Approaching a mindfulness teacher

[James123]

I've been (lackadaisically) practising mindfulness for a while now but it's been too half hearted so I don't feel I'm getting the true benefits of the practice.

So, I'm going to go on a 1-2-1 8 week course with a teacher. I've located 2 near-ish to me and wondered what would be say the key questions one should ask any mindfulness teacher before paying to embark on their course?

Thanks.

[JonW]

Hi James,
Try not to give yourself a hard time if mindfulness is not quite "catching" for you right now. Keep easing yourself into it. It will find its time.
Regarding teachers…this is only my personal opinion but I'd be relying on positive word of mouth or a selection of online recommendations.
In the absence of those, I'd be looking to have a telephone conversation with him or her. I wouldn't say it's necessarily important that the teacher has been operating for a long time. It's more important to find someone that you're comfortable talking to, someone who inspires confidence. Explain the reasons why you want to do a course and listen carefully to how they respond. Do they sound empathic? Do they sound like they have the authority of a good teacher? (i.e. Are they able to articulate their ideas clearly and concisely?) Do they sound like the kind of person you want to spend sixteen hours over eight weeks with?
Wishing you all the best,
Jon, Hove

[piedwagtail91]

hi james
ask then if they abide by the good practice guidelines , you can view a copy here http://www.mindfulnessteachersuk.org.uk/

ask how they lead a practice, if it's a cd in session avoid them, if it's read from a script i'd still avoid.
mindfulness practice should be led 'live' from the heart from their own prcatice not from a script.
if they pass all those points then i guess it a case of if you like them and can get on with their voice.
mick

[James123]

Thanks guys.

Have to be careful nowadays as it's kind of a buzzword now and you just know all sorts will be opening mindfulness practices after just reading FPIAFW and charging silly amounts. Just gives it a bad name and adds fuel for the doubters to pour scorn.

[JonW]

That's true, James. There will be a few chancers out there.
As Mick points out, the truest teaching is led from the heart. Listen out for that.
Let us know how you get on.
All best,
Jon, Hove

[Hopendreams]

Remember there is very little you can learn from a teacher in a classroom. The best they can offer is a finger pointing you in a direction that will help you. At worst you will trust everything they say as the truth. I know I will catch a lot of heat for this but all words are lies. They are just representatives. They are illusions especially for mindfulness training. Can they help? Yes. Are they dangerous? Yes. Once you know something, like let's say something a teacher tells you, then all learning stops. Why would you learn more if you already know. So take what makes sense to you but the real work will have to come from you. You can learn more by observing and playing with a very young child. Why? Because they know nothing.

[piedwagtail91]

That's why it's stressed on some courses to approach everything with a beginners mind, to forget what you already know. I tell people not to look up mindfulness on the Internet but to come knowing as little as possible about mindfulness. it's also stressed that mindfulness is experiential and that the home practice is the most important part of the course. You can listen and read as much as you like but if you don't practice you won't develop your Mindful awareness. mindfulness isn't something you do it's something you are. strange you should mention children. I've just put something in my PowerPoint about seeing things as a child sees them

[JonW]

"Remember there is very little you can learn from a teacher in a classroom."
Not true. There are good teachers and bad teachers. One can learn a lot from a good teacher.
"All words are lies."
No, they're not. It depends how the words are used and who is using them. Words are not a perfect form of communication but it doesn't follow that all words are lies.
"Once you know something, like let's say something a teacher tells you, then all learning stops."
No, it doesn't. With respect to mindfulness, Jon Kabat-Zinn says that the eighth week is the rest of your life. That's when the real learning begins. But a good teacher will provide one with a firm grounding in the practice.
Maybe you had some negative experiences with teachers? That doesn't mean that all teaching is without merit.
Jon

[Hopendreams]

When I think of the 60 plus decades of my lifetime there is very little I learned in a classroom. When you see a butterfly outside your window and you think of it as your teacher the learning never stops. See all things as your teacher and you can't say "learned".
Give me one word that is not a lie. Love? I'll answer for you, lol. A wonderful word but it has so many answers that it does not have a basic truth. It is a representative, an illusion of something real but the word itself is not real. We teach in our classrooms not the complete truth.
Many times the experts get things wrong. It isn't because they know the truth it is because they think they know the truth. The child's mind, the not knowing mind, the empty mind is a distinct advantage.
I appreciate all of your comments JonW. I am not sure what "negative experiences" you refer to. I did not mention that. I am always slightly skeptical of information I hear because of the false nature of words but I also never mentioned that "all teaching is without merit ." The best teachers I have ever had taught me without words.

[Hopendreams]

Jonw, here is a poem for you

Does an echo ever lie

Does an echo ever tell a lie
No an echo is always the truth
How do you know
Try it and you will see
If I yell a lie then a lie will return
What returns in not a lie
How can that be
Go try it and you will see
Does the echo change the words around
No the echo is exactly the same
You make no sense
Go outside try it and you will see
Overlooking the mountains he yells "I am god! "
You see always the truth
I am not god the echo lied
The echo was the truth
You think I'm god
Do you think you are god
No I am not god the echo lied
The echo was exactly what you said
That's right I lied so the echo lied
The echo was perfect it did not lie
You are crazy
I might be crazy but I know a lie when I hear it
My echo was a lie Ha! you missed that
The echo is exactly what an echo is... no lie
So only words can lie
The echo is true to its self it cannot lie
I understand now that only words can tell a lie
All words are lies
Now you have goon too far
Tell me one word that is not a lie
The ocean is not a lie
The ocean is a big lie
How can you say that
You say ocean but I can't see feel or smell the ocean
No but you can think of the ocean
Thinking is not real the ocean is a word all words are lies
Your thinking is a little extreme if you ask me
You think you're at the beach and you say I'm extreme.

Jonw, can you really teach someone about the ocean who has never been there before? Can you teach someone what a cool clear glass of water is who has never seen it? ...or just take him to the beach and give him a drink of water.