After the 8 Week programme, what next?

[Bitterballen]

Hi all, unfortunately I have not been able to contribute as much to this forum as I would have liked!

I am currently on Week 6 of the Mindfulness programme (the Danny Williams one), just doing it myself with the book and CD. I have had to repeat a number of weeks because I have not been able to make my 6 days out of 7 some weeks...however I do now expect to finish Weeks 6-8 without having to repeat again.

Can anyone recommend a book, website, Audio CD, etc to help guide me after completion? I am actually considering to go back and do it again whilst I look for something else. Not sure I am ready to move away from guided meditations yet though as all recommendations welcome!

[piedwagtail91]

if you don't feel ready to move away from guided meditation then don't. do what works best for you,try to build your own practice, try not to copy what others do.it may work for them but it may not be right for you
on our course we give people the option to use silent timed meditation around week 6, but it is only an option.
most choose to stick with guided, choosing the ones that they feel help them the most.
i used guided for over 12 months and still do use certain guided meditations when i feel the need.
it's 2 years since i did the course.
i look on the course as getting the basic tools and the time after the course as learning how to use them in daily life.
i don't think there's any harm re-doing the course, i've re-done the course by going through my session notes and the meditations two or three times by myself now.
as a mindfulness volunteer i suppose i'm lucky in that i've been able to do the course itself 4 or 5 times (4 or 5 raisin practices aaarrggghh!!) now supposedly 'working' but also using it as therapy!!!
good luck with the rest of the course.
this is a good website for lots of free downloads and links http://www.freemindfulness.org/

this is the booklist from our session 8 handout, some of the books are self compassion,one is an excellent book on happiness by Matthieu Ricard.
i can't comment on them as i haven't read them all, though i have read the self compassion and the matthieu ricard book and found all three of them to be of great help and inspiration. the list may be added to in a few weeks after my mentor has finished reading new books!

This is a short list of books that may be of interest to people who have been on the 8 week mindfulness course. There are many other good books on the subject of mindfulness, though some of these are aimed at therapists or trainers.


Full Catastrophe Living. How to cope with stress, pain and illness using mindfulness meditation.
Jon Kabat-Zinn. (1990). Piatkus Books.

The Mindful Way Through Depression: Freeing Yourself from Chronic Unhappiness.
Mark Williams, John Teasdale, Zindel Segal and Jon Kabat-Zinn. (2007).
Guilford Publications.

Coming to Our Senses: Healing ourselves and the world through mindfulness.
Jon Kabat-Zinn. (2005).
Piatkus Books.

Wherever you go, there you are: Mindfulness meditation in everyday life.
Jon Kabat-Zinn. (1994).
Piatkus Books.

Mindfulness: A practical guide to finding peace in a frantic world.
Mark William’s and Danny Penman.
Piatkus

Self-Compassion: Stop Beating Yourself Up and Leave Insecurity Behind.
Kristin Neff.(2011).
William Morrow.

Heal Thy Self: Lessons on Mindfulness in Medicine.
Saki Santorelli. (1999).
Bell Tower.

The Miracle of Mindfulness.
Thich Nhat Hanh, (1975).
Beacon Press.

Present Moment Wonderful Moment: Mindfulness verses for daily living.
Thich Nhat Hanh, (1990).
Parallax.

The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion. Freeing Yourself from Destructive Thoughts and Emotions.
Christopher K. Germer (2009).
Guilford Publications.

Calming your anxious mind.
Jeffrey Brantley. (2003).
New Harbinger Publications.

Happiness: A Guide to Developing Life's Most Important Skill.
Matthieu Ricard.
Atlantic Books.

[FeeHutch]

Thanks for all those ideas pied and Bitterballen, this is something I reflected on for quite a while when I finished the 8 week course the first time round.

For a while I did continue to use some guided meditation. I found it a little stressful going from having a plan to follow to 'winging it'. I found the idea of silent practice a but intimidating to start with but kept on practicing until it became a regular part of my practice. I am finding working with the How To Train A Wild Elephant book useful in that it introduces a new idea every week. I find inspiration in all the different ways to practice challenges my ongoing attempts to be mindful.

I also find being a part of the community here keeps me engaged both with my practice and in sharing the journey and experiences with others. I hope you will continue to share your thoughts with us.

[Bitterballen]

Thanks for both of these very detailed responses. I am familiar with some the titles listed in that book list (however MM: FPIAFW is the only one I have actually ever bought) so I may give one of them a try, particuarly interested in reading some KAbat-Zinn stuff, also Thic Naht Han (Sic).

I have an extended vacation coming shortly after I finish my 8 week course. I think that, for the purposes of continuing my practice, I will maybe select one or two of the shorter meditations (the 8/9 minute ones) to continue with even whilst I am away. Then after returning home I may try and embrace the 8 weeks again whilst considering a new book/guided meditation.

I will also go and have a look at the training an elephant thread when I get more time!

[piedwagtail91]

most of the books should be available in the local library - if it's still there !!

[Bitterballen]

Thanks pwt91! Unfortunately I do not like in the UK, there is a local library close to me, and I am sure they will have a small section of English books so I will have a quick look for sure...you never know what you might find!

[piedwagtail91]

ooops! thats me forgetting that the internet is global

[Bitterballen]

No problem! You have reminded me to update my location!

[JonW]

It's an excellent question.
As Kabat-Zinn is fond of saying, the ninth week is the rest of your life.
During that extended ninth week, I guess we all find a program that suits us, a mix of sitting meditations, body scans, yoga etc.
For me, reading widely has helped sustain my practice and I'd heartily second piedwagtail91's book suggestions, singling out Kabat-Zinn's Coming To Our Senses, a title I regard as a kind of mindfulness bible. Also a special mention for Oli Doyle's Mindfulness Plain & Simple and The Mindfulness Manifesto by Heaversedge & Halliwell.
For my own part, I run a local mindfulness meet-up group which is still on the nursery slopes but it shaping up as a good way for like-minded people to keep in touch and exchange ideas. Why not start your own group? http://www.meetup.com
And, as Fee says, there's this growing community right here. Please feel welcome to share your thoughts, ask questions etc.
Cheers, Jon