Just what does “Process Of Enquiry” mean and how does it impact on you and your clients in a therapeutic setting.

Having guided a mindfulness meditation practice, the teacher will then inquire into the participant’s experience in a skilful and compassionate way. It is as a result of verbalising what we noticed during the practice that awareness is brought to the conscious mind, giving us the opportunity to reflect, identify habitual patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving and linking it to our everyday lives. Therapeutically the Inquiry Process can enable more experienced meditators to reflect on the origin or root of any difficulties arising, thereby eliciting change and promoting wellbeing of body, heart and mind.

For some teachers this skill comes very naturally and a teacher certainly needs to have an innate sense of curiosity, compassion and empathy to do this well. However, these skills can be enhanced through learning models of inquiry, being given the opportunity to practice these skills with peers, utilising these skills within their own personal practice and anchoring inquiry to the core features of mindfulness.

It is one of the most powerful tools a teacher brings to their teaching to support their participants to identify difficulties and suffering, teach them new ways of coping to promote compassionate resilience and facilitate their learning and growth.