Greetings Friends!
I am excited to share some important news with you. As of March 2024, Mind Body Mindfulness will be led by Vibhuti Pandey & Brett Johnson of Ally Counseling. I will be stepping down from my current role, but I will remain a contributor and guiding influence to their work. This change marks an exciting chapter in our journey towards continued growth and community. While the ownership may be changing, our commitment to providing exceptional mindfulness education, resources, training and connection remains unwavering.
Our new leaders share the same passion for fostering well-being and creating a supportive community dedicated to personal growth and transformation. I want to express my deepest gratitude for your continued support and trust throughout this transition. Your presence and participation have been invaluable in shaping the vibrant community that Mind Body Mindfulness has become.
As we move forward under new leadership, we remain committed to upholding the values and standards that have defined Mind Body Mindfulness. We are confident that this change will bring fresh perspectives, innovative ideas, and even greater opportunities for growth and connection within our community. Thank you for being an integral part of our journey. We look forward to continuing to serve you and to building an even brighter future together.
Be well and be at ease,
Nancy
From Brett
It's a privilege to continue the wonderful work that Nancy started at Mind Body Mindfulness and grew into a thriving community. I first met Nancy in the Fall of 2019 while attending her MBSR training program. Her work has been transformative in my life and I look forward to sharing the benefits of Mindfulness and MBSR with more people.
I am deeply honored to step into the role, building upon the foundation laid by our esteemed honor member and embracing the opportunities that lie ahead.
Vee will be offering a variety of resources, including articles, guided meditations, and interactive workshops, in which we will empower our community to embark on a journey of self-discovery.
"In addition to helping with the new Mind Body Mindfulness initiatives, I serve as the Executive Director of a Behavioral Health Practice [Ally Counseling] in Portland, Oregon."
Together, we will create a space where mindfulness and mental health intersect, offering holistic support for mind, body, and the spirit of self-compassion. I am excited to offer this collaborative journey to each of you!
Why Mindfulness?
Mindfulness practice has been changing lives for over 2,500 years for one simple reason - Because it works.
Got stress? In stuck mode with life's challenges? Need more balance and resilience in your life? Are you dealing with the issues of aging, acute or chronic pain or illness?
Welcome to Mindfulness practice! An intentional path of Mindfulness practice trains your capacity to be guided by your innate wisdom instead of a reactive mind. Mind Body Mindfulness offers the evidence-based mindfulness practices, as well as general Mindfulness and Meditation training and support for building skills to meet life with more ease. These teachings are secular and accessible to everyone.
"Mindfulness is about being fully awake in our lives. It is about perceiving the vividness of each moment. We feel more alive. We also gain immediate access to our own powerful inner resources for insight, transformation and healing." ~ Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD ~
What is mindfulness?
One definition is that mindfulness is AWARENESS that ARISES by paying ATTENTION, on PURPOSE, in the PRESENT MOMENT, and NON-JUDGMENTALLY, in the service of self-understanding, wisdom and compassion. Each of these aspects of mindfulness are important in cultivating mindfulness as a way of BEING. We are called human BEINGS, but maybe we're really humans DOING. Mindfulness practice can change that.
Mindfulness connects the mind and body through a systematic approach to intentionally shape our internal focus of attention, and which can become an enduring trait, bringing long-term changes in brain function and structure. This is a fundamental property of neuroplasticity—how the brain changes in response to experience.
What mindfulness isn't
Is not about having a “blank mind” - that’s simply not possible. The mind “thinks” - that’s it’s job. But we do learn to be in a relationship to those thoughts, which gives us more influence on the effect our thoughts have on our reactivity and body stress response.
It’s not “Relaxation” - relaxation can be a by- product of meditation, but it is not the goal.
It is not being “Perfect” or “Blissed Out” - Mindfulness is a practice of coming in to contact with our lives as they are, and learning to make wise and kind choices about how we engage with what’s here.
Its not about twisting the body into an athletic yoga pose suspended in the air, arms suspending a horizontal body! Its about being in relationship with ourselves just as we are, whatever this physical body presents us.