Following up on a recent post, here now are a few reflections on the national conference (or “festival” as it was dubbed) of the Bundesverband Mediation (Federal Association for Mediation) held in the City of Hanau last month. Some 320 people attended the conference, which took place this year under the heading “Mindfulness” and which featured about 40 workshops along with several keynote addresses and other offerings.
Not knowing how exactly “mindfulness” was going to manifest at this gathering, I was happy to find that during the plenary proceedings, the workshops and even during the in-between moments, I was repeatedly invited to pause, get grounded, return to my breathing or simply observe a moment of silence. These moments of mindfulness practice had a profound effect, helping me quiet my inner running commentary and making myself available to the present moment and the people around me.
I was delighted that even relatively modest efforts to integrate formal mindfulness practice into a large proceeding such as this one resulted in a noticeably heightened energy of peace, kindness and connection among attendees. I was delighted, but not surprised. In my experience, it lies in the very nature of these practices to have this effect on us. And while this effect can be felt a lot more during focused mindfulness retreats, it is not limited to them. To the contrary, these practices and their benefits are available to us in everyday forums, gatherings, meetings, political discussions, civic or community-based activities, and personal interactions with family and friends. We simply need to remember them.
I was also impressed with the quality and breadth of the workshops offered during the festival. Subjects of particular interest to me included:
- how to integrate mindfulness practice in mediation
- helping clients cross the bridge to practicing mindfulness
- the power of self-observation in conflict work
- mediation in nature
- mind the hype: risks and side effects of mindfulness and
- stress prevention for mediators
I left Hanau with a sense of gratitude and renewed commitment. I’m grateful that the Bundesverband decided to dedicate an entire conference to the topic of mindfulness. And I’m newly committed to further deepen my mindfulness practice, to explore new ways to apply it to my work as a mediator, facilitator and teacher, and to keep developing mindfulness trainings for mediators and others working in conflict situations. A 2-day seminar called Achtsamkeit in der Konfliktberatung (Mindfulness for Managing Conflict) is coming up in February 2025. This seminar will be held in German. Click here for more information about it.
And finally, I hope that the experience of this year’s festival will lead to mindfulness practices being regularly included in the events of the Bundesverband. This, I imagine, would be welcomed by many others as well, judging by the volume of positive and appreciative feedback posted on social media. May the exceptionally warm and congenial atmosphere in Hanau serve as a reminder of the power of mindfulness in human relations.
(Photo: Madleen Bernhardt, Daniel Dermitzel and Kris Beer from the Working Group on Mindfulness & Mediation guiding the opening meditation)
