• Teaching Methodology -
  • Regroup and discuss the day, time for questions and answers, closing the day 

Day Ten - Keeping up Momentum - Intention and Commitment in Teaching Mindfulness-based Interventions

• Morning Mindfulness Meditation and yoga based Mindful Movement practice
• Practice and Training -
  • History of Loving Kindness and the philosophical significance in modern Mindfulness practice
  • Exploring what is Kindness? what is Compassion?
  • What blocks compassion? 
  • Learning how we can practice compassion from where-ever we are 
  • Exploring and learning how and when to teach the Kindly Awareness Core Meditation practice
  • Preparation and practice teaching
• Teaching Practical -
  • Guiding a 20 minute version of the Kindly Awareness core Meditation practice followed by 5 minutes of Inquiry with feedback (formal by Kathy Ward or a Teaching Assistant supported by the MBI-TAC assessment)
• Teaching Methodology - 
  • Keeping up Momentum - the next steps in your Teacher Training Pathway
  • Mindfulness Best Practice Guidelines
  • The role of Supervision and how it along with the MBI-TAC can support the embodiment of Mindfulness into your practice and teaching
  • MBI-TAC Assessment Feedback Supervision and Support session details
  • Time for questions
  • Presentation of Certificates
• Closing Ceremony