English | B.mindful - בי כהן

mindfulness

Finding the quiet space within

with Bee Cohen

What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness (sati in Pali) has its roots in Buddhism and is the quality of the mind to be aware and intentionally pay attention to what is happening in the present moment without judgment or rejection, but with curiosity and kindness. It means being with what is happening in the very moment without the desire to have it differently or change it. This helps create inner space and calmness and then allows to respond (not automatically react) and make appropriate and wholesome decisions in how to deal with a situation. Regular practice may lead to improvement in health, inner freedom, emotional balance, confidence and peace of mind.

What is MBSR?

MBSR - Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction - is an 8-weeks training program developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn at the University of Massachussetts Medical Center in 1979. It practices mindfulness meditation, body awareness and yoga according to a protocol aiming to learn and practice how to deal with stress, pain and anxiety.

What is stress?

Stress means experiencing a situation (physically, emotionally, mentally) as disturbing and even as a threat to our well-being and as one that we are not willing to accept, nor that we are open to deal with in the present moment. Instead of being with what is and responding in a wise and wholesome way, we are busy struggling and putting all our effort into rejecting and trying to avoid it - often by experiencing restlesness and unease, feeling stuck, "in a loop", helpless and overwhelmed and by (automatically) reacting with anger, fear, avoiding or shutting down. Not seldom physical symptoms (e.g. head-, stomach-, or back pain, as well as sleeping disorders) can be experienced as a consequence.

Why practice mindfulness?

Mindfulness training can show the effects and benefits of:

greater (self-)awareness, understanding and accepting oneself better,
higher resilience by understanding, accepting and recovering from difficult emotions more quickly,
better focus,
improved memory,
more patience,
greater self-acceptance, self-compassion,
greater ability to recognize recurring negative thoughts and to let them go - stepping out of loops,
more stable self-esteem,
better stress management,
coping with (chronic) pain,
recognizing and changing unwholesome habits,
more confident decision making,
more inner balance, the ability to resist reacting on impulses,
increased compassion towards oneself and others,
better communication with others,
"taking a step back" that enables more objectivity instead of taking things personally and reacting in defense/ attack,
accepting and being with what life has to offer in the very moment instead of "wasting" energies in resisting, fighting against and avoinding what is already happening,
reduced risk of high blood pressure,
reduced risk of depressions,
better sleep,
less anxiety,
help to overcome/ deal with and reduced risk of addictive behavior,
more vitality and happiness, greater well-being.

... So why practice?

To live a rich, healthy and happy life in awareness and with an open heart.

A bit about myself:

Bee (Sibille) Cohen

Originally coming from Germany and having lived in the US for a few years, I found myself feeling at home in Israel when I finally moved here to stay in 2009. Today I speak Hebrew fluently, live in a little and beautiful place in the Judean Foothills, surrounded by the quiet of fields, hills and forests together with my dog Mila and am self-employed as an English tutor and mindfulness/ MBSR teacher.

The "mindful spark" in my personal journey was ignited by experiences while travelling in the Far East (especially Thailand and India) that started enriching my life in the early 90's until today. What started as a spark is today a way of living. Getting the possibility of sharing and passing on this spark is a great gift for me.

What personal and professional background are my mindfulness teaching skills based on?

Practicing Hatha Yoga since 1998,
Practicing mindfulness and meditation as an integrated part of my daily life,
Regularly taking time off for practice on longer retreats,
Continuous professional, practical and spiritual studies with long-term experienced, outstanding and inspiring teachers,
More than 20 years experience as a dedicated (English-) teacher, mentor and group tutor (elementary, junior high and high school),
Integrating mindfulness skills in English tutoring classes (such as support in mastering the challenges of ADHD, stress and test anxiety),
Guiding and leading mindfulness groups for teenagers and adolescents with the focus on coping with stress,
Teaching mindfulness/ MBSR in groups and workshops and as individual programs/ sessions (courses in Hebrew and in English),
A second degree - MA of education (M.Ed),
Annual mindfulness in-depth course at Reichman University (IDC) in Herzelia's Muda Institute for Mindfulness, Science and Society, Israel,
Annual MBSR teacher training at Reichman University (IDC) in Herzelia's Muda Institute for Mindfulness, Science and Society, Israel,
Annual training course for Mindfulness for Children and Teenagers in Mindbody Center in Ramat Gan, Israel, with Nimrod Sheiman,
Annual training course for Sfat Hakeshev - Mindfulness Skills for Children and Adolescents with Simi Levi.