Highland Mindfulness Group

WEEK 1 – SETTLING, GROUNDING AND RESTING
A. Use of the breath
B. Counting techniques
C. The ability to rest the mind
D. Differences between Doing and Being modes

Body scan (30 minutes)

Releasing distraction with the breath and then move into settling, grounding and resting (30 minutes)

WEEK 2 – USE OF POSITIVE MIND STATES
A. How positive mind states help the mind to rest and remain open.
B. Letting go of resistance, suppression and denial.
C. The process of acknowledgement.

Positive mind states – kindness (25 minutes)

Feeling the fullness of this moment, being contented and allowing this moment to be at it is (33 minutes)

Summary of Week 2 (7 minutes)

‘Start close in’ poem by David Whyte

You can also listen to meditations on our website by Peter on the Positive Mind States page

WEEK 3 – DEVELOPING INSIGHT
A. How insight arises
B. The nature of realization
C. Choiceless awareness

Observing our experience (20 minutes)

Learning to come to rest and recognising the proliferation of thoughts, memories, associations and judgements that the mind habitually becomes engaged with (30 minutes)

Summary of Week 3: Insight and defining the concept of conceptual proliferation (8 minutes)

WEEK 4 – COMPASSION MEDITATION
A. Basic compassion techniques (kindness and caring)
B. The benefits of compassion practice in all of its forms
C. The difficulties of compassion practice

Compassion practice (18 minutes)

Acceptance with RAIN – Recognising, Allow, Intimate Attention and Non-identification of our experience with compassion (30 minutes)

Summary (5 minutes)

WEEK 5 – SELF-COMPASSION
A. The difficulties of self-compassion practice (the trance of unworthiness)
B. Loving-kindness and self-acceptance
C. Use of the breath in compassion meditation

Forgiveness (27 minutes)

Connection practice, encouraging you to develop feelings of love, kindness and connectedness (30 minutes)

Summary (10 minutes)

WEEK 6 – APPROACHING DIFFICULTIES
A. Dealing with physical and emotional pain
B. Loosening the bonds of stress and pain
C. Mindful Movement

Disolving tension associated with a tension headache (30 minutes)

Dissolving pain to peace (15 minutes)

Summary (10 minutes)

WEEK 7 – OTHER WAYS OF INSIGHT
A. Importance of Observer
B. Meditating in Silence
C. The lens of Impermance

The observer (20 minutes)

The Power of Silence Practice (20 minutes)

Sitting with impermanence (20 minutes)

Summary (12 minutes)

For further information – please read Peter’s page on how to meditate in silence on our website.

WEEK 8 – PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
A. Always return to basics
B. Stop trying but don’t stop breathing
C. Allow ourselves to be aware of suffering
D. Be open to whatever arises.

Choiceless awareness and allowing our experience in every moment (30 minutes)

Loving kindness (20 minutes)