For mindful self-compassion teachers inquiry is probably one of the most interesting parts of the MSC course as it is a wonderful way supporting the participant to gain insights. At the same time, many teachers experience inquiry as challenging.

Rob Brandsma describes inquiry for mindfulness MBSR as a dance: “The dance is a metaphor I use because of the qualities of inquiry, which are paradoxes at the same time: following and leading, guiding by the rules and allowing yourself to follow the flow, connecting and keeping distance.”

This also applies to inquiry in the mindful self-compassion training. The training has its own specific characteristics such as compassionate listening (resonance), teaching ways to better cope with suffering and to accept whatever happens.

Inquiry is a challenge

As a teacher you can become adept at teaching topics, guiding meditations and leading exercises. But inquiry will always be a fresh, unfolding process, and its outcomes and flow depends on the participant, the topic, yourself as teacher as well as the presence of the group.

In short, there are many factors involved that differ every time and which you cannot really prepare for. And yet, though challenging it might seem, we can learn to deal with this situation and become more competent in inquiry so that you can offer your participants even more during the mindful self-compassion training.

In-depth workshop for MSC trainers

The 2-day in-depth workshop “Advanced MSC Teaching Skills: the Art of Inquiry” provides you with an excellent opportunity to deepen your skills of inquiry. Christine Brähler, one of MSC’s most experienced international teacher trainers, will offer this workshop at our Centrum in Amsterdam on 7 and 8 March 2020.

This 2-day workshop is hands-on: you will practice using case studies and you will receive feedback from fellow teachers in the group. You will feedback their practices as well. This is experienced as very informative and it gives you additional practice and confidence.

Do you want to deepen your inquiry skills?

Then sign up for this workshop!

Yes I will attend!