An Introduction to Mindfulness

At its most basic, mindfulness involves bringing the body and mind into the same place at the same time, in a deliberate, open-hearted, and non-judging way. It is the practice of bringing compassionate awareness to the immediate circumstances of our lives, moment-by-moment, no matter how stressful those circumstances may be. Jon Kabat-Zinn has called mindfulness simply “the art of being fully human.” 
 
One does not have to be a Buddhist, or subscribe to any belief system, to practice and benefit from mindfulness. It is an innate capacity that is already present in all of us, and simply needs to be uncovered. Mindfulness helps us unlock the body’s natural healing capacities and foster mental and emotional resilience in the face of life's inevitable stresses. Mindfulness does not seek to eliminate life’s difficulties, but works to change our relationship with those difficulties, transforming habitual patterns of reactivity, resistance and judgment into compassionate self-awareness in the face of all life's joys and challenges. 

2021 will be the final season of Alaska kayaking retreats through Inside Passages. In addition to his mindfulness retreats in Alaska, Kurt Hoelting also offers individual coaching, and teaches mindfulness classes online through Zoom. Once the Covid 19 pandemic is under more control, he will return to teaching in-person retreats.