In recent years there has been growing understanding and awareness of the prevalence and impact of trauma experiences for many people. This has led to suggestions for guiding mindfulness practices in ways that are trauma sensitive. All mindfulness teachers are advised to study and train in these ways. In brief, it is important to adopt a highly invitational style which gives full autonomy to the participant to make choices about how they engage with the practice, and to offer a range of choices for anchors for the attention.
We recommend that teachers read David Treleaven’s ‘Trauma Sensitive Mindfulness’ book and the chapter in ’Essential Resources for Mindfulness Teachers’ on trauma sensitivity by Crane, Karunavira and Griffith. Most of the practices below were recorded prior to these new recommendations. The practices that have been recorded recently with these new guidelines integrated are identified as ‘incorporating trauma sensitivity’.
As ever, when practising mindfulness meditation, use the practices as guidance rather than instruction and adapt the guidance to suit your circumstances, sensitivities and needs in any moment.
