MiCL sprang into being early in 2020, though 'sprang' perhaps suggests a bit more energy and confidence than would have been apparent at the time. It had a background in several years of mindfulness courses, classes, and drop-ins, run in various contexts. These mindfulness classes, had their own background in many years of quiet-prayer weekends, drop-ins and retreats.

 

For its part, MiCL was established in response to periods of Covid-related lockdown. 'In person', face-to-face meetings became impossible, so we decided to try meeting on Zoom. It worked well. At the time of writing (February 2024) regular sessions still run twice-weekly on Zoom and other occasional courses are run too. 

 

To support the Zoom sessions and to share resources a website was also set up in 2020. This website is the latest version of that. 

 

Who is behind MiCL? 

The Revd Dr Steven Underdown 

Accredited mindfulness teacher

and ordained priest in the Church of England

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I hesitate to write this in the first person, but as the founder and principal teacher for MiCL it seems necessary. For 20 years I was a member of an Anglican contemplative monastic community based in Sussex. More recently I have worked mainly in healthcare—both in hospitals and in hospices—and for a time I also looked after a parish. I have been teaching quiet prayer and mindfulness for many years, including some short courses and other sessions at the Brighton Medical School. Since retiring in 2019 I have committed to exploring how mindfulness can support and enhance Christian life, and in relation to that I have been teaching mindfulness practices. I have trained with a number of teachers and organisation and am fully accredited by Breathworks as an advanced level teacher. (I chose to do extra training with Breathworks because they have a particular concern for mindfulness in health-care. See breathworks-mindfulness.org.uk.)

 

My PhD does have relevance for mindfulness. It explored issues in Christian Education and Christian spiritual formation. Although the focus of the PhD was theological, the degree was recognized as being in applied theology; and as for the Christian education side of things, I emphasised that I see Christian education as linked with Christian formation and as being akin to an apprenticeship (i.e, as including practical skills), rather than something along the lines of a classroom-taught course where we simply or merely learn about things. To become a Christian and set out along the Christian path involves more than learning about the faith—of itself learning about the faith is never enough; Christian formation, even from the beginning, necessarily also involves active participation in pastoral care, learning and building the practice of prayer, and so on. The thesis itself does not mention mindfulness, but as I see it now, mindfulness practices can support all of these. They can help us learn how to engage more fully, more effectively, and more creatively in all aspects of our Christian life and journey. They can help us be more present in our own live and in our relationships with others and, indeed, with the whole created realm. In all of the process of our formation and growth, that is, in our Christian apprenticeship—as in any apprenticeship—an experienced, skilled person, teaches and passes on their skill and fosters, supports and encourages growth, as well as passing on their more understanding and 'book-type' knowledge.  

 

The PhD looked at many things, but among them was the idea—it's a common theme in Orthodox Christian theology—that since the time of the incarnation, and especially since the time of crucifixion and resurrection, the eternal Kingdom is somehow present to the contingent, created world. Since the resurrection-ascension, an in what can only be described as mysterious ways, the Kingdom is always present to the whole word. It is even, so to speak, pressing in upon the world. This over-arching, ever present Kingdom is the 'Eighth-day' of the book's title. 

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Although the Kingdom is, in some sense, an ever-present reality, the experience of this reality is perhaps most commonly experience during shared worship, and most especially during the celebration of the Eucharist. But the experience of the over-arching Kingdom, pressing in up us can be experienced at any time and in all imaginable situations. Some would suggest that it can happen when we're offering pastoral support to someone in extreme need or when we ourselves are in great need. Importantly, although the over-arching, in-pressing Kingdom is an ever-existing and an ever present reality, our experience of it only ever comes as a gift. It is not within our control. We cannot contrive or engineer such an experience. 

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Perhaps we're most likely to experience the Kingdom if we put ourselves where God has promised to be, for example in shared worship (especially Eucharistic worship) and where people are suffering or in need. And so here we are again with the core beliefs, the core principles: with kindness, gratitude and trust: faith, hope and love. (See Core Beliefs on an earlier page.) 

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Liz Smith

Liz is a fine teacher, fully accredited by Breathworks. She has a background in health-care, originally qualifying as a radiographer. More recently she has trained in hospice chaplaincy. Jokingly, Liz explains, 'A while ago when I began my advance level training with Breathworks.org the lead teacher the lead teacher invited each of the new trainees to introduce themselves. One by one we went round the group. The first was a professor of neuro-science, another a university lecturer in psychology, another was working on her PhD in some aspect of brain function, and so it went on ... Then they got to me. I found myself saying, "Well, I'm Mrs Smith from Maidstone ...' 

 

But Liz, though she might be reluctant to say so herself, is much respected by those attending the MiCL sessions that she leads. She has also led Breathworks courses focusing on stress management. Liz helps with all aspects of the MiCL sessions, and through 2024 has been the principal teacher for the Wednesday afternoon sessions. The sessions Liz has led on mindful movement are especially appreciated. It is hoped that recordings of some of her guided mindful-movement sessions will soon be available on the resources page of this site.