8-week course : too soon for me?

[monkeymind]

Hello,

I have noted with much interest that there will be some new FPIAFW threads in which interested members will be following the 8-week book.
I'm interested to follow along with the others, having never followed a course before myself, but I'm very hesitant because although I've been managing around 20 minutes most days, I haven't really been able to 'get anywhere' with it even after 3 months, and 20 minutes is already quite tough for me.
I've seen elsewhere that it does request a commitment of up to 45 mins per day, which I feel might be too much for me right now, and I don't want to suffer the discouragement of giving up along the way.

Also, I suspect that it could take me longer than a week to read each week's chapters in the book, so I'll fall behind anyway.

For those who have been through the course already - did you jump straight in when you were brand new to mindfulness, or did you work your way up to it?

[JonW]

Hi monkeymind.
Please don't worry about the idea of 45 minutes per day. 45 minutes is what Jon Kabat-Zinn recommends for those attending his stress clinic. The Mark Williams/Danny Penman course we'll be following is closely based on the Kabat-Zinn course but they suggest much shorter periods of practice.
Ultimately, it is down to the individual to decide how long to practice for, whatever you're comfortable with.
In my opinion, the length of meditations are much less important than following the course day by day, week by week and exploring the various practices (sitting meditation, body scan, light yoga, mountain meditation etc.) at the intervals suggested.
I'm sure Fee will back me up when I say that we're not suggesting in any way that people attempt to do more than they feel comfortable with. This is a crucial point. The practice should be comfortable. It should not feel like a struggle. It is not an endurance test. We're not in competition to see who can meditate the longest. This is about incorporating mindfulness into one's daily routine so that, eventually, it becomes as natural as, well, breathing.

[FeeHutch]

Morning Monkeymind
Yep, 100% what Jon said.

Week 1 of the book suggests two 8 minute meditation sessions a day, the raisin meditation at least once during the week and a couple of other things to do as you go. The threads are there for those who want to use them, there is no expectation to join in and no goal to strive for.

Whatever you feel comfortable with is what's important

[JonW]

Also, we have established that it's OK to use a tangerine if your raisin supplies are depleted.
I've got a hankering for a custard apple, myself.

[FeeHutch]

Also, we have established that it's OK to use a tangerine if your raisin supplies are depleted.
I've got a hankering for a custard apple, myself.

You are such a rebel! I am going to use chocolate myself....

[JonW]

Oi!
That's cheating!

[Cheesus]

I'm gonna have to use an almond

[JonW]

Almonds, chocolates, tangerines, custard apples...We've got ourselves a picnic.

[piedwagtail91]

We use chocolate in session 8 as a treat for those who complete the course.

[Gareth]

We ought to call ourselves the mindfulness rebels.