Our lives are jam-packed with challenging stressors, so it’s no wonder why the concept of mindfulness has appealed to many people over the past few years. Some have turned to applications such as Headspace, but what many may not realize is there is an organization based right here in Bellingham that provides quality, affordable mindfulness resources to Pacific Northwestern communities.
That organization is Mindfulness Northwest, founded by Rev. Tim Burnett in 2011. It started as a small community gathering in Bellingham and has since ballooned into an organization that has served many individuals around the Pacific Northwest, as well as many businesses, corporations, and government agencies.
“As a culture and a community, we’re acknowledging the terrible impact of stress and being always ‘on’ and overdoing it,” Burnett says. “We’re starting to understand that that’s not sustainable, and it’s not healthy.”
He says mindfulness gives individuals the tools to take pause, collect ourselves, and in doing so allow us to meet the challenge of stress in a healthier way.
Today, Mindfulness Northwest offers programs, workshops, and retreats for any level of mindfulness practice. For individuals, they offer free weekly drop-in sessions, workshops on various topics, and, for the dedicated, retreats that range from one day to eight weeks.
