MBSR is taught on an MBSR course.

What does the course involve?

The course consists of eight two-hour weekly classes of up to 15 people working together as a group, preceeded by an introduction session with an optional follow-up session approx. 4 weeks after the course and a one all-day session. On it, you will learn several key mindfulness practices and have the chance to discuss these and your experience of them in the group. Home practice is an important part of the course, and each participant is required to undertake to do one hour of this, six days per week, between each class. To get the most from the programme, you need to work at it. This requires a strong commitment to work on yourself through a gentle but rigorous daily discipline of awareness exercises.

Who will teach the course?

The course is led by Ruchiraketu who was ordained into the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order. He has practised and taught meditation and related disciplines for over twenty years. He is currently the Chairman of the Cambridge Buddhist Centre. At present he is completing an MA at the University of Wales, Bangor, focusing on mindfulness-based clinical approaches.

Michael Chaskalson, who has practised and taught meditation and related disciplines around the world for over twenty years. Under the name Kulananda, he is the author of several books on Buddhism and meditation. More recently, he has trained with the North Wales Centre for Mindfulness in the teaching of the MBSR programme and has completed an MA at the University of Wales, Bangor, focusing on mindfulness-based clinical approaches.

Who is it for?

Everyone who wants to work to change themselves. The MBSR programme is known to help with a wide range of problems, both physical and psychological. But its benefits extend beyond that. We all have times when we experience stress and difficulty. MBSR can significantly change the way we relate to these, greatly enhancing our capacity to cope. By developing more awareness, you can learn to deal more effectively with difficulties and take more pleasure in the good things in our lives. The course will be useful to anyone who is at that point where they are ready and willing to look deeply into themselves.

Although the course is held at the Cambridge Buddhist Centre, it is completely secular in nature and is open to those of any religious denomination or none.