Mindfulness & Stress Reduction: A 5-Day Retreat

Join us for 5 days of mindfulness and stress reduction. This retreat follows the standard Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction curriculum and contains all the main experiential and didactic components of the course.

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction is an eight-week program that was first developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn in 1979. Extensive research over the past 30 years has shown that MBSR is extremely helpful in improving one’s quality of life, reducing stress, and enhancing well-being.

Daily activities will include guided meditation, short talks, experiential exercises, small and large group discussion, self-reflection, and practices that will help you become more mindful in your everyday life.

The program includes:

• Intensive training in mindfulness meditation
• The neuroscience of stress reduction
• Gentle stretching and mindful movement
• Exercises in mindful communication
• Individual and small group meetings with teachers
• Guided audio files for home practice

There will be periods of time each day set aside for participants to enjoy hiking, swimming and just being with the beautiful North Georgia mountains.

Who Should Attend

This training is designed for anyone interested in learning and practicing mindfulness. No previous meditation experience is necessary.  Everyone is welcome.

It is of particular interest for those who are not able to attend a regular 8-week course, as well as for those who already have Mindfulness Meditation experience and would like to refresh and deepen their practice.  In addition, this retreat can be very helpful for health care professionals who want to enhance their presence and compassion with clients.

Objectives

1. Develop a personal mindfulness meditation practice
2. Learn to differentiate between mindfulness meditation and other forms of meditation
3. Practice mindfulness during various daily activities
4. Learn practices that cultivate mind-body awareness
5. Develop an understanding of stress and the manifestations of stress on the brain and body
6. Work with lifelong patterns of reactivity that give rise to stress
7. Learn and practice tools for stress reduction
8. Cultivate mindful speech, mindful inquiry, and mindful listening as aspects of interpersonal communication
9. Learn lovingkindness and compassion meditation practices

The fee you choose to pay represents the cost of lodging and meals, plus the tuition, which is the teachers’ honoraria.  The standard tuition price is $600.  However, since the teachers wish to make this opportunity available to as many people as possible, we are offering a reduced tuition of $400 for those who would otherwise not be able to attend.  If you make a decision to use the $400 tuition fee, please enter the code reduced tuition in the discount code field at the bottom of the registration form.  If you are paying the full tuition, no discount code is required.