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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Hi everyone, what a great first day. Listening from Virginia, USA.
Listening in from Scotland!
The 31 day summit is a great idea. I’m really looking forward to listening to all of the inspirational talks. Hopefully by the end of it I will have formed a fantastic new habit of practising mindfulness daily.
Hello from the Netherlands, I am grateful to join this Summit!
Looking forward to continuing and improving the practice of mindfulness. Mindfulness is a great way to balance and improve life.
Thank you to the organizers of the Mindfulness Summit! This is a wonderful opportunity and I’m looking forward to listening and participating all month long from New Brunswick, Canada.
Hi, really enjoying the video so far! Thanks for creating this event. However, if I may give some feedback: the split screen with the host’s commentary is a bit distracting.
Not the questions, I meant the subtle one word responses. I think I will get used to it though. 🙂
Great start. Listened on my iPhone so i wasn’t tethered to my PC. Mark Williams is a new person to me and I’m very pleased to have met him. Thanks.
Greetings from Flagstaff! My best to everyone.
Just getting started and I’m excited!
Hello everyone from Romania!
Listening and watching from Oman… very excited and grateful to have this wonderful opportunity.
Joining in from the mountains of Asheville, North Carolina. Very much enjoyed Mark Williams interview and his excellent suggestions on meditation practice. Namaste, everyone.
Hi,
Thanks for an amazing first day! I really enjoyed it.
Cheers
What a great way to share with the world the healing power of Mindfulness practice. I’m most grateful to be able to attend this summit and to go on this journey with you all!
Hi from Sweden , I´m teaching mindfulness and I have a class in about 1 hour from now, today mindful eating, meditation and body scan. Love it !
Thank you for organizing this. It was very insightful.
Listening from Singapore.
Hi! Looking forward to this journey together. Thanks.
Greetings from Portugal ! Listening, watching and learning !
Thank you for the wonderful start. I especially loved the way emphasized about being kind to yourself during meditation for as your mind wanders as mine does to bring it back slowly and kindly makes all the difference.
Greetings from Amman Jordan!
Hi from the West Coast of Australia. Really impressed with the first talk and enthusiastic (sorry Mark) about the rest of the month, but will also do the ‘work’. Thanks Mrs Mindfulness for taking the time and energy to create this. I’ve missed my mindfulness. It feels nice to come home again.
Fantastic first video with Professor Mark and very well done Melli. It was a great mindfulness practice for me being able to watch the interview in one shot and the added bonus of a 3min and 8min exercise. One of many points Professor Mark made that stood out for me was that we tell kids how important it is in life to pay attention, then don’t teach them ‘how’ to do it. Looking forward to tomorrow and for NOW enjoying the moments – Ian -The Cotswolds UK
Day one & I’m so excited! Hi everyone, I’m attending from Denver, CO USA!
Excited to join in the mindfull experience from Boston. Thanks for this opportunity and I am very much looking forward to expending my awareness and being more and more mindful.
Thank you so much, wonderful intro X
Listening from Scotland!
Thank you. This was a very moving, mind expanding experience.
How wonderful that you are making this kind of information available to everyone. I’m awed and inspired by the graciousness, generosity, talent, good will and good intent.
I wish there was a way to bring this information to the depressed people in my life in a way that they could buy into it and practice for at least 8 weeks. Any ideas?
Again, thank you. Wishing all a very happy day : )
Me too! Me too. from Michigan, usa. Can someone talk more about maladaptive ruminative mind? Why the heck does it exist? Glad to be in company even virtual.
This talk has truly restored my heart and, clear my mind to see that even when the path is not clear I can walk on! I listened from Stamford, CT.
Joining you all from Toronto
Namaste
Hello from Birmingham, AL This is a wonderful union of souls.
This is the perfect time for a Mindfulness Summit in my life – really looking forward to this 🙂 Hailing from Clemson, South Carolina, USA
Hello everyone,
Listening in from London. Great idea, and thank you for organising this, Mellie. Looking forward to the rest of the schedule this month.
Breathing in and out,
Zakiah
Super excited about this! Listening from southern California!! 🙂
Hi everyone. I dont seem to be able to download the video. Anyone got the same problem? Can anyone help?
Am in Australia…
Wow so excited. Listening here from San Francisco. Amazing work team.
Listening from Singapore. Love it! Very grateful and appreciate your dedication to make this happen to us Mrs Mindfulness!
Melli and Mark. Thanks so much for the introduction. It re-iterated what I had been told at the beginning of the MBCT 8 week program. Working through and being constant using “The Mindful Way” made me “see with different eyes” and the 3 x 3 minute meditations are so grounding. I hope I am not froth!
In calm anticipation of further sessions
Barry
Listening in now from Livonia, Michigan, USA.
Using the audio as the video stopped after about a minute.
Thank you!
What a beautiful way to introduce mindfulness on a clinical level and by discussing the challenges, benefits and purpose. Thank you for offering this as a free course, I have recommended to almost everyone I know as I believe mindfulness does have the ability over time to change the world. Thank you, thank you!
I’m listening from Morgantown, West Virginia where I’m working on my PhD. I’ve lived in this teeny town for three years but, being from a big city, I often still find it unfamiliar and isolating. I’m grateful to be part of this event, which is so far-reaching and communal! Thank you, Melli, for sharing.
Namaste Beautiful Beings! I am participating from Perú and thoroughly enjoyed the first session – a lovely balance of mindfulness, research, and authenticity. I am excited about the next 30 days, especially the sessions with Shamash Aladinas and Elisha Goldstein about integrating mindfulness into daily life. Gracias por esta oportunidad!
So excited about to be participating in this summit! I l look forward to learning more about mindfulness and incorporating it into my life.
Austin, Texas
As a practising Zen Buddhist and someone who suffers from depression I am delighted to be part of this. I’m also doing the Princeton Uni course on Buddhism and Modern Psychology. I’m in the UK and blog on http://erikleo.wordpress.com (Poetry, art, philosophy and spirituality.)
This is fantastic – thanks so much – excited about the rest of the summit
Hi from Melbourne, Australia
Another night owl, I see.
I really enjoyed every moment of this wonderful first session. This is such a mindful way to introduce us to mindfulness. Thank you very much Melli for your insight, wisdom and BIG heart for your efforts and for making this a reality for all of us…Thank you…..thank you…..
Hi! Enjoying day 1 from Brisbane, Australia. 2am and peaceful outside. Only some distant noises of birds. ☺️
Great first day! Thank you!!
Excellent. Really enjoyed this first interview and content. Looking forward to watching more. Thank you.
Thank you so much!
Joining the summit from Calgary, Alberta Canada. Mark Williams … what a beautiful beginning!!