I am so incredibly grateful for the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction program. After trying several different meditation courses, (all with fees) I found they didn't cover what I felt I needed at this point. When I found yours, I wasn't sure what to expect because it was free, but as soon as I read through week one, I knew this was the course for me. Your information is so thorough and so in-depth. Most courses offer very generic information. I really felt like I was able to bring my own practice to the next level and hope to assist my Yoga students in deepening their practices as well.
As a long time Yoga student and teacher, meditation has been a part of my life for over 20 years. However, since moving to Taiwan from the US almost two years ago, I was faced with new challenges and had not been able to attend meditation classes to help me get over some of the difficulties due to the language barrier. Being able to take this course online helped me feel connected to a community of like-minded people, so I was able to continue to learn and grow and it also helped me feel like I belonged.
Over the last 8 weeks I feel calmer and more centered. I feel I am more compassionate with myself, my communication has gotten clearer with my husband and I have more patience with my daughter. The most amazing part for me is that I feel that I am living completely in the present moment and noticing things I have not prior because I was focusing on the past or future. This course has made my heart feel lighter, my mind open and my soul more at peace.
My favorite topics were the teachings of Jon Kabat-Zinn, Tara Brach and of course, The Dalai Lama. All three teachers have such a real life approach to mindfulness that show how attainable the practice is and how we are not perfect, we are human. I especially loved Tara Brach talking about how she had felt so stressed and was feeling negative about herself and then how she pulled herself out of that mindset. That level of honesty is so refreshing and reminded me that living a mindful life doesn’t mean that my mind won’t go to negative places, I’ll just have the tools to pull myself out of it in an unattached way without holding on to the negative feelings.
I definitely plan to share the Palouse course with my Yoga students, so they can also experience the teachings at their own pace without feeling overwhelmed.
Thank you Dave for sharing your time, knowledge and wisdom in this manner. It has changed my life for the better.
- Erin D.
"Letter of Learning"
from Erin D. in Taiwan
