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Andrew Safer is a mindfulness instructor and trainer, program developer, workshop facilitator, and writer. A 52-year practitioner of mindfulness-awareness and Zen meditation, he began practicing in the Zen tradition in 1968 while in high school in California, and then continued in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition over the ensuing decades. Andrew became an authorized meditation instructor after completing training with Shambhala International in Halifax in 1993.
Since 2010, Andrew has developed and implemented a number of secular mindfulness programs, including Mindfulness-Awareness (an eight-session weekly program), Mindfulness in Recovery (Addictions) (a seven-session weekly program), Anxiety, Stress & Mindfulness (a twelve-session weekly program), Mindfulness for Depression (an eight or ten-session weekly program), Suicide Prevention through Mindfulness Training (an eight-session weekly program), Mindfulness at School (ten one-hour classroom sessions), and Workplace Mindfulness (nine 1.5-hour weekly sessions + a two-hour intensive).
I ask Andrew just what is “Mindfulness and what makes up the characteristics of Mindfulness?”
We discuss why people don’t live with intention?
Andrew shares why he became involved in mindfulness from a teenager and how this came about in 1968.
We dive into the most common difficulties people have to face when getting on the mindfulness journey it all begins with one’s expectations.
Andrew explains how thoughts are the activity of the mind and how this relates to mental health.
I ask Andrew about the impact of mindfulness in relation to the Global Pandemic and whether mindfulness has become more prevalent in the last 2 years particularly in relation to isolation.
Andrew looks at the importance of being present.
Stress – What’s good (Eustress) and what’s bad.
We discuss suicide and the importance of grounding and it’s value and how it can be helpful when someone is having suicidal thoughts. Andrew says “we don’t have to become a victim of our own thoughts.”
Andrew’s training has seen people experience a significant reduction in suicidal thoughts and he gives us some impressive statistics on this.
Andrew discusses his workshops about Anxiety.
I ask Andrew about anger and what role mindfulness plays.
I give Andrew the final word on mindfulness.
