ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the role of ongoing personal practice as an essential resource for mindfulness-based teachers. It begins with a focus on why a personal mindfulness practice is important in teaching mindfulness, seeing it as central to the quality of presence of the teacher, to the teacher's wellbeing and that of participants, and to enable an awareness of broader contextual influences on the teaching space. The chapter also examines what the people mean by personal practice and considers the different forms it can take. It ends by considering practical ways to invest in mindfulness practice in daily life and through retreats. There is practice-based evidence that the teacher's level of engagement in personal practice is directly linked to their embodiment of mindfulness within their teaching; because of this, ongoing personal practice is an essential resource. Personal practice enables teachers to increase experiential understanding through direct familiarity with the territory.
