8-Week MBSR 2 Program: Deeper Mindfulness — Winter 2027

About this Program

Deeper Mindfulness: Exploring Feeling Tone is an eight-week course developed by Mark Williams and colleagues from Oxford and Cambridge. It is designed for those who have already completed the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) or Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) programs, and are interested in exploring mindfulness more deeply.

The program emerged from psychological findings in the research that indicates that our understanding of the world is dominated by imagining actions we want to carry out, which is informed by sensations, thoughts and emotions. This can prepare us well for action, but it can also put us at risk of becoming exhausted without realizing it.

Ancient traditions saw “feeling tone” or “vedana” as a fundamental element of every moment of experience and a central aspect of mindfulness practice. Mindfulness of feeling tone can reveal insights into the deepest pattern of conditioning that we get caught in.

Read the full bio

Dr. Kasim Al-Mashat is a Registered Psychologist and University of Massachusetts (UMass) Center For Mindfulness (CFM) Certified MBSR Teacher and Trainer. He is the founder of the Centre For Mindfulness Canada.

Kasim has also completed a six-month meditation retreat in silence in Southeast Asia and presented a TEDx about mindfulness.

Objectives

The objectives of this program as outlined from Oxford University Foundation are to learn:

• How to ‘find your ground’ by exploring different ways to anchor your attention, to see what provides the most helpful way of stabilizing and calming your mind.
• How to take a pause when your mind wanders, and to cultivate a sense of kindness and gratitude for the mind’s activity instead of seeing it as an enemy to be overcome.
• How to recognize the feeling tone of any contact with mind and body, and how it is the tipping point for reactions that are often self-defeating.
• How to allow feeling tones to be present for longer without reacting, so the mind is freed from habitual cascades of stress and exhaustion.
• How to see when and how the body gears up for action unnecessarily, and how to allay the busyness to allow wise action to emerge.
• How to use mindfulness of feeling tone to help turn towards difficult emotions and concerns.
• How to use mindfulness of feeling tone to notice moments of appreciation in your everyday life and to deal skilfully with the symptoms of exhaustion (e.g., procrastination).
• In the final session you will learn ways to sustain your mindfulness practice, including a template for a year of practice you can use or adapt.

Prerequisites

• Successful completion of a live (online or in-person) eight-week Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) or Mindfulness Based Cognitive Theraphy (MBCT) program.
• Able to commit to attending all 8 weekly 2-hour sessions of the program.
• You are over 18 years of age.
• Have internet connection and a device (e.g., computer or phone) with speaker, microphone, and video capabilities.

Fee & Helpful Info

Fee: $595 CAD total (includes PDF and mindfulness audios).

Helpful Fee Info: I am a Registered Psychologist with the College of Psychologists of British Columbia (CPBC). Some Extended Health plans cover Psychologist Services for BC residents. Otherwise, non-reimbursed Psychologist fees are tax deductible according to Canada Revenue Agency.

Continuing Education

This MBSR 2 Program has 12 CE credit hours. There is an additional $120 CAD fee for the CE credits.

Dr. Kasim Al-Mashat, Centre For Mindfulness Canada is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. Dr. Kasim Al-Mashat, Centre For Mindfulness Canada maintains responsibility for the program.