12 Guidelines To Develop Or Deepen Your Mindfulness Meditation Practice

This course will help you develop a regular mindfulness meditation practice and provide skills and supports to deepen an existing practice. It is designed to support new and experienced practitioners.

Key practices that participants will learn include:

• Strengthening the power of attention;
• Meeting your experience with acceptance and kindness;
• Developing a ‘beginner’s mind’; cultivating balanced effort;
• Deepening self-compassion and loving-kindness and;
• Working with thoughts and challenging emotions

Lección 1: Take Your Seat: Creating Beneficial Conditions For Meditation

In this session students learn about what mindfulness is; its roots in the Buddha’s teachings 2,500 years ago; the expansion of mindfulness in both spiritual and secular forms in recent decades; and the benefits of mindfulness for health and well-being.

This session includes a guided meditation on calming the body and mind. Students learn practices to help relax, settle, and create supportive conditions for meditation. Poems shared: ‘Clearing’ by Martha Postlethwaite and ‘Peace Is This Moment Without Judgment’ by Dorothy Hunt.

In the next session, we will explore the power of attention in enhancing well-being and happiness.

Lección 2: Pay Attention: Focusing Your Mind

In this lesson we explore the power of attention—and how attention is a fundamental element of mindfulness that can be cultivated and play an essential role in improving the quality of our experience. We discuss how different objects or focuses for our attention can be utilized to help us be here now and live with greater ease and well-being.

This lesson includes a guided meditation on strengthening the power of attention, using body, breath, sounds, thoughts, emotions, and open awareness. Poem shared: ‘Lost’ an adaptation of a Native American elder story rendered into English by David Wagoner.

In the next session we will explore cultivating mindfulness of the body.

Lección 3: Bring Mindfulness To Your Body

In this lesson, we explore mindfulness of the body, which is the first area or foundation of mindfulness in Buddhist teachings. Cultivating mindfulness of the body brings us home to ourselves and is a pathway to deep peace and freedom.

We practice a guided meditation on mindfulness of ‘four elements’ of bodily experience: 1) earth element—hardness, softness, roughness, smoothness; 2) water element—liquidity, flow, stickiness; 3) fire element—temperature: warmth, coolness; and 4) air element—spaciousness, movement. In experiencing our body in this elemental way, we cultivate a wiser and less attached approach to experiencing our body. Poem shared: ‘In Blackwater Woods’ by Mary Oliver.

Lección 4: Befriend Your Breath: Mindfulness Of Breathing

In this lesson, we explore a key focus of mindfulness practice—bringing mindfulness to our breathing. We discuss how the breath can be an accessible focus in meditation since it is always available; it’s relatively neutral focus; it’s a helpful barometer of our levels of stress or relaxation; and it can help us cultivate calm in times of stress or activation.

We practice a guided meditation to cultivate mindfulness of breathing and point to different areas of the body or breathing experience where we can rest our attention and allow ourselves to settle and be present.

The benefits of cultivating mindfulness of breathing include being more present for ourselves and for life; moving out of habitual patterns of distraction, stress, and clinging, and finding peace in the present moment. Poem shared: ‘Part One, Sonnet IV’ (‘give yourself to the air’) by Rainer Maria Rilke.

Lección 5: Cultivate Radical Acceptance: Developing An Attitude Of Letting Be

In this lesson, we explore the importance of meeting our experience with acceptance as a foundation of mindfulness practice—and how meaningful change has to begin with a deep acceptance of who and where we are. We discuss images, metaphors, and expressions for acceptance, including Rumi’s invitation to ‘welcome the guests’; Eckhart Tolle’s ‘yes to what is’; Tara Brach’s ‘radical acceptance’; and Ajahn Sumedho’s ‘it’s like this.’

In the guided meditation practice we invite a quality of deep acceptance to whatever is arising in body, heart, and mind. Poem shared: ‘The Guest House’ by Jellaludin Rumi.

Benefits of meeting our experience with acceptance include a greater ability to be at ease with life as it is, to change what can be changed, and to open to life’s ten thousand joys and ten thousand sorrows.

In the next session, we will explore the power of cultivating compassionate curiosity to deepen well-being and happiness.

Lección 6: Invite Compassionate Curiosity: Bringing Kind Interest To Your Experience

In this lesson, we explore the power of cultivating an attitude of compassionate curiosity to our experience. Meeting our experience with compassion and kindness helps us to make space for what’s difficult or painful without escaping or responding in a reactive way—and allows us to find peace with the ups and downs of life. The benefits of cultivating compassionate curiosity include strengthening self-compassion, a key to well-being while opening to life’s joys and sorrows.

In the guided meditation we cultivate the qualities of curiosity and kindness to all that’s arising. Poems shared: ‘The Way It Is’ by Lynn Ungar and ‘Small Kindnesses’ by Danusha Laméris.

In the next session, we’ll discuss and work with thoughts that arise in our practice and emphasize that thinking is not a problem in meditation.

Lección 7: Thoughts Are Not A Problem: Bringing Mindfulness To Thinking

In this lesson, we explore ways of working wisely with thoughts in meditation. We invite an approach in which thinking is not a problem and our ‘task’ is simply to notice when we are lost in thought and come back to our focus (e.g., the breath).

In the guided meditation we practice working with thoughts by responding with kindness when the mind wanders and returning to the body and the breath. Poem shared: ‘I Worried’ by Mary Oliver.

A key benefit of this way of working kindly and non-judgmentally with thoughts is that we minimize self-judgment and the belief that our meditation should be a certain way and experience peace in this moment, just as it is.

In the next session, we will explore and practice working skillfully with emotions in meditation.

Lección 8: Welcome The Guests: Meeting Your Emotions With Kindness And Acceptance

In this lesson, we explore and practice meeting our emotions, particularly the challenging ones, like anger, fear, or sadness, with kindness and acceptance, rather than with resistance or trying to suppress them.

In the guided meditation we explore the difference between saying ‘yes’ to challenging emotions and mind states and saying ‘no’ to them. Poem shared: Excerpt from ‘Letters to a Young Poet’ by Rainer Maria Rilke (‘always trust in the difficult’).

A key benefit of meeting our emotions with acceptance and kindness is in being able to live our life fully without feeling we need to escape from challenging emotions and mind states.

In the next session, we will explore the question of ‘how much effort is appropriate and beneficial in meditation?’

Lección 9: Not Too Tight, Not Too Loose: Practicing Wise Effort

In this lesson, we explore and practice cultivating wise effort in meditation—a balanced effort where we are not striving too hard to get somewhere, but are also not lethargic or lackadaisical in our effort.

In the guided meditation we practice bringing awareness to the nature and quality of our effort and invite balanced effort in our practice. Poem shared: ‘Keeping Quiet’ by Pablo Neruda.

The benefits of cultivating wise and balanced effort include deepening acceptance of our experience and living with greater ease through letting go of the tension of ‘over-efforting’ while staying focused and committed to our practice.

In the next session, we will explore and cultivate a ‘beginner’s mind.’

Lección 10: Cultivate a Beginner’s Mind: Inviting Openness To All That’s Arising

In this lesson we cultivate a ‘beginner’s mind,’ an attitude of mind where we don’t think we already know how this next breath will be or what the person we’re speaking with is going to say next. A beginner’s mind opens up possibilities for new information to come in and to see things in new ways. The Zen Buddhist teacher Suzuki Roshi said, ‘In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities. In the expert’s there are few.’

The benefits of cultivating a beginner’s mind include being open to the joys and wonders of life that come with curiosity and openness.

In the guided meditation we practice bringing the quality of an open and curious mind to our experiences of body, heart, and mind. Poem shared: ‘Mind Wanting More’ by Holly Hughes.

Lección 11: Open Your Heart To The World: Practicing Loving-kindness

In this lesson, we explore the practice of loving-kindness, a quality of friendliness and care that incorporates all beings, including ourselves. We discuss the origins of the practice of loving-kindness, or metta in Pali, as one of four skillful qualities of heart (with compassion, appreciative joy, and equanimity), known as ‘divine abodes’ in the Buddha’s teachings.

In the guided meditation we explore the practice of loving-kindness—inviting qualities of kindness, friendliness, and care towards ourselves, loved ones, friends, ‘neutral’ people, difficult people, and ultimately all beings. Poem shared:, ‘There was a time I would reject those…’ by Muhyiddin Ibn al-Arabi.

The benefits of cultivating loving-kindness and the other three heart qualities is in connecting to others and experiencing ourselves as an essential part of the web of life.

In the next session, we will explore and practice self-compassion.

Lección 12: Meet Yourself With Kindness: Deepening Self-compassion

In this lesson, we explore and cultivate self-compassion, a quality of kindness and care toward ourselves. We discuss the three key elements of self-compassion, highlighted by Kristin Neff: 1) self-kindness; 2) remembering our common humanity; and 3) mindfulness; and outline the benefits of self-compassion.

In the guided meditation we invite compassion towards ourselves, using the phrases, ‘May I be happy… May I be safe… May I be healthy… May I live with ease’ while meeting whatever arises with kindness and acceptance. Poem shared: ‘Kindness’ by Naomi Shihab Nye.

The benefits of practicing self-compassion include deactivating the body’s stress response and activating the caregiving response; reducing anxiety and depression and increasing resilience to stress.

The lesson finishes with a brief conclusion, summarizing the main themes covered in the 12 Guidelines To Develop Or Deepen Your Mindfulness Meditation Practice and we finish with a short meditation and poem, ‘The Journey’ by Mary Oliver.

Reviews

A companion to practice that really supports you with practical, caring tips and beautiful guidance. Thank you Hugh 💕🙏

Great information and tips. Hughs wonderful gentleness in teaching as well as his deep knowledge allow his words to slip in and find a home at heart center as they process and take root. 🙏🏼

Loved this 12 day course. It covers the basics in how to cultivate a strong meditation practice. I appreciate the reminders and really enjoyed it.

Hugh brings lots of tools to his talks and courses. He gathers up his own insights along with others. He brings knowledge and beautiful poems that are well selected for the messages he wants to convey. Sometimes he seems to be reading my mind and speaking about just what I'm experiencing at the time. He does all this with a soothing voice. His caring and concern for others comes through in his teachings.

I got a lot out of this course. I’m feeling generally calmer and more focused. Thank you Hugh 😊🙏

I love course. He was so gentle in his teachings and I really appreciate it. I love the structure of the course how each day is introduced and then recap at the end. I love all the poetry included. I’ll certainly be listening to this one over again. So much love and gratitude.

Excellent class! I need much practice, but know the lessons are worth learning.

Warm wlcoming humble and the wisdom itself obviously embodied by the teacher himself. This is genuine. Thank you 🙏

A very helpful, thorough course, with a lot of helpful information - it is a lot and needs a lot of practicing, so to be repeated again and again. I loved the poems at the end, and the soft, comforting, peaceful and patient voice and teachings - thank you!

As a long time meditator I found this an excellent course that encapsulated the essence of the Buddhist pathway and strengthened my practice.

Great course. This course is really useful. Thank you 🙏

Extraordinary course! The presentation is thoughtful and each session flows gracefully into the next. Hugh offers a short review of the previous session prior to starting a fresh topic. I have (tried) to practice mindfulness and acceptance for so many years, This course offered depth and clarity to my practice. Thank you, Hugh!

Well structure and the use of poetry was beautiful. An increased sense of presence and love. Thankyou ❤️

Such an excellent course Hugh! Thank you so much. Again, your calm, gentle tone helps me greatly when considering all the guidelines you teach about. Each concept is presented clearly and non-judgementally, with examples, and in ways, I can relate to. The poetry too is so powerful; I've decided I'm going to have a couple printed off to put on my walls, alongside writing them in a new poetry book I'm going to start! Once again I find my vocabulary limits my ability to fully express my gratitude for what you give, and the profound journies you enable me to take. With love. Tricia. X

Hugh is a wonderful teacher who imparts his knowledge of Buddhism in a way that a lay person can grasp. His gentle approach is entwined with poetry that supports meditation and understanding laced with self compassion and awareness.

Gentle, informative, compassionate, guiding and beautiful. I loved the poetry as well. Thank you 🙏

I have been meditating since 1971. This course summed up the many lessons I have learned over the years. It is great to have this all in one place. I love the Mary Oliver poem he ends with.

Wonderful course. Kind, deep, profound. And with beautiful poetry! The best course I have taken on Insight Timer. Thank you Hugh🙏🙏🙏

Many thanks dear Hugh for your wisdom and kindness on this gift of a course. Much to contemplate, much to enjoy. So grateful for your presence by my side on the path.
Blessings to you.🙏

A highly conpassionate and enlightening guideline to living more mindfully and lovingly. Namaste. I will listen to this course many times until it seeps into my consciousness.