Meet John Abate | MBSR Qualified Teacher – UCSD Center for Mindfulness

We had the good fortune of connecting with John Abate and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi John, how does your business help the community?
The work that I am doing with Mindful Foundations and our MBSR course offers people an opportunity to join together and build upon a collective energy of those wishing to either learn the fundamentals of living mindfully or advancing in deepening their daily practice. Ultimately the residual benefits form more compassionate, aware, and mindful families, communities and expand beyond into the world. Participants that take the course experience the benefits of living in more awareness of their self (thoughts, emotions, sensations) and mindfully participating in daily life. As we navigate our way through a very challenging couple of years of the pandemic, we’ve seen more and more folks looking for a healthy way to process their experiences and circumstances.

So we explore many areas of self development, self care, and mental health and well being through the practices of mindful meditation, mindful movement and yoga, mindful eating and walking, mindful communication using techniques such as active listening and speaking. Further, we learn how a mindfulness practice has direct and scientifically backed, evidence based healing to affect changes in the mind at the neuralogical level. Such examples are illustrated in changes in reaction timing; how we can learn to rest or pause before habitually reacting or reaching for unhealthy coping mechanisms. In turn we can creatively respond (rather than react) when faced with challenging communications or difficult life events.

Participants see first hand how following the old, hard-wired habits we grew up with tend to create more stories and mis-perceptions often trapping us to ruminate in the past. We know it to be true that we cannot go back and change our past or direct the outcome of events into the future. The neuroscience and overwhelming amount of data show that the byproducts living in a reactionary state tend to lead to increased anxiety, depression, insufficient focus and concentration, physiological stress, poor healthy, and disease.

Participants that have completed our courses typically report at the conclusion that they were able to find a sense of peace, calm, equanimity, and an overall sense of present moment awareness. Taking these practices they learn from class back into their home lives, workplace, and community tend to have positive impacts on others they associate with and this strengthens more positive, healthy relationships at a macro level.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy personally?
Much of my inspiration comes from spending time in natures and the outdoors. I’ve backpacked most of the John Muir Trail and find the Eastern Sierra Mountain range to be one of the most beautiful, remote, and inspiring places to connect with nature and feed the Soul. I do my best to stay healthy and active with sport, exercise, and quality nutrition.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would have to say that spending a week in Encinitas and Leucadia would be the best place to take a friend. Our community is a mosaic of vibrant and creative individuals built upon a foundation of living healthy and active lifestyles.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Along my path towards healing both my mind and body, I found Jon Kabat-Zinn’s book “Full Catostrophe Living” to be impactful and inspiring.

Website: www.mindfulfoundations.org

Instagram: @mindfulfoundations101 @johnjabate