About this course: Interest in meditation, mindfulness, and contemplation has grown exponentially in recent years. Rather than being seen as mystical practices from ancient Buddhism or esoteric philosophy, they are increasingly seen as technologies rooted in evidence from psychology and neuroscience. Mindfulness has become the basis for numerous therapeutic interventions, both as a treatment in healthcare and as a means of enhancing well-being and happiness. For millions around the world, mindfulness has become a life-style choice, enhancing and enriching everyday experience. Mindfulness is big business. But, what actually is mindfulness? Is it really good for you? Can anyone learn it? How can you recognize charlatans? Would you want to live in a mindful society, and would it smell like sandalwood? What does it feel like to be mindful? Are you mindful already, and how would you know? Evolving from the popular Honours Academy course at Leiden University, this innovative course combines conventional scholarly inquiry from multiple disciplines (ranging from psychology, through philosophy, to politics) with experiential learning (including specially designed ‘meditation labs,’ in which you’ll get chance to practice and analyze mindfulness on yourself). In the end, the course aims to provide a responsible, comprehensive, and inclusive education about (and in) mindfulness as a contemporary phenomenon. During the production of this course, we have been supported by Willem Kuyken, Director of the University of Oxford Mindfulness Centre, and Stephen Batchelor, co-founder of Bodhi College. And we gratefully acknowledge the contributions made by Mark Williams, co-developer of Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), and Rebecca Crane, Director of the Centre for Mindfulness Research and Practice at the University of Bangor.
Who is this class for: This course does not require previous knowledge of the subject. It has been designed both for practitioners of Mindfulness who are seeking to deepen or broaden their knowledge and understanding, as well as for students of the Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, or Humanities who are keen to understand the significance and meaning of Mindfulness for their fields. In addition, Mindfulness coaches, teachers, and therapists may find that this course helps them to consolidate and bolster their professional knowledge base. For those interested in becoming a Mindfulness-based therapist, this course does not constitute a formal qualification to teach, but completion of the certificate does qualify you to start the formal teaching trajectory (ie. it meets the requirement to have completed an 8-week MBSR or MBCT course). In keeping with the nature of the material and the purpose of the course, this course is free, and will remain free for participants. If you are interested in receiving a formal certificate, there will be a fee to cover costs.
Taught by: Chris Goto-Jones, Prof. dr.
Honours Academy
| Level | Beginner |
| Commitment | 5 Weeks, 7 modules incl Honours project, approx 3 hours per week, suggested 30-45 minutes per day for experiential practices. |
| Language | English |
| How To Pass | Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. |
| User Ratings |
Each course is like an interactive textbook, featuring pre-recorded videos, quizzes and projects.
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Excellent course to get deeper into both practical and theoretical knowledge about mindfulness. I would not recommend this course though to people with a lot of knowledge already about mindfulness.
Excellent class. First module is a little bit too long-winded. The following modules are much more rewarding. I liked how the course also included practical mindfulness excercises along side the theoretical work.
A lot of really great information was provided via videos; however, the course is heavily reliant on the other individuals enrolled at the same time you are. Some participants were more thoughtful than others.
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Eye opening. More than I expected from a online course. Highly engaging and informative.