Workshops/Courses

FALL 2025

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course: FALL 2025

Center for Contemplative Practices is pleased to offer an eight-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course to staff, faculty, students, and administrators.

Developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D. based on clinical research and his own experiences, MBSR is the most studied mindfulness program in the U.S. Research has shown that with consistent practice, MBSR can relieve stress in personal and professional settings and increase overall well-being.

The course takes place over eight Wednesday sessions and one Saturday session:

Class 1: Wednesday, September 24, 5:30–8:00 p.m.
Class 2: Wednesday, October 1, 5:30–8:00 p.m.
Class 3: Wednesday, October 8, 5:30-8:00 p.m.
Class 4: Wednesday, October 15, 5:30–8:00 p.m.
Class 5: Wednesday, October 22, 5:30–8:00 p.m.
Class 6: Wednesday, October 29, 5:30–8:00 p.m.
All-day retreat: Saturday, November 1, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
Class 7: Wednesday, November 5, 5:30–8:00 p.m.
Class 8: Wednesday, November 12, 5:30-8:00 p.m.

Location TBD.

As you consider MBSR, please be aware of the following:

It is important to attend all sessions of the course and the all-day retreat.
A personal commitment to home practice of 45–60 minutes daily at least six days per week for the next eight weeks is essential (“formal practice”). It is the home practice of mindfulness that gives you the best chance to fully realize the benefits MBSR can offer.
A personal commitment to practice mindfulness in daily living (“informal practice”) can enhance the benefits of the MBSR program. We can bring mindfulness to eating, walking, driving, and interpersonal relationships, anytime throughout the day.
In addition to mindfulness practice in class and at home, you will have occasional additional assignments to complete between sessions.

This highly participatory, practical course includes:

Guided instruction in mindfulness meditation practices
Gentle movement and mindful yoga
Practicing in community
Group dialogue & inquiry
Home practice (with guided audio and a home packet to support your practice)

Staff, faculty, students, and administrators are all welcome to participate. No prior mindfulness experience is necessary. We anticipate that the 15 seats will fill up quickly.

Considering taking an MBSR course is in itself practicing mindfulness—pausing to check in about whether this is the right time for you to participate.

If the answer is yes, please .

If you have questions, please contact Ranjeeta Basu at rbasu@csusm.edu

WORKSHOPS

Bridging Differences with Mindful Dialog Workshop

Monday, Sept. 22^nd from 5:30pm to 7:00pm in SBSB 3219

Our communities have become increasingly polarized and divided. It has become more and more difficult to listen to each other with kindness and respect. CCP invites you to a session about using mindfulness practices to listen to each other with the intention of bridging our differences. You will have the opportunity to learn mindfulness practices that help expand our capacity to understand and listen to each other even when we disagree.

Compassion, Suffering and Injustice Series

2nd Wednesday of the month from 2:00pm to 2:50pm in SBSB 3219

Come join us as we hold space for each other and use mindful practices to process our emotions in response to the suffering and injustices in our communities and other parts of the world. Pausing and quieting so that we can have access to more clarity and compassion for all. Acknowledging and accepting our emotions as they arise without judgment and while at the same time being willing to let them go. Reconnecting with our deepest aspiration for ourselves and the world we live in. Asking ourselves: What is that aspiration calling me to do at this time?

Mindfulness Practices for Burnout Workshop

Thursday, October 16^th12pm to 12:45pm in SBSB 4221

This will be an informative, inspirational, and interactive workshop on burnout, compassion fatigue, and building resiliency. Participants will learn methods to build inner resources and tips for everyday stress management.

Mindful Preparation for Interviews

Tuesday, November 18^th from 12pm to 12:45pm in ARTS 101

Feeling stressed and anxious about an upcoming interview? Please join us for a 45-minute session on how to use evidence-based mindfulness practices designed specifically to prepare you for interviews.

Silent Saturday

Saturday, December 6^th from 9:30am to 12noon in SBSB courtyard.

This half-day retreat is an opportunity to pause, to reflect, to notice and to develop deep awareness. Our daily lives are so busy that we often forget to pay attention to our inner selves, to our environment and to each other. This retreat provides guided meditations, movement, art and other ways to connect deeply with ourselves and the world around us.

Workshops on Request

We also offer a variety of customized workshops, courses, retreats on a range of topics which include:

Introduction to Mindfulness
Contemplative pedagogy for faculty
Mindfulness and Inclusive excellence
Mindful Communication
Mindfulness for finding Joy
Mindfulness for Resilience and Uncertainty
Mindfulness for Morale Building
Mindfulness for Stress Reduction
Mindful Leadership
Mindful compassion for caregivers and social workers
Mindfulness for Community Healing
Mindfulness for Diversity and Inclusion
Mindfulness for Teachers
Mindfulness for Health related fields
Mindfulness for Business

These workshops and courses range from semester long courses to 4 to 6 week offerings to half day sessions to 2 hour sessions. If you don't see one offered that you would like to see us offer please reach out to us and we will be happy to design one for you or for your unit or organization. To explore further please contact Ranjeeta Basu at rbasu@csusm.edu

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