NAW methods of mental training

A-L-I is a magic formula for our everyday work. When we feel exhausted, twisted, tired, tense, or our thoughts start racing, we take a mini-break. A = Breathe L = Smile I = Pause Three breaths are usually enough to recenter ourselves and create inner spaciousness. A brings body and mind together, L gives ourselves loving attention and calms the inner critic and judge, I gives us a moment beyond functioning and achieving, and nourishes our feelings. inner freedom within us. When we place our hands on our stomach, we can deepen the effect of focus and the connection to our breath. Our smile relaxes our body and mind. This stillness can be deepened by closing our eyes.

A-L-I has had an unexpected and meteoric rise. Developed in 2008 at NAW and used regularly since, A-L-I has become one of the most widespread mini-meditations in German-speaking countries and is used in discussions, meetings, and gatherings in a wide variety of contexts. Teachers, researchers, managers, project leaders, and entrepreneurs use this method to invite focus, mindfulness, clarity, and goodwill into social situations—and, not least, for themselves as an individual practice of pausing when dealing with challenges of all kinds.

A Metta Walk is a meditation of loving-kindness while walking, in motion. We choose a route that takes us past busy places – a residential area, a shopping street... We begin with a tuning-in phase, in which we connect and calm our breath with our steps. We send ourselves good wishes. "May I be happy." "May I be and remain healthy." "May I be free from anger and worry." We remain with this benevolent practice for ourselves for 5 to 10 minutes.

Then we turn our attention outward and send the same good wishes to all the people, animals, and beings we encounter on our path. Without grand gestures, but silently and from the heart. We wish good things without looking at the person. Young, old, homeless, privileged... We share our goodwill unconditionally and from the heart. We can walk through a supermarket or watch a football match in this spirit. "May all beings be happy!" This radically benevolent outlook will strengthen our connection with all forms of life and calm our judgmental mind.

Mindful Co-Contemplation is a powerful exercise in self-reflection, supported by the collective energy of a practicing community. Materials relevant to the retreat theme are selected and copied in advance. These may include meditations, stories, contemplations, ethical texts, fill-in-the-blank exercises, sutras, or charts that illuminate the theme from various perspectives. Books, articles, artwork, objects, pens, blank sheets of paper, etc., are also available. All materials are freely accessible in the center and around the edges of the meditation room. After an explanation of the practice, there is usually an hour of silence during which each participant is free to read, write, meditate, or simply relax into the collective energy of mindfulness and reflection. Bells are placed in the center, which anyone can ring to call for a brief moment of reflection for the entire group. The retreat concludes with a frequently very moving exchange about what touched us during our time together. Mindful Co-Contemplation is an important component of most NAW retreats.

Mindful Coworking is a core activity within NAW and is offered by various Circles. Mindful Coworking is a mindful working method in which people work together in person by focusing on their own tasks in consciously structured time blocks, taking mindful breaks, and then sharing experiences and challenges. The method combines focus, presence, and community: We begin with a short meditation and a check-in. We work together, but on individual tasks, rather than in traditional collaboration. Breaks are used mindfully, instead of just "quickly doing something."

At the end, we share our experiences, stumbling blocks, insights, and joys – free from judgment and distractions.

Mindful coworking promotes concentration, inner clarity, and connection, reduces distractions, and creates a structured yet gentle space where productive work and mindful practice merge.

NAW retreats typically include a multi-hour Mindful Open Space session.

The "Open Space" method, well-known in organizational development circles, is enriched with practical elements such as mindfulness bells, introductory meditations, true pauses, and elements of mindful communication. A longer "Open Space" session allows us to touch upon a multitude of topics in a relatively short time, topics that are currently present and of interest to the participants. We vote with our feet and decide for ourselves where we can learn something or contribute. The method helps us to use our own time and energy autonomously.

The format is sustained by the concerns and contributions of all participants, rather than relying on concepts of classic conferences such as speeches or workshops. In this way, self-organization is skillfully fostered and utilized to enable an intensive exchange on the topics that are currently important. By integrating methods of mindfulness training and meditation into this valuable format, we create a particularly focused and open atmosphere in which it is easy for us to touch upon and express the essentials and to learn effortlessly from one another. Open Space thrives on the engagement of all participants, not only in the sessions themselves, but also as session initiators. The possibilities of mindful intervention are manifold and depend significantly on our own practice, our courage, and our determination. In this format, we can share impressions and experiences, raise questions, forge new connections, and explore new paths together.

At NAW, we organized several full-day Mindful Open Space sessions on the topic of "Mindfulness in Organizations."

 

The tea ceremony brings us together as a community and traditionally concludes a retreat at NAW. We gather in the lovingly decorated meditation room and are warmly welcomed by the preparation team. The ceremony itself is not the focus, but rather the sharing of joy, mindfulness, and benevolent community. And, of course, of cookies, tea, and other delicacies, which we enjoy in silence. The tea ceremony provides us with a dignified setting in which we can share inspiring, moving, and personal experiences. We listen to poems, sing songs, and share from our lives, our joys, and our sorrows.

After several days of practicing together, a sense of intimacy develops within the community that can deeply touch us and surprises many participants. We encounter each other as human beings, unpretentiously, in our beauty and also in our vulnerability and imperfection. We can be just as we are. This experience is healing and connecting.

After a period of sharing, we conclude with an opportunity for everyone to reflect on the retreat and their experiences. What am I taking away? What have I learned about myself? What was difficult? How do I want to deepen and integrate the practice into my daily life?

To conclude, we usually connect with the four Bodhisattvas Avalokiteshvara, Mañjuśri, Kṣitigarbha, and Samantabhadra, who represent different spiritual qualities that each of us can strengthen and cultivate in our lives.

True rest is the little sister of the leisure day. On a leisure day, there is nothing to do, and we say goodbye to planning for that time. We allow the day to unfold naturally and don't directly follow our impulses and habits.

Many of us don't experience our breaks as truly restorative. The interruption of the primary work process doesn't lead to a mental digestion break but rather brings various other to-dos to the forefront. Breaks can be our busiest times. There's so much to do. Checking private emails, answering WhatsApp messages, grabbing a coffee, quickly making two phone calls, checking the news online... True breaks invite us to let go of all this and practice impulse control. There is nothing to do – for 5, 10, 15, 30 minutes... We are the kings and queens of this free time. We feel habits and impulses to act surface and fade away again. So many buses pull up, beckoning us to board. We let them drive on with a smile and remain standing. True breaks help us enormously on the path to liberation and clarity. We slow down and savor the moment. And we return to our workplaces as freer, more organized, more relaxed, and more joyful people.

An effective method for getting to the bottom of such questions is work meditation. At NAW, it is an integral part of retreats, taking on a wide variety of forms and strengthening our self-awareness. Zen Master Hakuin says:

"Meditation in the midst of activity is a thousand times superior to meditation in silence."

For work meditation, simple activities are usually chosen (e.g., chopping vegetables, sweeping, washing dishes...). We are given ample time to slow down our usual work pace. This slowing down helps us to see more clearly what we are doing and experiencing. We stay connected to our breath while working and concentrate fully on the task at hand. To refresh ourselves, our work is regularly interrupted by mindfulness bells. Then we practice A-L-I: Breathe – Smile – Pause. When practiced in this way, a high level of mindfulness and awareness develops during work meditation. We recognize patterns and judgments (about ourselves and others), and if things go well, we can laugh wholeheartedly at what we observe within ourselves. The inner commentator produces an internal parallel narrative to our activities, which we may become fully aware of for the first time in the mindful setting of work meditation, offering us valuable insights. We touch upon the roots of stress, restlessness, and anxiety, but also of meaning, relaxation, and connection. By integrating mindful work principles such as singletasking, taking true breaks, and maintaining impulse distance into our work, we develop a deeper sense of focus that reveals possibilities for a more relaxed and joyful approach to work.