Stress Reduction for Everyday Life

Starting May 5, 2009, Diane Frederick will offering a 4 week program that will explore the cultivation of mindfulness through practices with instruction.

Faced with issues such as stress, frustration, chronic pain and fatigue, we will have an opportunity to discover new ways to manage these challenges. Practices include lying, sitting pratices and mindful movements. Time for discussion will also be included. The intention of this program is to provide people with tools that they can take away with them and apply in their daily lives.

For more information contact: Diane Frederick at dfrederick@rogers.com or call 519-576-3871

Joan Halifax

Joan Halifax is speaking in Toronto May 9.  Check out details here.

The Contemplative Mind in Education

This conference looks interesting – the group is dedicated to looking at ways to promote mindfulness within the academic setting.

One of the members of the Academic Committees of this group is Carolyn Jacobs, who we heard speak at the MBSR conference.

MBSR Conference 2009

Mindfulness Waterloo and Jon Kabat-Zinn, the founder of the Centre for Mindfulness and creator of mindfulness-based stress reduction. (From left to right Beth Bower, Barry Cull, Monika Mansilla, Jon Kabat-Zinn, Marilyn Perdue, Theresa Casteel and Joy Finney)

This year marks the 30th anniverasary of the program and the centre.  For updates on the conference proceedings please check http://www.lotusneuron.blogspot.com/

MBSR – Annual Science Conference

Celebrating 30 years of Mindfulness in Medicine and Health

This year marks the 30th annivesary year for the Center for Mindfulness started by Jon Kabat-Zinn.  The lineup of Plenary Speakers is quite exciting and includes:

• Jon Kabat-Zinn
• Saki Santorelli
• Margaret Chesney
• Richard Davidson
• Carolyn Jacobs

For a full listing of conference proceedings please check out the conference web site at http://www.umassmed.edu/Content.aspx?id=41258&linkidentifier=id&itemid=41258

Non-Sectarian Meditation Group

 

Meditation Group

Join us for Meditation!!!  The group will be facilitated by Peter Brother, a practioner of meditation for 16 years!  Peter has successfully taught meditation workshop in both Toronto and Waterloo for the past six years.

Date: Every second Sunday; next session: February 22nd!

Time: 7:00 PM -9:00 PM

Focus: a non-sectarian group focusing on Mindfulness.

 Format: sitting meditation guided and silent, walking meditation, audio/video talks by leading teachers, group discussion focusing on issues arising in our practice (on and off the mat).

 

Facilitator: Peter Brother will facilitate the group initially, but it is hoped that over time it will be a non-hierarchical group, where people can take turns facilitating.

 

Donations: Voluntary donations will be used to purchase audio material and the balance (at least 50%) will be given to a local charity, to be determined by the group.  There will be no remuneration to the studio or facilitator.  No one will be turned away because of cost.

 

http://www.soulawakenings.ca/

The Heart of Caring for the Dying

The 2nd Annual Sue MacRae Lecture
On Ethics and Patient-Centred Care

(THIS SEMINAR WILL ALSO BE WEBCAST)
(http://epresence.ehealthinnovation.org/epresence)

“The Heart of Caring for the Dying”

Roshi Joan Halifax, PhD
Abbot, Upaya Zen Center
Founder, Project on Being with Dying
Monday, 11 May 2009, 4:10 – 5:15 pm

University of Toronto Joint Centre for Bioethics
88 College St., Great Hall

Abstract:

Exploring how we can help make the experience of dying be more gentle, peaceful, and conscious can have far-reaching consequences on how we live and our fundamental values and world view. This talk is an endeavor to inspire a gentle revolution in our relationship to dying and living, a means for people to explore the meaning of death in the experience of their own lives and through the experience of each other, and to develop an approach to death that is kind, open and dignified. In being with dying, it is possible that we can see death and know life in terms of compassion and awakening. In gently caring for the dying, we can more peacefully and wisely care for the living and for life itself. Roshi Joan will share her forty years of work in the field of end-of-life care and her exploration of compassion and resilience in working with suffering.
Admission Free – No Registration Required

Diane E. Frederick

Diane has a private counselling practice in Kitchener, Ontario. Her past experience in medical, social service and educational settings gives her a solid foundation on which to build her professional practice.

Using wholistic, mind-body approaches, Diane’s areas of clinical counselling expertise include: compulsive disorders, addictions, diabetes, anxiety disorders and stress management.

Diane has over a decade of meditation experience and in 1999 completed a professional program under Jon Kabat-Zinn, originator in “Mindfulness- Based Stress Reduction”. She has studied and practiced with David Brazier of Amida Trust in Buddhist psychotherapy training. Also, she has completed the intensive program “Meditating with the Body” with Dr. Reginald Ray of Dharma Ocean.

She is the author of You’re Breathing Anyway, a practical guide with an accompanying audio CD. It is a guidebook with exercises and guided practices on a CD to develop mindfulness and the skills you need to help you make more conscious choices in everyday living.

It is a privilege for me to help others along in this journey we call life. By teaching and cultivating the gentleness of mindfulness that has so helped me in my life’s journey; I have been witness to some beautiful transformational processes. For me this is a true opening of the heart to experience compassion for myself and others.

To register or for more information:

Phone: (519) 576-3871

Email: dfrederick@rogers.com
www.yourebreathinganyway.org

Metta Foundation Retreat in Waterloo

5 -DAY INSIGHT DIALOGUE RETREAT

MAY 1 – MAY6, 2009

 

The Truths of Interpersonal Suffering and Freedom

This Insight Dialogue retreat with Gregory Kramer is a truly unique opportunity to experience the value of a fully interpersonal, wisdom-based meditation practice.

Insight Dialogue is an interpersonal meditation practice bringing the mindfulness and tranquility of traditional silent meditation into our experience with others. It is based on the fundamental fact that we humans are relational beings, and the lucidity of meditation can illuminate suffering and freedom from suffering.

Insight Dialogue rests on the foundation of traditional Buddhist teachings, and skilfully applies them to our lives with others. The Four Noble Truths directly reflect this.

The first Noble Truth states the suffering that is so much a part of our lives. Much suffering arises in relationship.

The second Noble Truth: when we investigate, we see that hunger is the source of this suffering – hunger for pleasure, hunger to exist and to not exist, to get out. These hungers are sustained by identification and ignorance.

The third Noble Truth: that cessation, freedom, is possible in every moment and in every interaction. We see this directly in relational meditation.

The fourth Noble Truth: that the Path the Buddha outlined, and this interpersonal suffering is unbound, with Insight Dialogue, in an interpersonal practice.

Insight Dialogue is a wisdom practice that fosters true insight and brings depth and immediacy to the understanding of the human experience. In this residential retreat we will practice both silent, personal meditation, and the relational meditation of Insight Dialogue as we explore the Four Noble Truths. Previous meditation experience is helpful but not necessary.

As with traditional silent meditation practice, Insight Dialogue has meditation guidelines. They support us as we migrate from habitual ways of interacting, to ways in alignment with the path of virtue, tranquility, wisdom, and mutuality. Each meditation instruction can be recalled as a simple reminder to calm down, become aware, and notice and release old habits. As the practice deepens, the guidelines function as powerful meditation instructions, pointing the way toward profound spiritual awakening.

The Teacher: Gregory Kramer is a meditation teacher, author, director of the Metta Foundation, and a visiting faculty member of the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies in Massachusetts. He has been teaching Vipassana and loving-kindness meditation since 1980. He is the co-creator and developer of Insight Dialogue and teaches the practice worldwide.

Gregory also spearheaded the creation of the Interpersonal Mindfulness program, a professional training offer by the Center for Mindfulness that extends the wisdom of Insight Dialogue to teachers of the CFM’s MBSR program. He holds a PhD in ‘Learning and Change in Human Systems. For further information about Gregory Kramer and Insight Dialogue see www.metta.org

Retreat Location: Resurrection College, Waterloo, Ontario (less than one hour west of Toronto)

Schedule: Friday morning, May 1st at 11:30 to Wednesday afternoon, May 5th at 2:00.

Please note that an additional day/overnight for May 6th to 7th is an option for those wanting to offer Insight Dialogue to others on a non-paying basis, as a way of sharing the gifts they have been given. This will end on Thursday, May 6th after lunch

Cost: The cost of the 5-day retreat is a sliding fee schedule of $575 to $700 Canadian (based on ability to pay). Room and board for retreatants staying for the extra day of facilitator training should add an additional $55. Please note that the sliding scale of $575 to $700 Cdn. covers accommodation, meals, and a contribution to flights for Gregory Kramer (teacher) and co-teacher, Florence Meleo-Meyers. If you are able to pay at the higher end of the scale, note that your generosity enables others to attend this retreat. If we receive more than we need to cover costs we will create part-scholarships for anyone who may not be able to afford the lower rate.

To secure a place, $100 deposit required. The balance of payment is due by March 23rd, 2009.

Please carefully read the payment instructions prior to booking by going to: www.metta.org/events/events-NorthAmerica.htm . You may also print a flyer at this location for posting or distribution in appropriate venues.

Cancellations: Full refund until April 9th, 2009

Dana (Generosity practice):

In keeping with the Buddhist tradition that Dharma teachings are freely given, your retreat fees do not include payment to the teacher.

Dana is a Sanskrit and Pali word meaning generosity or giving. In Buddhism, it also refers to the practice of cultivating generosity. Ultimately, the practice culminates in qualities characterized by unattached and unconditional generosity; giving and letting go. Over time, benefits of such qualities become clearer as does the importance of the purity of the giver’s motives.

Dana also invokes a sense of reciprocity, between you and the teachings, acknowledging the importance of the teachings for your life and allowing Gregory to keep teaching the practice while living in a conventional materialist society. In this way, you give the gift of availability of these teachings to others.

At the end of the retreat, there will be an opportunity for generosity practice through a donation to the teacher.

Additional information for retreatants…

Food: Vegetarian meals in addition to between meal snacks.

What to bring: Please bring your own toiletries, including toothpaste, shampoo and a towel. The retreat centre provides bed linens and pillows.

Please bring your own meditation cushion. These are not available at the setting.

Schedule detail: The retreat schedule actually starts with an 11:30 introduction on Friday, May 1st prior to lunch, and we ask you to try to get there and settle into your accommodation earlier in the morning so that we can proceed to lunch after our orientation. We will complete the meditation retreat on Wednesday afternoon with lunch. An option is available to stay on for an extra day and night for those who wish to facilitate dana-based Insight Dialogue groups. This will finish with lunch on Thursday.

For additional information: You may wish to visit www.resurrectioncollege.ca to learn about the setting itself and instructions for driving from Toronto to Waterloo. We also invite you to visit www.airwaystransit.com for information on bus options to Waterloo from the Pearson airport and and to look at “Pearson Locations” and “Fare Calculator”. You may also call Airways Transit at 1-800-691-3045 (in Canada only) or (519) 886-2121 (outside Canada) for very specific enquiries on bus options.

For any other enquiries please email: temifirsten@rogers.com or call (416) 656-5650

Lunch Meeting – February 6, 2009

Updates:

1. Consideration of the range of services that could be offered to local hospice for mindful practice for staff and clients.  Contact Ross.

2. Next meeting March 13 to discuss what we would like to do at the practice scheduled for April 6.  Bring your ideas!

3. There is a need to update our e-mail list to insure that everyone is represented. 

 

Barry