I was visiting BibleGateway.com today, preparing an item for my church newsletter, when what to my wondering eyes should appear but an advertisement for the Mindful Life conference being held in Washington DC at the end of April this year. Though there are several Buddhist teachers on the conference “faculty,” none of the speakers claim Christianity. The conference will encourage mindfulness at work, in schools and as part of healthcare and relationships. It’s wonderful that mindfulness is going mainstream!
On the other hand, the conference costs $250 a day (with earlybird discount pricing). A recent offer I received to learn mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) cost between $400 – $500. (They included a sliding scale, which was lovely, but $400 is a lot of money.) MBSR is used most often in healthcare settings with folks who have incurable health conditions, like chronic pain. It’s unfortunate that learning mindfulness seems to come at a high price point.
Just when I was thinking that mindfulness teachers have to make a living and charging so much may be unavoidable, I discovered Palouse Mindfulness online MBSR training. While I am sure working with a live teacher and a group of fellow students make it easier to stay the course, it’s lovely that these resources are available. I intend to take advantage of it. Thank you, Dave Potter!