Professor Mark Williams – An Introduction to Mindfulness
Professor Mark Williams – An Introduction To Mindfulness
Professor Mark Williams is Emeritus Professor of Clinical Psychology at Oxford and was also the Director of the Oxford Mindfulness Centre until his retirement in 2013.
Professor Williams, along with colleagues John Teasdale (Cambridge) and Zindel Segal (Toronto), developed Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy for prevention of relapse and recurrence in major depression. He is also co-author of the best selling book ‘Mindfulness: Finding Peace In A Frantic World.’
In this interview Mark elegantly answers the question ‘what is mindfulness?’ He also leads 2 simple introductory practices for beginners and talks about why mindfulness is so effective for the treatment of depression relapse.
In this interview you’ll also discover…
- The difference between mindlessness and mindfulness.
- Why mindlessness often gets us into so much trouble.
- The cutting edge research on mindfulness for depression (Mark is one of the world premiere researchers in this field).
- The ‘breathing space’ mindfulness practice, which is great to use in times of stress and difficult emotions
- How to use ‘habit releasers’ to bring more mindfulness into daily life.
- An experience of the ‘body scan’ mindfulness practice.
Listen to the audio version here
Show Notes
Join the The Mindfulness Summit Journey here
Come and join the community discussions at any time on our Facebook page
Check out Melli’s blog, events and retreats at MrsMindfulness.com
More about MBCT (Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy)
Check out Marks books ‘Mindfulness: Finding peace in a frantic world’
More about the Oxford Mindfulness Centre
Audio
Video
Transcript
Download Mark Williams audio interview
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Download Mark Williams audio meditation
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Download Mark Williams breathing space meditation
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Download Mark Williams video interview
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Download MP4 – Standard Def, 640×240 (Right click to save)
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Melly and Mark. You have KIND heart!
I am emptying my backpack!
From the Brazilian Mountains: THANK YOUU!
leandro, Gramado, Brazil.
An amazing first day of the summit! Thank you so much for creating this fantastic learning opportunity for the world to see.
Hello from New Hampshire!
I shared the 3 minute breathing space with my coworkers today 🙂
Thank you all for this wonderful day, happy to be here, learning and sharing from Kingsport TN, Love to all
I am so grateful that this is available, what a gift of time and energy and resource. Thank you.
It is not my intention to be negative in anyway, so please forgive me if this is difficult to hear… It was hard to focus on Mark’s insight and teaching with the dual screens and the many comments and sounds of agreement while he was speaking. My experience was such that I couldn’t fully concentrate on what he was saying. I hope this can just be a constructive observation without being rude or pretentious. Thank you for considering. I am very grateful to be on this journey with a global community.
I too had the same experience as Tracy. I too am looking forward to the next part of this journey with the Global community. Namaste.
I too had the same thoughts – it was sometimes hard to concentrate on what the professor was saying. But I enjoyed this very much, I really need to train my mind . Looking forward to the next 30 days . Thank you very much.
I agree!
Many thanks for such a wonderful opportunity Melli, I imagine this has taken a lot of hard work but well worth it. Mindful thoughts from Ireland!
Hello from Massachusetts USA! this was fantastic and I can’t wait for more! Hokusai says was the best way to end this session! look feel notice…
Great way to start the challenge
Thank you, I’m so glad I’m on the right path. I teach mindfulness to teachers and students and online. My latest book has just been released on this topic, but specifically for parents and children.
I think mindfulness should also be part of driving training! Thanks again, Victoria
I enjoyed Professor Williams talk
Thank you for a fantastic start to the month. I am excited for what tomorrow will bring.
Greetings from Green Bay, Wisconsin. Thank you for sharing and I look forward to learning more!
Hello from Wisconsin Rapids,WI
Tracy, I agree. I found the same thing distracting. Eventually, I just had to stop watching the screen. It’s not a criticism, just a consideration. I really enjoyed the discussion.
Can’t thank you enough for putting this together. Really enjoyed Mark’s talk today and also learning more about current research and the field in general. This is really incredible. Looking forward to the rest. Positive vibes for future funding!
Also learned that Nutella is extra delicious when eaten mindfully. 😉
Ha ha ha yummy! Did you eat that while listening in? You’ll love dr Susan Albers in s couple of days..bring the Nutella for that one! ????
Was watching video, great the bits that didn’t get presented pixel by pixel! Tried to download audio so can listen, link didn’t seem to take me anywhere. Any suggestions?
The joys of living in rural Western Australia !
Ok. Changed to more interactive operating system on another device. Downloading, have 22% of a 73mb file and it’s only taken 8 minutes so far!! Wonderful reception today. Xxo
Just ’cause it’s so entertaining to watch our version of internet in action. A further 13 mins in, that’s 21 mins in total have 33% of file!! However it is happening.
Enjoyed the session very much, Had a glitch with playback toward the end of Mark Williams’ interview, just when he mentioned teaching children what it means to “pay attention.” Just specifying what paying attention means is showing remarkable results. Also found acknowledging the work at Penn State and Tish Jennings was very exciting. Thank you.
Hello from New York City!
Thank you so much for creating and offering this healing gift to us, Melli.
A heartfelt thank you to you for your generous and kind heart.
Listening from Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. Thank you. I am at peace.
Thank you for this wonderful program. I work for a preschool program and we often use deep breathing to help shift focus or to help children to shift from their reptile brain into a frame of mind where they can manage their emotions. I want to bring more mindfulness into my classroom by really teaching it and I think my best option is to teach by example. If I can learn to be mindful while in the classroom, my students can watch what is happening and see it. I wish that I had enough clout to encourage a mindfulness-based social and emotional curriculum, but I don’t. This summit is what I need to really get down to simple basics and develop a mindful approach.
Greetings from western Sydney, Australia where I have been listening to the first interview with Mark Williams – I enjoyed the two practical sessions of applied mindfulness, and his multiple applied examples. I already have a book by Jon Kabat-Zinn which I will revisit during the next month.
Thankyou….I shared much of today’s presentation with the patients I treated today. Mindfulness will change the world..it is changing me????! Thank you from Waynesboro, Virginia
Thankyou….I shared much of today’s presentation with the patients I treated today. Mindfulness will change the world..it is changing me????! Thank you from Waynesboro, Virginia
Mark, what an engaging and eloquent person you are. What a great way to start the next 31 days. As someone who is new to mindfulness and meditation, I feel like I have built the foundation of my ‘home’ through this past hour. Thank you.
Thank you for making this. Mindfulness workshop available on line for us to join in. I look forward to the day. Challenge.
Wonderful first day! Thank you for the thoughtfulness and insight provided regarding depression. I gained much from hearing of the positive improvements with MBCT in the treatment of depression. Looking forward to the next 30 days! : )
I believe mindfulness is our way forward to renewal in a sense that not only connects us to our inner world in a deeper way of being whole but in our interconnectness in our relationships to everything we encounter in life. Thank you for this opportunity to share and learn more through this Mindfullness Summit.
Such a great start! I am delighted to be here. Thank you.
This was fabulous. Thank you so much from Oklahoma, USA.
I am so glad to be part of this 31 day journey. This is what we need to live our life well. Thank you for this wonderful gift of a lifetime!
Hello and thank you so much for that wonderful introduction to the first day!
Fascinating insight about Henry Ford. We certainly would benefit from sweeping change like that.
Thank you for your efforts to bring this program together. Loving it 🙂
Thanks Jen! So nice to have you here ????
Good evening and thank you for a wonderful introduction to Mindfulness…I’m fascinated by the potential of mindfulness, for myself, my family and my patients. I’m also really encouraged by your words of wisdom on not giving up, and not berating oneself for the times when the mind wanders! Looking forward to the next few days.
Sawaddii Kha from Bangkok Thailand,
It is a joy to receive this teaching.
Thank you, how lucky are we to have this wonderful opportunity. May we all share with others the power of mindfulness and then even more people will benifit.
Thank you for this offering. Looking forward to practicing this practice during the next month.
What a wonderful gift for the world to learn, ????????
What a wonderful gift for the world to learn,
Greetings from Reno, NV. Escorting myself and my brain back to breathing a couple of times a day? Sounds easy. Let’s see how well I commit. Thank you for putting me on the tracks again!
so very thankful * beautiful resource & offering.
I teach singing to undergraduate college students. Not only do they deal with the pressures of college, they are also in the highly stressful performing arts. I am hoping to take these ideas to my students. Thank you for making this available!
I didn’t get a chance til late in the evening to start the summit. Day 1 a good way to start the month and a great way to end the day. See you all in the morning 🙂
Matthew
Thank you for the question. How is life living through you?
Hi, I’m just wondering if anyone is having the same technical issue as me. In the video after the breathing space meditation, it cuts out and there is a message saying “Sorry there was an issue with playback.” I’ve logged out and tried again but it keeps doing that. Any ideas? 🙂
Thank you for the Summit, following from Algonquin Highlands, Ontario Can.
I am a 70 year old retired social worker, tuning in from Satellite Beach, Florida. After watching the initial session with Melli and Mark, I’m feeling deep gratitude and appreciation for this precious gift. Thank you so much for offering The Mindfulness Summit to the world. I look forward to each new experience in this amazing journey and will be following the discussions each day on facebook.
Sitting in a hotel staircase – what a nice start.
Loved the interview! I took notes on some very helpful points he brought up. I appreciated his grounded approach, beginning with studies to help anyone understand the value in mindful practices. My only issue was the moaning of the interviewer. She had lovely questions and comments as well as great presence but her continued moaning as he spoke would throw my concentration. Was this intentional? A test of the audience’s mindfulness? Because if it is, I am VERY aware of how distracting human sounds are for me when someone is speaking. I look forward to day 2 though! Thank you for offering this!!
Grateful to you all who put this summit together. What a wonderful gift to the world!
Thank you.
I’m so grateful! Thanks for the opportunity! 😉
Cherish the mind, we won’t have it forever! Love that. I work with people with Alzheimer’s and i a reminded of this every time i see them struggle. So happy that we have this Mindfulness summit the whole month of October! Thank you.
Very informative.
I purchased a full access pass and it charged me for 3 passes!! How can I get reimbursed for 2?
Thanks,
Nathalie
I too had a similar experience, got charged for 2 instead of 1. Hopefully it can get sorted out quickly — First day glitches! Maybe a screen confirming how many is being purchased can be added?
Otherwise, loved the first session. Told others to join in to benefit from the wisdom. And felt clear, light and grounded the rest of the day. Thanks so much for putting this on. Great turnout!