Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is an eight-week evidence-based program that offers intensive training to assist people with developing a personal meditation practice and to embody greater awareness. Developed at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center in the 1970s by Professor Jon Kabat-Zinn, MBSR uses a combination of mindfulness meditation, body awareness, and exploration of patterns of behaviour, thinking, feeling and action. Mindfulness can be understood as the non-judgmental acceptance and investigation of present experience in order to reduce stress and to increase well-being.

The benefits of mindfulness include decreased stress, enhanced ability to deal with illness, facilitation of recovery, decreased depressive symptoms, improved general health and well-being, improved communication, sleep, the list goes on. The 8-week MBSR course is an immersive dive into the foundations and applications of mindfulness, and it’s role in stress reduction and in living a rich, full, meaningful life. 

To discover and experience mindfulness an intense immersion over 8 weeks is recommended. One class, once a week, of 2.5 hours, and home practice of 35-45 minutes a day, six days out of seven. There is a day-long retreat in the middle. Studies show this is enough to create enduring change on the brain and the brain’s patterns. These changes persist beyond the 8-week course, especially if you keep your practice up, even in some small way. 

The sessions are interesting, alive with practices, mostly done seated in chairs. There is a lot of emphasis on actually practicing together… seated meditations, lying down guided body scans and mindful movement (similar to gentle yoga). Home practice is a key part. Together with the teacher, before you sign up for the course, you decide if it is a good fit for you and the right time in your life to undertake such a commitment.

Some comments from previous course participants:

“I really enjoyed the whole course, Sylvia is a really engaging teacher. I learnt so much about myself.” 

“I feel so much more aware of my mood and my energy levels since doing the course.”

“Highly recommend for stress reduction, my sleep has also improved”. 

Sylvia teaches MBSR courses in Mutton Lane Yoga Studio, Tibradden, Dublin 16. Places are extremely limited, please enquire early by sending an email sylviayoga@gmail.com or text 0876822362. Courses in the workplace can be curated to the needs of the individuals, please reach out with your own unique requirements.

Sylvia is teaching regular weekly yoga classes in Community Centres in Rathfarnham and Firhouse. Monthly Saturday morning workshops and evening meditations take place in Mutton Lane Yoga Studio in the Dublin mountains. Retreats are in Solar Alvura Health Hotel in Portugal. Corporate events are with McNulty Performance. Teacher Training is with Yoga Hub. Upcoming events are listed on the events and workshops page of the website.

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