My approach to mindfulness

My dear friend, thank you for taking the time to read this text. You will find some of the major influences to my approach to mindfulness here, accompanied by a short description what they mean for me.

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Plum Village & the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh

The plum village tradition of enganged buddhism, is a Mahayana buddhist tradition based on the teachings of Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh. His teachings resonate deeply with me. From sentences like "I have arrived, i am home. In the here and in the now" to more complex teachings like "no birth, no death" or his thoughts about reincarnation, Thich Nhat Hanh lived and presented the buddhist teachings in a way that made it possible for me to understand. The combination of secular thoughts and more religious/mythological approaches, let me realize that those a just different ways to come to truth. I am forever grateful for Thich Nhat Hanh and all the other spiritual teachers in the plum village tradition.

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Trauma-sensitive mindfulness

Through a friend i got introduced to David A. Treleaven's book about trauma-sensitive mindfulness. His approach is an important reminder that we have very different preconditions when we train mindfulness. So i think it's an important task for mindfulness teachers to train themselves in working with individual and collective trauma. From my point of view (and experience) it is a huge problem of all the industry around mindfulness, that the people are often left alone with their practice and the potential difficult or even harmful sides of mindfulness practice that can happen. (which you propbably won't find addressed in an advertisement)

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Trans* and queer buddhists

The wonders of other people describing your feelings. I am hugely inspired by the authors of Transcending-trans buddhist voices and the wonderful Lama Rod Owens. They are shining lights of wisdom on the trans* and queer buddhist path and ecspecially Lama Rod Owens teaching on Rage and Love, helps me so much to handle the reality of a transmysoginst and homophobic society in a kind and loving way.

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Mindful art

Combining the powers of mindfulness and art is something i learned mostly at one Retreat. "Wake uo your artist" and what should i say, as you can see in the existence of this site... it worked for me. So a huge thanks and love to Joe & Larissa, for organizing and leading. To Zarah and Philipp/a for teaching and for all the other wonderful people that were there. Wake up your artist is a returning event.

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Doris Kirch and the DFME mindfulness trainer training

The way we learn to teach mindfulness at the training isn't necessarily my feel good path, but learning about this approach and the combination of secular thoughts, psychology and buddhist psychology is helping so much to explain mindfulness to people, who aren't like spiritually open or anything. The techniques of the Vipassana tradition are very helpful for some people to get some fast results.

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And so many more....

I guess i could fill another book about mindfulness with trying to describe all the wonderful approaches that help me on the path. Go to links to find some more ressources, but most importantly is in my opinion to try to learn from everything and everyone you come in contact with.