Teaching in Australia

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Abstract

Mindfulness-based Interventions are flourishing within the Australian context, as are various mindfulness teacher-training pathways. Despite the fact that the two authors live 1400 km from one another, this has not been a hindrance to developing and refining a common view that underpins our training approach. This view has been cultivated by teaching participants in our many MBSR and MBCT courses, and by training, supervising and supporting the next generation of mindfulness teachers for several years. In our work together, we have become aware of the many paradoxes that abound in the theory and pedagogy of the MBIs. Teaching and learning is an inherently complex process, further compounded by the diverse spiritual, therapeutic and scientific roots from which this work is evolving.There is even a seeming paradox in our cultural psyche. The Australian national character can be defined as being direct yet friendly, laid back yet with high energy, and of the British class system in its origins but operating now as a multicultural democracy. In this chapter from Australia, we will describe the mindfulness landscape here, and elaborate on the theoretical and pedagogical paradoxes encountered when teaching and training in mindfulness more generally.

Keywords

Mindfulness Mindfulness-based stress reduction, MBSR Mindfulness-based interventions, MBIs Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, MBCT Teacher Pedagogy Australia Corporeality Contingency Cosmopolitanism Tibetan Mahayana Theravada Zen Buddhism dadirri Innateist Constructivist Non-duality Friendliness Paradox 
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Copyright information

© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2016

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Mindfulness Training Institute of AustralasiaBondi JunctionAustralia
  2. 2.Mindfulness Training Institute AustralasiaCentre for the Treatment of Anxiety and Depression, SA HealthThebartonAustralia

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