tamhonkhoe.comCourses · Buddhism · Course PG1 · Not started
Mindfulness and kindness
The breath, the four truths, speech, non-harm, loving-kindness and testing for yourself.
Planned outline. These lessons are not published yet. Lesson titles and passages may change during writing and review.
| For | Adults learning on their own; each lesson has a short kids’ corner |
|---|---|
| Length | 6 weeks · 10–15 min/day |
| Level | 1 |
| Status | Not started |
| Publishing | Needs a reviewer from within the tradition |
| Expected | Mar–Apr 2027 |
Plan: 6 weeks
| Week | Lesson | Passages | Measurable goal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sitting with the breath | MN 118 | Sit 10 minutes on 5 of 7 days |
| 2 | The four truths in your own words | SN 56.11 | Rewrite the four points in at most four sentences |
| 3 | Speech | Dhp 223–224 | ‘True and gentle speech’ at least 3 times a week |
| 4 | Non-harm | Dhp 129–130 | One deliberate act of non-harm a day |
| 5 | Loving-kindness | Snp 1.8 | Loving-kindness 10 minutes on 5 of 7 days |
| 6 | Testing for yourself | AN 3.65 | Write down one belief you have tested in experience |
What science finds
- 47 randomised trials, 3,515 people: mindfulness meditation programmes reduce anxiety and depression by a small-to-moderate amount; not better than other active treatments. (Goyal et al. 2014, JAMA Internal Medicine 174(3) · source)
- Review of 83 studies: about 8% of meditators reported an adverse experience (about 4% in experimental studies), most often anxiety or depression; it can happen to people with no history of mental illness. (Farias et al. 2020, Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica 142(5) · source)
Limits, honestly
1–3 minute breathing has its home on daynentang.com. Meditation can also bring difficult experiences; every lesson has a ‘Stop practising if’ section.
Stop practising if
Stop or shorten practice and talk to a professional if you notice: rising anxiety or panic; low mood that lingers; feeling that you or the world is ‘not real’; flooding memories of trauma; several nights of poor sleep; hearing or seeing things others do not; thoughts of harming yourself. People with a history of psychosis, bipolar disorder or severe PTSD should ask a doctor before practising more than 20 minutes a day.