Mindful Meditation Course by Dominique Joire

6 classes of 40 minutes each. The classes are designed to gradually give you a full understanding of what meditation is and how to meditate effectively. It can ultimately help you understand how the mind works, learn how to slowly transform your life for greater happiness, reduced stress and better relationships.

Mindfulness meditation should be approached as a new adventure in understanding ourselves, how our mind actually works, how our feelings and emotions affects us and how much control over our thoughts do we really have. Like going to the gym or learning a new language, regular practice leads to the best results.

Our brain can master almost everything with repetition and habituation. The benefits are vast and have been validated by many studies; as little as 10 minutes of practice a day can already bring some benefits. By increasing our positive state of mind and observing our mind with curiosity, acceptance and kindness; we can free ourselves of problems like dissatisfaction, anger, anxiety and more. Like the Buddha described 2.500 years ago, mindfulness practice brings us better resilience, increased tolerance, more harmonious relationships and ultimately happiness.

Introduction to the course from Dominic Joire:

It is important to do them in order to fully understand the different techniques and being able to eventually use them together.

This is mainly based on the techniques of Tibetan Buddhism practice (part of the 5 years course I am doing with the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition FPMT).  To be clear, I am not a Buddhist nor a qualified Buddhist teacher; I am only trying to share the little insight I have from the 5 years course I am doing with my amazing teacher Geshe Namdak in London (https://jamyang.co.uk/) under the generous guidance of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Their knowledge and lifelong practice of Tibetan Buddhism are an inspiration to me, and they have transformed my meditation practice. I am only starting to understand the depth and life transforming benefits of this generous tradition with an unparalleled knowledge of the Mind. 

I sincerely hope that this course can give some clearer understanding of the scientific techniques of Mind training (validated in neuroscience) and consequently the gradual benefits : a more open and relaxed Mind to embrace all life situations with curiosity , acceptance and loving kindness.

So just relax with your practice, most days nothing really happens on our cushion, so just reach the calm place inside for a moment and smile. This is very gradual and most insight come from our subtle mindful awareness in our daily life. Remember to pause when you get stressed; breathe, and choose to respond from your heart, more connected and kinder with ourselves and others.

Structure of the course:
- Week 1: Mindfulness meditation introduction: understanding how our mind works, the “monkey mind” and the “auto-pilot system”; how to train our focus and concentration with body scan meditation and breathing meditation.

- Week 2: Clear Mind meditation: How to reach the quiet experience of simply “Being”. With our mind staying focused, we can meditate free of concepts of our past or future, and reach our pure clear mind anytime.

- Week 3: Accepting and transforming negative emotions with loving kindness meditation.

- Week 4: Visualisation meditation on purification and letting go of stress and ego.

- Week 5: How to transform our mind and develop new neuro-pathways with analytical meditation.

- Week 6: Summary of the “mind adventure” and how to meditate on physical and emotional pain.

Price: £120 (Free to JCM subscribers with a discount code)