For a lot of people, meditation is typically seen as a practice linked to eastern religions and beliefs. This notion tends to create hesitancy and fear that practicing it means opposing existing religious practices and beliefs. This webinar aims to debunk common misconceptions about meditation and mindfulness and understand it from a secular point of view backed up by the most up-to-date scientific research.
This session’s instructor is Kim Colegrove. Kim started practicing meditation at age 10 and has been practicing it for 45 years. She is the author of the book Mindfulness for Warriors, founder of the Pause First Academy, and the creator of Pause First: Mindfulness for First Responders. Following the death of her husband who was a first responder, Kim has dedicated her career to helping first responders cope with the stress and trauma that comes with a demanding job.
Points covered during this course include:
- Defining meditation and mindfulness and the difference between the two.
- The relationship between meditation and mindfulness and its similarity to exercise and fitness.
- A look into what most people consider as their barrier from committing to a meditation practice and ways to overcome these.
- A rundown of the evidence-based health benefits of meditation.
- A brief discussion on the neuroscience behind meditation, the concept of neuroplasticity, and the idea of rewiring our brain’s functions through meditation.
- Research that looks into the brain and how a meditation practice changes and impacts its different parts.
- The long history of the practice of meditation which alludes to its effectiveness having survived thousands of years.
- The self-reporting and self-informing qualities of meditation.
- A backgrounder on Kim’s journey with meditation.
- Kim’s mission to demystify this misunderstood ancient practice by educating people about it, encouraging others to utilize it, and modernizing it to make it comprehensible and accessible even for skeptics.
- The two aspects that Kim focuses on to demystify meditation.
- Unpacking the scientific foundation of meditation by understanding how our body, particularly the parasympathetic nervous system, functions and responds to stimuli.
- The common sense piece that emphasizes the importance of sitting still and allowing everything to settle.
- The three Bs to initiate meditation and mindfulness into our lives.
- The importance of consistency in the practice to create daily habits that promote mindfulness.
- Mindfulness exercises, reminders, and resources were provided throughout the session to introduce and acclimate attendees to the practice.
Questions raised by the webinar participants are about:
- The similarities and differences between prayer, self-hypnosis, and meditation.
- Societal stigma keeping people from experiencing the benefits of meditation and mindfulness.
- Doing movement meditation and its difference from a sitting mindfulness practice.
- Available guided meditations from Pause First.
- The frequency and length required for meditation to be effective.
- Falling asleep amidst meditation.
- Silencing the thoughts coming up during meditation.
Resources Mentioned During Webinar (Paid Amazon Links):
- Book Referenced: Mindfulness For Warriors: Empowering First Responders to Reduce Stress and Build Resilience by Kim Colegrove
- Book Referenced: The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckart Tolle
- PauseFirst Academy
- Article Link: Eight Weeks to a Better Brain
- Book Referenced: 10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress without Losing My Edge, and Found Self Help that Actually Works by Dan Harris.
Other Webinars with this Speaker:
- Sept 9: Facing the Mental and Emotional Impact of this Work
- Feb 1: Demystifying Meditation and Mindfulness for Criminal Justice Professionals (this webinar)
Resources and Handouts
- Book: Mindfulness for Warriors by Kim Colegrove
- Free Resources
Audience Comments
- “I love that she kept it simple while still diving into the legitimate benefits.” — Alec
- “Bringing it back to you. You need to take care of yourself-most important. The presenter was excellent.” — Angela
- “The confirmation of the benefits of meditation. I talk about the amygdala and pre-frontal cortex ALL THE TIME in what i do so it was nice to have confirmation of the amazing benefits to us of mindfulness and meditation. Thank you!” — Lori
- “Great! Thank you. She made it so easily accessible. — Tracey
- “Kim is one of my favorite speakers. Material relevant to life. Very informative and engaging!” — Anona
- “That I am actually able to meditate and how you can rewire your brain. Great presentation! Thank you!” — Anya
- “I am a long time meditator but this presenter has the necessary compassion for the traumatic work our first response heroes are confronted with. Her story is what will impact many.” — Mary
- “The instructor was very, very knowledgeable. Definitions of Meditation and Mindfulness and the science behind it was very helpful. Great start to a much-needed process for first responders! Thank you for the information on this very important topic.” — Roseann
