The Four Foundations
of Mindfulness

A comprehensive training for getting established in mindfulness.

Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention to the present moment, on purpose, and without judgment. It allows us to see beyond the conditioned filters of our minds, so we can awaken to reality as it truly is. Mindfulness enables us to touch life deeply in the here and now.

When we aren't mindful of the present moment, we live our lives distracted by thoughts and emotions. We become caught by the constant stream of worries, fears, anxieties, stress, expectations, doubts, regrets, and grievances, and we miss out on the precious moments of our lives.

Being caught in the momentum of our thoughts, we rush through life, being pushed and pulled by every thought that arises in our minds. We are constantly rushing ahead to the next moment, and the next moment, hardly ever stopping to appreciate and enjoy this moment.

Rather than living each moment of our lives deeply, we escape into the dream of our thoughts, and live our lives inside our heads.

Not only does this constant stream of thoughts and emotions distract us from being present to our lives, but many of these thoughts cause us tremendous pain and suffering. Thoughts of self-judgment and self-doubt, feelings of shame and guilt, worries and fears about the future, attachments and regrets of the past. Yet all of these exist only in our minds. By bringing greater awareness and understanding to our minds, we can let go of these causes of unhappiness, and we can find real joy and freedom in this very moment.

Mindfulness Helps Us Wake Up To Peace & Joy

Mindfulness helps us wake up from this dream of thought and come back home to the present moment. In doing so, mindfulness helps us discover great freedom, peace and joy in our lives.

It helps us touch the joy of being alive here and now, it frees us from our limiting stories, negative thoughts and unconscious habits, and it helps us develop a deeper understanding of ourselves and the world we live in.

That’s why author and mindfuness teacher Joseph P. Kauffman created the Four Foundations of Mindfulness course—to guide you in learning the practice of mindfulness, to support you in returning your awareness back to the present moment, and to help you find freedom from your mind so you can experience real peace in the here and now.

The Four Foundations of Mindfulness course is designed to give you practical tools for transforming your life dramatically through the practices of mindfulness and meditation. Based on the Buddha's teaching of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, this course integrates modern mindfulness research with the ancient principles of Buddhist psychology.

Practitioners of the course learn to establish mindfulness of:

• Body
• Emotions
• Thoughts
• Phenomena

Exploring foundational teachings and concepts of each, as well as participating in unique guided meditations.

Joseph’s simple-yet-effective practice guides you through each step to building a strong, personalized mindfulness practice of your own.

As each lesson builds on the next, you’ll be able to use this course to support your own mindfulness and meditation practice and to bring the practice of mindfulness into every area of your life.

This is a comprehensive course with 30 video lessons and over 7 hours of course material. After taking the course, you’ll be able to confidently practice mindfulness and meditation, have a deeper awareness and understanding of your own body, mind, and emotions, and know essential techniques that will help you to completely transform your life.

Meet Your Teacher

About Joseph P. Kauffman

Joseph P. Kauffman is an author, mindfulness teacher, and the founder of Conscious Collective. He has published 8 books on mindfulness, meditation, and spirituality.

At age 16, Joseph had a spontaneous mystical experience that gave him an insight into the unity of life. After this experience, he began passionately studying and practicing Eastern philosophy and spirituality.

Joseph has studied extensively the philosophies of various schools of Buddhism, Zen, Yoga, Vedanta, Taoism, and Shamanism and has sought to integrate these ancient philosophies with modern understandings of psychology, neurology, and physics. His curiosity to learn has drawn him to travel abroad and study in India, China, Nepal, Peru and Guatemala, participating in numerous trainings and retreats and learning from many different teachers and traditions.

Joseph’s journey has brought him to a deep understanding of life and of the importance of mindfulness and meditation as tools for self-discovery and liberation. Now, it’s Joseph's mission to share the wisdom he has received from his studies and to help people experience greater happiness, health, connection and freedom in their lives.

Books By Joseph

Stories on Joseph P. Kauffman

"I would recommend anyone who has the intention to grow to experiment with this practice."

Joseph is an excellent guide, transmitting serenity and kindness in every moment with his words and his presence. I feel very grateful to him. I would recommend anyone who has the intention to grow to experiment with this practice because it is the experience itself that can help us transform the information into knowledge.

Nicolas Acosta
Argentina

"I am beyond honored to have Joseph as my life coach and spiritual advisor."

I am beyond honored to have Joseph as my life coach and spiritual advisor. The wisdom he has bestowed upon me has been priceless. Life undoubtedly has its ups and downs but having the tools on my belt shared by Joseph gives me great confidence and peace of mind that I am better equipped for whatever comes my way.

Paul Schwiesow
West Virginia

"I felt lighter, present in my body, and more open and aware than ever!"

I have been following Joseph's work for years and recently experienced a session with him. Upon connecting, I was put at ease with the gentle, kind, positive way he has about him. He seems to have the perfect blend of old wisdom and a youthful spirit that makes his work so relatable and calming. Our session brought me deeper into myself than I have ever been before. I felt lighter, present in my body, and more open and aware than ever! I am so happy to have connected with Joseph. Much love and many thanks!

Virginia Franklin
Boston

"I felt a strong sense of peace and of clarity."

Joseph was a kind, receptive teacher with much wisdom. His energy provided a space of comfort throughout the whole session. Personally, I had never experienced anything like this and have much gratitude for having gotten a chance to experience it. It was a simple process, yet one that proved to be very, very powerful. At the end of the session I felt a strong sense of peace and clarity.

Antonio Cervantes
United States

What You'll Learn

1. Get Established in Mindfulness.  Train yourself to develop mindfulness of the present moment so you can live life more deeply. We will explore the 4 Foundations of Mindfulness to get established in mindfulness of the body, emotions, mind, and phenomena.
   
   
2. Learn Foundational Principles of Buddhist Psychology. This course integrates modern perspectives on mindfulness and meditation with ancient principles of Buddhist psychology for helping you understand the mind and find stability in mindful awareness.
   
   
3. Get Rid of Common Myths About Meditation.  Let go of the myths that may be holding you back and making you feel like a meditation failure. Understand what the essence of meditation is all about and learn to develop genuine present moment awareness.
   
   
4.  Discover the Many Benefits of Mindfulness & Meditation. Experience first hand the many benefits of mindfulness and meditation and understand how regular meditation positively changes your brain.
   
   
5. Learn 11 Different Meditation Practices.  Participate in 11 different guided meditation practices and learn how you can integrate these practices into your daily life.
   
   
6. Understand Your Mind and How to Process Your Emotions.  Gain valuable insights into your thoughts and how the mind works, and understand the essential tools for helping you feel and process deep emotions.
   
   
7. Experience the Joy and Freedom of Mindfulness. Learn how to bring mindfulness to every aspect of your life. From breathing, to eating, to walking, mindfulness can enliven your daily life with the energy of presence, joy, and peace.

The Curriculum

Explore The Four Foundations of Mindfulness Course Curriculum

Part 1: Understanding Mindfulness

• What Is Mindfulness?
• The 7 Pillars of Mindfulness
  
• Arriving Here & Now
• Healing With Mindfulness
• Mindfulness Meditation
  
• The Science of Mindfulness
  
• The History of Mindfulness
• Freedom From Suffering
• The 4 Foundations of Mindfulness

Part 2: Mindfulness of the Body

• This Precious Human Body
  
• Conscious Breathing
  
• Body Scan Meditation
  

Part 3: Mindfulness of Emotions

• The River of Feelings
  
• Awareness of Feelings
• Naming Feelings
• Emotional Healing

Part 4: Mindfulness of Mind

• The Storytelling Mind
  
• Observing the Thinking Mind
• Loving-Kindness Meditation

Part 5: Mindfulness of Phenomena

• Mindfulness of Phenomena
  
• The 6 Sense Doors
  
• The 7 Factors of Awakening
  
• The 5 Obstacles
  

Part 6: Freedom Here & Now

• Nirvana
• The Natural State
• Choiceless Awareness Meditation
• Recognizing Well-Being
• Tending the Mental Garden
• Life As Practice
• Conscious Living

Special Bonus When You Join Today!

Join today and get a free PDF copy of Joseph's latest book "Awake to What Is".

Stories on the Four Foundations of Mindfulness Course

"Learning meditation with Joseph has helped me transform my life."

Learning meditation with Joseph has helped me transform my life. He's a great teacher. I have incorporated his teachings into my everyday routine, and I carry that inner peace I have always craved and bring a new level of focus and intention to each day.

Adam Healey
Virginia

"It completely changed my idea of what meditation is and how to practice it."

The Four Foundations of Mindfulness course was worth every penny. I'm very impressed with the simplicity and effectiveness of the course material. It completely changed my idea of what meditation is and how to practice it.

Jason Waugh
Washington

Frequently Asked Questions

How exactly does the Four Foundations of Mindfulness course work?
The Four Foundations of Mindfulness course is a comprehensive program designed to not just help you get established in mindfulness, but to help you have a deep understanding of mindfulness and know how to bring mindfulness to situations in your daily life. The course is broken down into 6 parts. Part 1 sets the foundation for practice by discussing what mindfulness is, what the qualities of mindfulness are, how mindfulness helps us heal, what the science and history of mindfulness is, introduces mindfulness meditation, and provides an overview of the 4 Foundations of Mindfulness. In Part 2, we begin exploring the 4 Foundations of Mindfulness with the first foundation: the body. In Part 3, we dive deep into our emotions with the foundation of feelings, and use meditation techniques and Buddhist psychology to better navigate our feeling life. Part 4 covers the third foundation of mindfulness, the mind, and offers helpful information and concepts of the mind as well as meditation tools for observing and transforming thought patterns. Part 5 covers the final foundation of mindfulness, mindfulness of phenomena, and discusses how we can use phenomena to establish mindfulness based on foundational Buddhist teachings. Part 6 discusses the concepts of nirvana, our true nature of awareness, as well as concepts for training the mind in happiness, to help us have real freedom in the here and now. It is recommended to take the course sequentially, one video at a time, as each one builds on the next. But once you finish, you can go back to any lesson or meditation you'd like to revisit the material.

Do I need to be trained in meditation to take this course?
No. No previous experience or training is necessary. This course is great for people beginning a mindfulness  practice.

Do I need a special place to meditate?
Nope. Just a cushion or chair and a few minutes to yourself. It can be helpful though to create a space in your house or room that is dedicated solely to meditation.

Will this course teach me how to practice on my own?
Absolutely. The purpose of this course is to help you develop your own mindfulness and meditation practice, and to help you get established in mindfulness as a way of being.

Are there guided meditations in this course?
Yes. There are 11 guided meditation practices in this course. Each one comes with a downloadable mp3 file so you can listen wherever you go.

I work a demanding job, will I have time to complete this course?
There is no time limit to this course, so you are free to take it at your own pace.

Do I have to practice at the same time each day?
No. You can practice anytime that works best for you. However, it may be helpful to pick a regular time for your practice to help you build the habit of daily meditation practice.

Do I need any certain software to take this course?
No, this course is hosted through this website, so there is no need to download any software.

Is this course for anybody?
Yes. Anyone interested in meditation can take this course.

What comes with this course?
In this course, you get 30 video lessons, 11 guided meditation practices, 7+ hours of instruction, downloadable mp3 files of the guided meditations, bonus course material, and a downloadable copy of Joseph's book "Awake to What Is."