apple blossoms, Estella Cisneros
Compassion and Mindfulness
8-week series,
Wednesdays from 11 am - 12:30 pm PST
on Zoom - Begins January 8
The practices we learn in Compassion and Mindfulness are uniquely suited to weathering this current storm. Mindfulness—the ability to be courageously present both for our own pain and suffering, and, for the joy and beauty of life—gives us a choice for how to respond to this moment. Self-compassion—to become aware of the struggle or pain without pushing it away, or over-identifying with it—gives us the tenderness and fierceness to truly be with what is happening.
When we can bring this courageous, kind presence to our lives, we remember our common humanity—that we’re fundamentally “all in the same boat”, and we don’t feel so alone.
The Compassion and Mindfulness course—based on the synthesis work by Kristin Neff—meets for eight sessions and includes detailed instruction in relaxation, mindfulness and compassion techniques. We learn how to regulate our nervous system and turn on our relaxation response. The class provides a supportive community and learning environment. It is a place to share and explore how each individual student can best utilize the practices.
Each class builds on the next and includes daily home practices to deepen and strengthen what you learned in class.
Class practices include:
—cultivating an inner ally rather than an inner enemy
—developing our own self-compassion language
—the yin and yang of compassion: tenderness and fierceness
—mindfulness, self-compassion, loving-kindness practices
—somatic resources that calm and sooth our nervous system to work with anxiety and depression
Cost for the 8-week series: FREE sponsored by the Alta Bates Comprehensive Cancer Center
For more information call or email Maura at 510 652-0560 or [email protected]
Space is limited to 12
8-week series,
Wednesdays from 11 am - 12:30 pm PST
on Zoom - Begins January 8
The practices we learn in Compassion and Mindfulness are uniquely suited to weathering this current storm. Mindfulness—the ability to be courageously present both for our own pain and suffering, and, for the joy and beauty of life—gives us a choice for how to respond to this moment. Self-compassion—to become aware of the struggle or pain without pushing it away, or over-identifying with it—gives us the tenderness and fierceness to truly be with what is happening.
When we can bring this courageous, kind presence to our lives, we remember our common humanity—that we’re fundamentally “all in the same boat”, and we don’t feel so alone.
The Compassion and Mindfulness course—based on the synthesis work by Kristin Neff—meets for eight sessions and includes detailed instruction in relaxation, mindfulness and compassion techniques. We learn how to regulate our nervous system and turn on our relaxation response. The class provides a supportive community and learning environment. It is a place to share and explore how each individual student can best utilize the practices.
Each class builds on the next and includes daily home practices to deepen and strengthen what you learned in class.
Class practices include:
—cultivating an inner ally rather than an inner enemy
—developing our own self-compassion language
—the yin and yang of compassion: tenderness and fierceness
—mindfulness, self-compassion, loving-kindness practices
—somatic resources that calm and sooth our nervous system to work with anxiety and depression
Cost for the 8-week series: FREE sponsored by the Alta Bates Comprehensive Cancer Center
For more information call or email Maura at 510 652-0560 or [email protected]
Space is limited to 12
The beloved is inside you, and also inside me;
you know the sprout is hidden inside the seed.
We are all struggling; none of us has gone far.
Let your arrogance go, and look around inside.
The blue sky opens out further and farther,
the daily sense of failure goes away,
the damage I have done to myself and others fades,
a million suns come forward with light,
when I sit firmly in that world.
I hear bells ringing that no one has shaken,
inside love there is more joy than we know of,
rain pours down, although the sky is clear of clouds,
there are whole rivers of light.
The universe is shot through in all parts by a single love.
How hard it is to feel that joy in all our bodies!
Those who hope to be reasonable about it fail.
The arrogance of reason has separated us from that love.
With the word 'reason' you already feel miles away.
—Kabir
you know the sprout is hidden inside the seed.
We are all struggling; none of us has gone far.
Let your arrogance go, and look around inside.
The blue sky opens out further and farther,
the daily sense of failure goes away,
the damage I have done to myself and others fades,
a million suns come forward with light,
when I sit firmly in that world.
I hear bells ringing that no one has shaken,
inside love there is more joy than we know of,
rain pours down, although the sky is clear of clouds,
there are whole rivers of light.
The universe is shot through in all parts by a single love.
How hard it is to feel that joy in all our bodies!
Those who hope to be reasonable about it fail.
The arrogance of reason has separated us from that love.
With the word 'reason' you already feel miles away.
—Kabir