Free Coursera course on mindfulness called "De-Mystifying Mindfulness" starts tomorrow (Dec 05)
Hey everyone,
I thought I'd let you guys know that there's a free Coursera course on mindfulness called De-Mystifying Mindfulness that's starting on December 5th. You can sign up for it here. I found it a few weeks ago and watched all the videos in the first module, and I have to say, it's pretty good stuff.
The course is taught by Dr. Chris Goto-Jones of Leiden University in the Netherlands. He's extremely well-spoken and charismatic, and the quality of his videos is really good. You can watch his course introduction here.
The course is great for beginners and veterans. There are no prerequisites and anyone can learn! Enrollment ends on December 10.
Here's some more info on the 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.
Happy learning!