Frequently Asked Questions
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Mindfulness, which has its roots in thousands year old traditions like buddhism, can best be thought of in the modern world as a perspective approach to viewing life experience as it unfolds in each moment. This perspective is one of an impartial witness to experience. A good way to imagine this is as though you are watching a dramatic movie on tv. You can either be the actor, and directly involved in the drama, or you can be the watcher and watch the actor experiencing the drama in a completely uninvolved way.
Mindfulness is not a religion or a dogma, it is merely a suggested way of experiencing life so that a person will naturally be less imposed upon by the emotional rollercoaster that so often is a result of the natural ups and downs of being human.
The reason mindfulness is so crucial to transformation can again be explained through the example above. Suppose you are the director of the movie you are watching above and you need a certain type of lighting for the scene you are in the process of filming. Unless you witness how the actor is positioned and where the light is best, you cannot adequately direct them to achieve your desired gaol.
By being the witness we are not suggesting you become the director, as the truth is, you are already actually both. What we are suggesting is that, through your position as the witness, you are better able to direct the experiences of your life as they unfold, but in a way that is impartial to outcomes.
The witness recognizes, unlike the director who tries to control all elements, that control is an illusion and all one can ultimately do is provide the best stage possible for which to live life upon. To step into the seat of the witness is unlock your inner wisdom to transform your own mental outlook and then from there your entire life with transform naturally.
Mindful Island is a reference to a talk the Buddha gave in his 80's regarding taking refuge in the 'island of the self'. From this time forward spiritual leaders across the globe have urged individuals to turn inward to experience the Universe within.
Each of us has the lamp of the guru or teacher waiting inside to be lit. In the modern world most people spend their whole life looking out, and so miss the chance to light their inner lamp and rely on the one thing they can always rely on, themselves.
Relying solely on the external world leads to much confusion and causes people to become lost. By letting go of the dependency on what is outside of you, you strike the match to light the lamp of wisdom within.
At Mindful Island, our mission is to support humans across the globe to light their own inner lamps. By directing people to their own power of self transformation we seek to provide a message to the world that all we need we already have.
Let us preface that meditation in itself is not a cure all. Meditation is a highly valuable process that aids self transformation but used alone it can only take you so far. That said, it is important to know that meditation has been linked through research to a myriad helpful benefits for the body, mind, emotions, and beyond.
Research suggests meditation can improve impulse control, over active stress responses, willpower, focus, attention, and self-awareness. Meditation has also been shown to improve blood pressure, chronic pain symptoms, emotional processing of trauma experiences, PTSD, anxiety, age related memory loss, heart disease, and depression. Meditation science demonstrates significant changes in the structure and functioning of the brain, including gray matter density increases in critical areas related to self control and memory.
For more on meditation we highly recommend downloading the Live Mindfully e-book, On Meditation. This easy to digest, short read gives you the confidence necessary to undertake meditation training without the anxiety of failure. The Live Mindfully: On Meditation e-book can be downloaded for the low price of $2.99 on Amazon.
Emerging science and theory inform that to achieve the life of our dreams we must explore life from a systems perspective by attending to the human being from a holistic viewpoint. Taking this into consideration, the Mindful Island Method of Transformation is a blending of various fields of study, such as; behavior change, neuropsychology, physics, psychology, as well as eastern philosophy and theory, which all provide useful but incomplete information on how best to undergo a transformation process. Through the integrated approach of bringing these various fields together, Mindful Island programs are super charged to allow you to reach your ultimate goals in the most direct way possible.
Absolutely. We do suggest that you familiarize yourself with the concept of meditation before you begin with a personalized self transformation plan or prescription plan. To do this we recommend downloading our Live Mindfully e-book: On Meditation from the Amazon store for only $2.99. This short and easy to digest e-book will give you the confidence you need to begin any program with Mindful Island. We also suggest beginning your process with some short guided meditations, such as our Morning Mindfulness Meditations, available for free on www.mindfulisland.com.
These are generalized prescriptions meant to address the challenges of normal life experience. Using the Mindful Island Method of Transformation these prescription meditations and self transformation plans open a gateway from which to wake up to your innate inner wisdom and ability to take responsibility for your own ultimate well-being. All of our plans are 21 days in length and include a guided meditation along with a 21 day plan of action. For a more personal experience we also offer personalized plans for self transformation.
21 days is the bare minimum amout of time it takes to form a new habit. At Mindful Island we view habits as any repetitive way of experiencing life, including the way you think, express and process emotions, and behave internally and externally in the world. Transformation requires habit change. For this reason all of our programs begin with a 21 day cycle but we encourage you to think about this 21 days as simply a starting point. It may be the case you can change a habit in 16 days, but it may be just as likely it takes you 140. The key to transformation is to relinquish expectations and consistently show up day after day to do the work that must be done.
It is always of absolute value to have an impartial person who highly regards your experience as a support to aid you during transformation. While it is the case that we believe all human beings have the capacity to be wisdom teachers, often igniting that capacity someone from the outside is necessary to act as a mirror into yourself. Think of support like a match, and your inner wisdom like a lamp that lives inside of your own heart. The support comes in with the match and lights your lamp, but the lamp and the flame live inside of you. Sometimes all it takes is a little help to realize our ultimate potential. At Mindful Island we believe in empowering all humans to take the seat as the creator of their own life experience. To do this we bring a box of matches and help you locate your inner lamp.
To access your members only content you must be logged in as a user. Make sure to log in via the icon in the top right corner of the home page. Once you have done that, click the ‘more’ tab in the menu bar on the top of the website. Select from the drop down menu the prescription you have purchased and you will be directed to the correct page.
You must be ready to do the work. These plans are not just for anyone dabbling in the idea of self transformation. The process should be taken seriously and you should be ready to put forth a full effort to support yourself through the process. If you are tired of struggling with the same challenges and endless cycles of life; these plans are right for you. If you have a unique trauma or life experience that is holding you back from joy; these plans are right for you. If you are not ready to put in the time and effort to help yourself, then best to begin with a generalized prescription and build up your inner fire for transformation. Just like a diamond must undergo intense heat and pressure to reveal its essence so too must you be ready to walk through the fire to get to the divine that awaits you with arms open on the other side.
This reading is an important event where you will be asked to open up about your unique life journey, challenges and success, and traumas and joys. Questions will be asked about your family of origin, your current patterns of thought and behavior, and what your hopes and dreams are for the future. Expect to talk about yourself quite a bit in a free form way. This opening up process allows us to see the full picture of the human being your are so that we may best fit your unique needs.