Common C.MI. Questions
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Q. How long will the course take from start to finish?
A. Students work through the course requirements at their own pace, but should strive to complete the program within a 6-month period. The actual time needed will depend on several factors, including: how much time you have available to work through the course material, your familiarity with the subject matter - and the time it takes for you to complete the 60-hour practice component. The typical minimum period that the course can be completed is approximately 3- 4 months. If students find they need longer than 6-months to complete the program requirements, that is fine -- all that is required is to notify the C.MI. Administration Office to receive an extension. It is not unusual for students to take 9 - 12 months to complete the program.

Q. What type of meditation practice does the course focus upon?
A. We focus primarily on Mindfulness / Insight Meditation (Vipassana) methods in the C.MI. program. Vipassana meditation methods are extremely practical, straight-forward, and do not require adherance to any particular spiritual belief system. Insight meditation provides a strong vehicle for the continued growth of the instructor / practitioner, - and also allows for a relatively simple classroom instruction format for the beginning instructor. Other styles and practices are also covered during C.MI. as a way to help give the student a broad basic foundation in the varieties of meditation practices.

Beyond its popularity as a personal development tool, Mindfulness Meditation is currently a primary style for teaching meditation in the medical field (patients and physicians), educational institutions (children and adults), a variety of corporate settings - and even a number of high-security prison systems in the USA and worldwide. Substantial traditional research has been conducted showing Mindfulness Meditation to be a highly effective and safe practice. Resources and links to research papers and ongoing studies are provided during the C.MI. course.

Beginning in 2012, we will also examine the basics of Zen style (Rinzai) under the oversight of Kondou Satoshi of the Kokorono Sato School in Ito, Japan. Zen Meditation techniques are covered during the program as a way to help round-out the student's knowledge of meditation styles and history, as well as the variety and uniqueness of the various practice styles. Kokorono Sato has also developed a very successful approach for teaching meditation to children, which we will cover during the C.MI. program.

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Q. Do students automatically receive certification upon completion of the course?
A. C.MI. has been designed to be challenging. It is presented as a college-level course that includes required reading, written assignments, sectional quizzes, a final exam - and a 60-hour documented meditation practice component. Students must successfully complete all course work, written assignments, quizzes and the final exam with a passing score of 70% or higher to earn the C.MI.

Q. What is the Practical Requirement for C.MI.?
A. C.MI. requires 60-documented practice hours. Students log practice hours at home using the supplied journal pages, which are then submitted (via the online course campus) for instructor review and grading after each 20-hour segment. C.MI students are allowed to log 1-practice-hour each day. Practice hours include preparation time, sitting time, review and journal entry. Advanced practitioners may request permission to log 1.5 hours each day after the first 20-hour segment has been submitted for review. Your practice during C.MI is designed to coincide with your reading, research and writing to help encourage a highly effective study process.

Q. Do I need to submit video documentation of my practice?
A. No. All documentation of your practice time is in written format only (see above).

Q. What is the tuition for C.MI.??
A. The current tuition for the course is US$495 (when paid in full). Students are responsible for purchasing (or borrowing) the two required texts for the course. The approximate cost for these two books (if you purchase them) is about US$11 each (plus any shipping costs). Many public libraries in the USA will also have these two books available.

Tuition installment options may also be available for new C.MI. students. Please e-mail the C.MI. Administration Office to request an installment plan: cmi@stephenrinaldi.com

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Q. Are there any extra costs besides my tuition and books?
A. No, there are no additional costs related to the course itself. If you live outside of the United States, there may be a shipping surcharge for sending your C.MI Certificate if the shipping rate is higher than US$25.. Surcharges are very rare, however, but in the event that occurs, graduates will be notified and will incur an added cost for the difference. The C.MI. Administration Office sends all US and International certificate packages by USPS Priority Mail.

Q. Once I complete the C.MI. requirements, do I need to be re-certified at some future date?
A. No, not at the present time. All past and current graduates of the standard C.MI. program receive a lifetime certification. This may change at some point, but those that register prior to that change will not be required to recertify.

Q. Is certification required to teach meditation?
A. Private instructors may be able to teach in some locations without certification. However, training centers, organizations and meditation students themselves have come to expect that their instructors have sufficient background and proper certification (that includes documented and reviewed practice) such as the C.MI. certificate. In the USA, some states may require certification as a basic requirement for operating your business or acquiring insurance. Please note that the guidelines are different throughout the US and around the world.

Q. I've seen some certificate programs with much lower (or much higher) tuition cost. What's the difference?
A. There are some low-cost - and also much more costly - online certificate courses out there that issue "certification" with a questionable amount of work required - and in many cases, NO documented, instructor-reviewed and graded practice required. Be sure to choose a program, like C.MI., that will help your personal meditation practice develop - as this must come first before one can effectively teach others.

The C.MI.™ program is one of the few global meditation certification courses that includes substantial graded course work, exams, ongoing student / faculty group communication - and 60-hours of documented, reviewed and graded practice. C.MI. meets the rigid guidelines of the IAMI - (International Association of Meditation Instructors). C.MI. Graduates are eligible receive their first year's IAMI Level-2 Instructor membership FREE - Visit the IAMI for more details (link opens in a new window).

Also, unlike most other programs, C.MI. program is managed by a team with substantial experience in developing interactive online education programs. The C.MI. campus is a dynamic private campus system that allows for interaction abd learning with fellow students located all around the world.

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Q. Can I enroll in a resident program for this course, or complete it by mail correspondence?
A. C.MI. is currently available only in this online program format.

Q. Do other schools offer this same C.MI.™ program?
A. No. This specific C.MI. curriculum is only available under the direct instruction (and Trademark) of Dr. Stephen Rinaldi. UHT is currently the primary certifying body for this course, along with affiliations with other organizations, such as the IAMI, KarmaCenter, and others - as expressly noted (either now, or at a future date) from this web site..

Q. Is the C.MI. course open to people of all spiritual paths and / or religious beliefs?
A. Yes, absolutely. While the practice of minfulness meditation developed for the most part in Eastern (Asian) traditions, meditation itself belongs to all people - regardless of the spiritual path you follow. I neither force, nor promote my personal spiritual beliefs during the course. Keep in mind, however, that many of the philosophical references provided during the program will necessarily come from Eastern tradition, as the great majority of knowledge around the topic of meditation practice comes from that source.

Q. Are there any prerequisites for enrollment?
A. The C.MI. Certificate program is open to everyone (18 or older) worldwide. All enrollees should hold a High School Diploma, or the equivalent in their country. The course is provided in English-only. Due to the online nature of the program, all participants must have access to a computer connected to the Internet.

Participants should possess a sufficient reading and writing level. This is a college-level course that includes several graded writing assignments of 3 - 5 pages in length, along with some fairly complex reading material. The C.MI. program has been designed to be intensive, practical, challenging and highly though-provoking.

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Q) What is the refund and/or withdrawal policy for the C.MI course?
A) Upon receipt of your tuition payment and course application, you are considered to be officially enrolled in the program. Should you decide to withdraw from the program within the first three (3) days of your tuition payment, a full refund will be given, less a $50.00 administration fee. Withdrawals between 3 and 7 days will receive a 75% refund, less a $50 administration fee. Withdrawals between 7 and 14-days receive a 50% refund, less the $50 administration fee. After that point, no refunds will be given. Please note that no refunds are given (from our office) for any course books purchased through third-party vendors.

Q. I am from outside of the USA. Will that be a problem?
A. Absolutely not. We welcome students from all over the world. All that is required is an Internet connection - and the ability to take a college-level class online in English.

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** The Online Campus System (and this C.MI. Certificate Program) is maintained and administered by Boston Business International (BBI). BBI is a full-service intercultural communications company specializing in online education and training, educational TV / film production and intercultural consulting. For More Information visit: www.bbiworld.com

University of Holistic Theology (UHT) is authorized by the Commission for Independent Education, Independent Colleges and Universities, Non-Secular Division, Florida Department of Education to operate as a private, non-secular college and to issue associate, bachelor, master and doctorate degrees in all phases of metaphysics, esoteric studies, spiritual and holistic healing, theology, religion, parapsychology, esoteric arts and sciences and spiritual awareness. We only offer educational programs that prepare students for religious, spiritual, metaphysical, and holistic vocations as ministers, professionals, or lay-persons in the following categories: ministry, pastoral and spiritual counseling, theology, education, administration, teaching, media communications, parapsychology, social work, spiritual, complimentary, holistic healing, intuitive and spiritual development.  (Section 246.084(1)(a),(I), Florida Statutes).

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