Rob Nairn Archives - Mindfulness Association

Boundless Compassion: Mahamudra, Compassion and Messy Humanity

Mindfulness Association — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 10:16:23 +0000

The Springer Mindfulness Journal has published the second article of the Mahamudra and Mindfulness Series, written by Mindfulness Association tutor and Buddhist monk Choden. As with the first article, Choden explores a central tenet of Mahamudra teaching – this time compassion – and how it is central to modern mindfulness practice.

Compassion is fundamental to the work of the Mindfulness Association. This is exemplified in the phrase “compassion is at the heart of everything we do”, and how it infuses all their work, from the free daily meditation guided practice to the MSc Studies in Mindfulness programme at the University of Aberdeen. This article helps us explore the meaning and practice of compassion in a way that allows it to be both grounded in its Buddhist past and relevant in helping us navigate the ups and downs of 21^st century life.

Choden acknowledges that the word “compassion” can carry a lot of baggage, making it seem like something unobtainable, especially as people can see it as “an ascent to holiness and perfection”. He gently and skilfully demystifies compassion, highlighting Rob Nairn’s teaching that compassion practice is not about being above others, pure or perfect, but instead about descending into our messy humanity, making peace with it and developing empathy and compassion for all aspects of ourselves. It is about allowing the mud of the messy humanity to germinate the seeds of compassion that bloom into the lotus flower.

This approach is liberating as it opens up the practice of compassion to all, even those who believe “I am just not a compassionate person”! It provides a boundless emotional context in which we can approach our messiness, our worries, our pains, our fears and our human imperfections with kindness.

Choden goes on to fuse the past and the present in his discussion of the Mandala Principle, its role in Mahamudra practice and how it closely relates to modern practices like “The Wheel of Awareness”. What Choden manages to do is take the traditional and transpose it onto the modern in a way that is natural, understandable and reinforces the importance of lineage, shared tradition and practice to all practitioners, spiritual or secular. The Mandala practice in the article expands on this discussion and makes it experiential, allowing the practitioner to get a taste of this for themselves.

The approach in this article and the series as a whole is a brave one. By focussing on the traditional roots of mindfulness, Choden is giving a voice to an aspect of the practice that has been ignored or quietly pushed aside after the briefest of acknowledgements in much of modern mindfulness writing. Choden is making a clear and coherent case for why the traditional and modern work hand in hand, and why the past can help us understand now. As they say, if you don’t know where you’ve come from, how can you know where you are going?

Read the full article here and look out for further posts as the series of articles are published.

New! Compassion Based Living Course Book

Heather Regan-Addis — Tue, 10 Dec 2024 13:40:03 +0000

New Compassion Based Living Course Book

LINK TO SEE THE BOOK!

The Compassion Based Living Course, is a self-guided compassion course based on Choden and Heather’s fifteen years’ experience of teaching in depth compassion meditation courses to thousands of students. It draws on compassion teachings and practices from Mahayana Buddhism, which have been adapted to make them accessible to a Western audience. The book presents the theories and practices of compassion in simple psychological terms, in a systematic, step-by-step way, including audio of guided meditation practices.

This book provides a thorough grounding for anyone who is interested in the topic of compassion, but in addition provides a step by step experiential path to become a more compassionate human being. The authors’ experience is that training in mindfulness meditation is very beneficial, as is well known and widely researched. However, training in compassion meditation is transformative. Self-critical people weighed down by the weight of the world are transformed into cheerful and courageous people well equipped to surf the waves of life.

A distinctive aspect of this compassion training is the idea of the compassionate mess, which was first articulated by Rob Nairn. We recognise that the human condition is a messy business. That the human brain is evolved for survival and not happiness. That we are subject to conditioning from our childhood and our culture and society. The result is a ramshackle collection of habits that we carry with us and act out all the time. We recognise that we did not choose to have this evolved tricky human brain, we did not choose our conditioning and so we can let ourself off the hook of self-blame for the messiness of life. It is such a relief to recognise that the human condition is not one of perfection. Instead we can offer ourselves some compassion and become a compassionate mess.

One aspect of the training, which we cover in the book, is the use of compassionate imagery, originally derived from Tibetan Buddhist deity practices, but adapted to our Western context. Using our imagination we each cultivate our own compassionate being, which embodies the qualities of compassion, such as kindness, strength, courage and wisdom. Our compassionate being is there for us unconditionally, whenever we need to draw on it’s qualities to support us when we are facing a difficulty. Over time we begin to embody the qualities of the compassionate being and step into our compassionate self.

Then we draw on the Buddhist principle of Mandala, in which our compassionate self is in the centre and all the struggling aspects of ourself are on the periphery. The struggling aspects might be our anxious self, our sad self, our self-critical self, our driven self, etc. We then imagine inhabiting the compassionate self and offering the qualities of compassion to the struggling aspects of ourself. In this way we are able to hold and care for those aspects of our self which struggle in life.

In the book we begin with self-compassion and then move on to compassion for others, within the context of the four immeasurable qualities of kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity. Kindness is a wish for ourself and others to be happy and compassion is a wish for ourself and others to be free from suffering. Therefore, any training in compassion requires us to face our difficulties and cultivate the resources to respond to our suffering in a skilful way. Because of the inevitable focus on suffering, this book has a consistent focus on cultivating gratitude and appreciation for the good things in life, so that we become more joyful. Cultivating joy in this way is an important resource to enable us to face the difficulties in our life.

Towards the end of the book we explore the powerful Tibetan Buddhist compassion practice of tonglen or taking and sending. In this practice we reverse our usual habit of wanting to hold onto what is pleasant and to get rid of what is unpleasant. In this practice, as we breathe in we take in the energy of suffering and as we breathe out we send out the energy of compassion. For example, we might imagine a dear friend who is suffering sitting front of us and as we breathe in we take in the energy of their suffering and as we breathe out we send to them whatever is required to relieve their suffering as an energy of compassion. We do this until all their suffering is transformed into compassion.

If this seems like a step to far, don’t worry, you are not on your own in thinking this. Over the years the authors have developed different ways to make this practice accessible. For example, we do a tonglen movement practice, do the practice by first stepping in to our compassionate self, and resource our compassionate hearts with the energy of compassion before we begin the tonglen practice. In addition, we trust that all the suffering is effortlessly transformed in our compassionate hearts into the energy of compassion, a bit like hot air being cooled in an air conditioner. Many of our students find this practice challenging to begin with, but over time find it to be a very powerful practice to respond with compassion in the most difficult of times.

Choden lives in Edinburgh and has been a practicing Buddhist in the Karma Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism for forty years and has been a monk for much of this time. He completed a three year, three month retreat in 1997. He is originally from South Africa where he trained as a lawyer and learned meditation under the guidance of Rob Nairn, an internationally renowned Buddhist teacher. He co-wrote a book with Prof. Paul Gilbert in 2012, entitled ‘Mindful Compassion’ that explores the interface between Buddhist and Evolutionary approaches to compassion training.

Heather has has been a practicing lay Buddhist in the Karma Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism for twenty years and also began her meditation training with Rob Nairn. She has a Post Graduate Diploma in Mindfulness Based Approaches from the University of Bangor, Wales and has a Masters degree in Studies in Mindfulness from the University of Aberdeen. She worked for 20 years as a Patent Attorney and gave this up to teach meditation. More recently, she has been working as a Buddhist healthcare chaplain in the NHS, where her training in compassion, particularly the practice of tonglen has been incredibly helpful.

Choden and Heather were brought together fifteen years ago by their meditation teacher Rob Nairn. Choden worked with Rob on their first mindfulness course, on which Heather was initially a student. Rob knew that Heather had been training in Mindfulness Based Approaches on the MSc course at the University of Bangor, Wales and so he asked her to join the teaching team for the final retreat that first mindfulness course. The following year Rob, Choden and Heather embarked on their first training course in Compassion.

Choden and Heather have been working together since then founding the Mindfulness Association in May 2010. Then in September 2010 they partnered with the University of Aberdeen in the launch of their successful MSc in Studies in Mindfulness on which the authors both teach. This MSc provides both experiential training and academic study of mindfulness based on the Mindfulness Association’s first three levels of meditation training Mindfulness, Compassion and Insight.

Teaching the Compassion Based Living Course (CBLC)

Kristine Mackenzie-Janson — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 13:48:31 +0000

Usually, we teach the compassion course to people who have already started on their mindfulness journey – maybe they had learned mindfulness from you and were asking ‘what’s next? How do I continue growing what I’ve learned so far, how can I deepen my practice?’

When people first come together for a mindfulness course, it usually takes a little while for them to settle into the group, and to get used to sharing and practising together. When people come together for the CBLC as the follow up course, there’s often an instant relaxing with each other. This is helped by the material: one of the very first things we do in the course is look at suffering and how we all have that, and how there may be a measure of avoidable suffering in there, as explained by the teaching story of the three arrows… Being real with each other, sharing both our vulnerabilities (as well as some of our delights in the appreciation and joy practices!) often allows a group gelling to happen right from the word go.

And then there’s the teaching of the compassionate mess! After all these years, it feels like such a privilege to me to share that message from Rob Nairn: ‘maybe at the end of this course, you’re going to receive two certificates – one of attendance, and the other a certificate of authority. You don’t have to be perfect, you’re just fine as you are you including any human messiness*, and quess what? You can be a compassionate mess!’ What a relief. I love sharing this with people – and at the same time remembering and yet again reinforcing that this goes for me too…

And of course there are all the rich self-compassion practices – the soften, soothe and allow, the safe place and compassionate colour, and the compassionate being… and the challenging but often transformative ones of the self critic, working with ‘the difficult person’ and tonglen… and all of it sprinkled with reminders to focus on joy and the good stuff, plus the warm invitation to meet ourselves with kindness wherever there are difficulties in our experience. If you’d like a little reminder, here is a mini practice of softening, soothing and allowing whatever is present in your moment.

It’s true, the material is more complex, the practices more elaborate, and the sharing often more intense than in the MBLC. It asks of us as teachers to be well grounded in our own practice, to prepare well and to hold steady in the face of emotions. But what great rewards this brings! – both for our dear participants but also for ourselves.

And… with the new Compassion Based Living book that Choden and Heather have written, there’s a wonderful manual to dive into and share.

If you’d like to hear a bit more or would like an opportunity to ask questions, there’s an info session on Thursday the 23rd of January. It would be lovely to see you there!

CBLC info session with Kristine
Thursday, 23 January 2025⋅19:00 – 20:00

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85673195874?pwd=udI5Qb4k2nWkYb9afIDhRDpqbDSytr.1

Meeting ID: 856 7319 5874
Passcode: 681480

And the CBLC retreat itself here https://www.mindfulnessassociation.net/teacher-courses/train-to-teach-mindfulness-level-three/

* Of course being fine as you are including your human messiness, doesn’t mean that there is no room for being a work in progress, and for further growth to happen. In fact, I’d say that from the ground of acceptance we are in the very best place to then look honestly at what we’d like to cultivate further and how we’d like to grow from here…

Spiralling Towards Freedom

Kristine Mackenzie-Janson — Thu, 07 Nov 2024 15:47:19 +0000

New Mindfulness Course Starting in January 2025

Course Link: Mindfulness Level One Monday Evenings

Do you ever have a feeling of exasperation at the pace of your own learning? That sense that you’re coming up against the same patterns, or you again experience a very familiar set of feelings, and you hear yourself say: “I thought I was done with this by now!”

If you do, you’re not the only one. I’ve seen patterns repeat themselves both in me and in others so many times, that I don’t think it can be coincidence that I encounter this yet again. Rob Nairn, the founder of the Mindfulness Association, often talked about how our habitual patterns keep us stuck in the past. And when Chogyam Trungpa, a Buddhist teacher, was asked during a teaching on reincarnation and rebirth what gets reborn, he replied “your bad habits!”

Clearly there’s quite some power to our patterns, but I feel so heartened that this doesn’t mean we’re imprisoned by them forever. No doubt there are different ways of working towards freeing ourselves from them, but there’s a good lot of evidence* these days that mindfulness is one of them. When looking at Rob Nairn’s working definition we use for mindfulness – knowing what is happening, while it’s happening, no matter what it is – it may seem paradoxical that just knowing what is happening would make a difference to an ingrained pattern.

And yet it does! Stephen Covey summarised Victor Frankl’s teachings like this:

“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In that choice lies our growth and freedom.”

When becoming aware of what is happening in the moment, some choice opens up about what’s next. Yes, I can act out in the way I usually do when triggered like this, or distract myself out of feeling this discomfort in more (or less!) skilful ways. Or… I could acknowledge what’s here, take a few breaths and as best I can, allow my experience to be as it is. I might even turn towards it with an intention of kindness, and investigate whatever feelings are centre stage in that moment – before continuing my day, perhaps with a little bit more spaciousness and presence.

The above is a very light version of one of the practices we explore in-depth in the Level 1 mindfulness course: Becoming Present. It uses the acronym of RAIN as a reminder of four steps that together can help us find a way out of the difficult and stuck spaces. Instead of revisiting the same habitual patterns again and again like an inescapable cycle, it can help us spiral closer towards freedom with each new occurrence of the pattern.

References:

http://dr.lib.sjp.ac.lk/handle/123456789/11581?show=full

https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/The_Here_and_Now_Habit/aVyfCwAAQBAJ

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40429-020-00302-2

Message from the tutor:

I have accompanied many people through this course in the last 15 years, but I never tire seeing what difference these seemingly simple practices can bring to people’s lives, as they have done to mine. Simple, but not easy – which is why practising in a group with others tends to be so helpful! Seeing how fellow practitioners both struggle with similar things and find different glimpses of freedom, can be profoundly encouraging and supportive. The online format offers the advantage of breaking it up into small chunks over a significant amount of time, long enough to really embed these mindful practices and attitudes as a way of life. I look forward to seeing what this course starting in January will bring!

World Mindfulness Day

Mindfulness Association — Thu, 12 Sep 2024 14:07:26 +0000

Knowing What is Happening While it is Happening

Our definition of Mindfulness from the founder of the Mindfulness Association – Rob Nairn

World Mindfulness Day has been celebrated on the 12th September since 2011 as a way of raising awareness of the benefits of mindfulness. People from all backgrounds across the world have come together on this day as a mark of respect to what Mindfulness brings into the world.

World Mindfulness Day is a time to remind ourselves of the power of being present. In today’s fast-paced world, Mindfulness helps us stay grounded, focused, and in tune with ourselves and the environment around us.

How to Celebrate World Mindfulness Day

World Mindfulness Day offers the perfect occasion to pause, reflect, and start (or deepen) your mindfulness practice. Here are some simple ways to get involved:

JOIN OUR FREE DAILY MEDITATIONS at – 10:30AM & 7:00 PM (weekdays)

Join us for a free guided practice online with one of our tutors

1. Practice a Mindful Meditation

Set aside 10-15 minutes to sit quietly and focus on your breath. Notice the sensation of the air entering and leaving your body, and if your mind starts to wander (which it inevitably will), gently bring it back to the breath. This small act of stillness can have a profound effect on your mental clarity and emotional state. There are 2 mini practices below for you to try. Or you can try a longer practice of around 25 minutes from a wide selection of our practices here.

2. Take a Mindful Walk

Spend time outdoors, fully engaging with your surroundings. Notice the feeling of the ground beneath your feet, the sound of birds, the rustle of leaves in the wind, or the warmth of the sun on your skin. Walking mindfully helps you reconnect with nature and yourself.

3. Practice Mindful Eating

Instead of rushing through a meal, take time to savour every bite. Pay attention to the texture, flavour, and aroma of your food. This practice not only enhances your appreciation of the meal but also promotes better digestion and a healthier relationship with food.

4. Do a Body Scan

A body scan is a form of mindfulness meditation where you mentally scan your body, from your toes to your head, checking in with how each part feels. This helps you become more aware of physical sensations, tension, or areas of relaxation.

5. Reflect with Gratitude

At the end of the day, take a moment to reflect on what you’re grateful for. This simple practice can shift your focus from what’s lacking in your life to the abundance you already have, cultivating a more positive mindset.

6. Pause with a Smile – 3 minutes

Try this 3 minute mini meditation and become aware of what you notice and how it feels taking in the good

7. Pause with the breath – 7 minutes

Try this mini meditation to help calm your nervous system.

Mindfulness Resources

We have a wide range of Free Mindfulness Resources Here

World Mindfulness Day: A Moment to Pause, Reflect, and Be Present

In today’s fast-paced world, where multitasking has become second nature and the constant stream of notifications can leave us feeling overwhelmed, there’s a growing need for moments of calm and clarity. World Mindfulness Day serves as a reminder of the importance of slowing down, paying attention to the present moment, and nurturing our mental well-being.

Whether you’re new to mindfulness or have been practicing for years, World Mindfulness Day is an opportunity for all of us to reflect on how mindfulness can enrich our lives.

What Is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness, in its simplest form, is the practice of being fully present in the moment, and noticing any preference that we have about what is happening in the present moment. It’s about focusing on the now — your thoughts, feelings, sensations, and surroundings — rather than dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. It’s a powerful tool that can help reduce stress, improve mental clarity, and enhance overall well-being.

Jon Kabat-Zinn, a pioneer in the modern mindfulness movement, defines mindfulness as “paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally.” The beauty of mindfulness is that it can be practiced anywhere, at any time, whether you’re taking a mindful walk in nature, eating a meal slowly and savouring each bite, or simply focusing on your breath.

The Importance of Mindfulness in Modern Life

Our modern world is busier than ever, with technology keeping us connected 24/7 and personal and professional demands pulling us in countless directions. This constant engagement can lead to burnout, anxiety, and a sense of being disconnected from ourselves.

Mindfulness provides an antidote to this overload. By practicing mindfulness regularly, we can:

Reduce Stress: Research shows that mindfulness-based practices can significantly lower levels of stress and anxiety by helping us manage our responses to life’s challenges.
Improve Focus and Concentration: Mindfulness helps train our attention, making it easier to stay focused on tasks without becoming distracted.
Enhance Emotional Regulation: By being more aware of our emotions in the moment, we can respond more thoughtfully rather than reacting impulsively.
Boost Creativity: Taking time to be mindful opens up space for creativity and new ideas to flow.
Cultivate Compassion: Mindfulness encourages a non-judgmental awareness of ourselves and others, promoting empathy and compassion.

Mindfulness in Everyday Life

While World Mindfulness Day is an excellent opportunity to immerse yourself in mindfulness, the goal is to make it a part of your everyday life. Mindfulness doesn’t require a special setting or equipment; it can be integrated into your daily routine in small, manageable ways.

Here are a few ideas for cultivating mindfulness every day:

Morning Mindfulness: Start your day with a few deep breaths, setting a positive tone for the hours ahead.
Mindful Commute: Whether you’re driving, walking, or taking public transportation, use this time to observe your surroundings without the distraction of phones or music.
Mindful Work: Take a break during the workday to move and stretch, breathe, and re-center your focus. Even a 5-minute mindfulness practice can make a difference.
Mindful Conversations: Practice listening fully when someone is speaking, without interrupting or planning your response. This fosters deeper connections and understanding.

Conclusion

World Mindfulness Day is a powerful reminder of the importance of slowing down and living in the present moment. It’s a day to cultivate inner peace, connect with ourselves and others, and embrace the simplicity of being present.

So, this September 12th, take a moment to pause. Whether it’s a deep breath, a mindful walk, or a heartfelt reflection, let mindfulness guide you toward a calmer, more centred life. You might just discover that peace isn’t something you have to chase — it’s something that’s already here, waiting for you to notice.

Happy World Mindfulness Day!

Sign up for our Newsletter

Receive monthly mindfulness tips and free resources