Center for Integrative Counseling

MINDFULNESS MEDITATION for Stress Reduction

During meditation, we practice being present to whatever is happening in the present moment without trying to change it. Each person’s relationship with meditation will be different, just as each person’s life journey is different.

You are invited to join this supportive group and to explore what it would be like for you to meditate regularly for eight weeks. Each week, we will explore an aspect of formal mindfulness meditation training using the body scan, simple moving meditations and sitting meditation. We will be meditating on our breathing, body sensations, thoughts, feelings and sounds. Various exercises from focusing, imagery, contemplative movement and expressive arts will be used to help deepen our experience of meditation. We will also be attending to the following content areas as they arise during meditation practice:

Body awareness
Healing attention
Self-hate & compassion
Strengthening the container
Relating with emotions that arise
Bringing support & connection into meditation
Differentiating meditation from psychotherapy

It has been said that when we sit on our meditation cushions, we bring our whole world with us. Zen Master Dogen has said “Meditation practice is learning what meditation practice is.” It is a lifelong process of coming back to the reality of our experience in this moment, one breath at a time.

Participants are asked to commit to a daily meditation practice for the duration of the course. This commitment allows the course to be an experiment in what it would be like to meditate regularly. Guided meditation tapes will be provided for this purpose for those wishing to use them.

Dates: 8 Saturdays, January 22 – March 26 Time: 10 am – 12 pm Fee: $250

TO REGISTER, click here.

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