Spotlight | Be Mindful, Be Happy: Sarasota Mindfulness Institute

By Laura Shoemaker | January 2022

The Sarasota Mindfulness Institute (SMI) aims to help people lead happier, healthier, and less stressful lives through the practice of mindfulness meditation. They offer classes and activities, a wealth of web-based resources, and a supportive community for connecting with others and practicing mindfulness. The Institute, founded in 2009, is a non-profit 501(c) 3 organization formed to share the positive benefits of mindfulness meditation with residents of Sarasota, FL, and beyond. 

Locally, SMI also partners with other organizations to deliver meditation programs. Two recent public outreach activities include hosting a regular, monthly meditation for staff at Sarasota Memorial Hospital and a collaboration that combines art exhibits with mindfulness meditation for visitors at the Art Center of Sarasota.

Mindfulness has its roots in ancient traditions, but modern science supports its many benefits. Practicing mindfulness meditation can bring a whole range of health improvements, like reduced stress, increased feelings of happiness, better sleep, and pain management. Maurer noted that research from the University of Miami’s UMindfulness program suggests that as little as 12 minutes a day of mindful meditation can significantly affect physical and mental health. 

Kurt Maurer, Ph.D., chair of the Institute’s board of directors and a mindfulness meditation facilitator, explains that practicing mindfulness meditation not only helps people slow down and appreciate the present moment, but with practice: “We become more aware of our bodily sensations, our breath, and our thoughts.  We learn to respond skillfully to challenges rather than just reacting to them.”

MANY OFFERINGS TO TRY

From regular weekly group “sittings” to special, themed classes and other events, there are many ways to dip into mindfulness meditation with SMI. Teachers are highly trained with decades of practice in mindfulness meditation.

The Institute’s ongoing sitting meditations are scheduled two days a week and led by experienced mindfulness facilitators.  Practitioners can also learn more about mindfulness through participating in the accompanying reading series. These weekly meditations take place on Zoom.  

Other regular classes that currently take place on Zoom are Qigong and Tai Chi, guided movement and breath practices that offer a gentle way to reduce stress and increase mindfulness. In addition, yoga Nidra, or “yogic sleep,” is a guided meditation that supports relaxation and can also help improve sleep and manage chronic pain. 

More recently, SMI has initiated some outdoor opportunities for mindfulness meditation. One such in-person offering is Mindful Walking: “the practice of learning to be aware of the sensations and movements of your body as you move through the world around you.” These hour-long group classes take place in area parks and combine walking in nature with awareness and mindfulness practices. 

SLOW DOWN AND BUILD RESILIENCE

Being still and listening to the sounds around you or following the rhythm of your breath doesn’t sound hard, but the practice can be surprising at first. 

While some SMI attendees report feeling more centered and grounded in their lives since taking up mindfulness meditation, Kurt says a typical experience for some people can be frustration. “It’s easy to become frustrated because the mind will wander off.  Everybody’s mind wanders about 50% of the time.  So how do you deal with that? Just bring your attention back to your breath without judgment, noticing how the abdomen rises and falls with each breath. That is the practice.” 

Maurer explains there are other ways to bring the mind back to the moment. One such technique is “scanning” the body and its sensations. Start by slowly moving your awareness from the top of the head to the feet while noticing areas of tension, coolness, pressure, and other sensations.  

Integrating mindfulness into your life over time can help build resilience. In addition to traditional “sitting” meditation, cultivating mindfulness can be an ongoing activity throughout the day. Pausing to be mindful of specific cues, such as each time you open a door.  Being aware of sensations when brushing your teeth is another way to integrate mindfulness into your life. According to Maurer, small mindful moments, many times a day, add up with regular practice. 

For those wanting to go deeper into the practice of mindfulness meditation, SMI offers an 8-week course called Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). This program was developed over 40 years ago at the University of Massachusetts Medical School and is “the best-researched mindfulness technique in the world, boasting hundreds of clinically proven health benefits.”

GET INVOLVED

In addition to their high-quality, low-cost educational classes and courses, the Institute hosts a resource-rich website with audio recordings of guided meditations and talks, a suggested reading list, links to retreats, phone apps, and more.  

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the Institute has shifted most of its offerings online, which has turned out to have benefits in terms of convenience and accessibility. No longer do participants have to drive to weekly meditation or stop attending when they travel north for the summer, as many of these activities now take place on Zoom. The addition of new outdoor activities every month provides opportunities to enjoy some of the area’s local beauty and see friends face-to-face more safely.

With a small group of volunteers responsible for all the programming, outreach, and communication, and only one part-time, paid administrator, Maurer says SMI has many volunteer opportunities. Many activities are free, and donations help cover the cost of expenses. 

SMI will offer the 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program in February 2022. The course teachers are Lisa Patterson, MA, LPC, CT, RYT-200, and Bharti Thakkar BS, CYT-500. This course is fee-based.

For much more information about SMI’s programs visit sarasotamindfulness.org, where you can sign up to receive the newsletter, register for classes, and inquire about volunteer opportunities.