Sundays 9:30-11:00 a.m. beginning January 26, 2020. Join for one, a few or all 6 sessions. Free of charge.
We all know how important physical fitness is to our well being but what about our mental wellness? FIT founders, Thom and Tracey Downing are hosting a six week program with local meditation/mindfulness instructor, Fern LaRocca to explore how to meditate and how mindfulness can increase our contentment with everyday life challenges. Concepts from Pema Chodron’s new book, Welcoming the Unwelcome-Wholehearted Living in a Brokenhearted World will provide the basis of our discussion.
You don’t have to keep up with the readings in order to participate. If you would like to do so, you may purchase the books here or there will be books available for purchase at each session.
Talks will not be recorded. Feel free to take notes.
Please bring your personal meditation cushion or indicate that you would like a chair.
Participation is limited, please email concierge@focusedtrainers.com to register for the series or for individual sessions by listing the dates you will attend.
Fern LaRocca is a meditation/mindfulness practitioner and instructor for over 35 years. She has received lay ordination and studied Soto Zen Buddhism from 1981 with Kwong Roshi at Sonoma Mountain Zen Center. She has studied Tibetan Buddhist teachings with Pema Chodron, Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, and Ethan Nichtern since 1996. Fern is a retired Financial Advisor and founder of Advanced Financial Designs. She lives in Mountain View with her husband and labradoodle, Goldie.
6 Sundays from 9:30 to 11 a.m. starting January 26th
9:30 – 9:55 Meditation Instruction
9:55 – 10:15 Meditation
10:15 – 11 Stretch break followed by discussion
January 26th Sunday
#1 Intro: Welcome
9:30-9:55 am Meditation instruction
9:55am-10:15am Meditation
10:15am -11am Stretch break and discussion: What is meditation? What is mindfulness? How to work with posture. How to work with the mind. How to work with mindful speech. Why should you practice?
February 2nd, Sunday
# 2 Chapters 1- 5: Fully awaken our heart and mind: Interconnectedness; Feeling failure and vulnerability; Discovering our basic goodness
9:30-9:55 am Meditation instruction
9:55am-10:15am Meditation
10:15am -11am -Stretch break and discussion based on the book
February 9th Sunday
#3- Chapters 6-10: Appreciating just as it is; Maintaining our confidence and aspiration; Stretch beyond our comfort; Speech from the heart; How we label things
9:30-9:55 am Meditation instruction
9:55am-10:15am Meditation
10:15am -11am -Stretch break and discussion based on the book
February 16th Sunday
#4 Chapters 11-15: Open awareness; Impermanence; Emptiness; Nowness; Birth and Death in every moment
9:30-9:55 am Meditation instruction
9:55am-10:15am Meditation
10:15am -11am -Stretch break and discussion based on the book
February 23rd Sunday
#5 Chapters 16-20: Overcoming ego-Being friendly to oneself; Use of humor to connect; Every challenge can lead to spiritual growth; Aspiration and commitment to wake up for the benefit of others
9:30-9:55 am Meditation instruction
9:55am-10:15am Meditation
10:15am -11am -Stretch break and discussion based on the book
March 1st Sunday
#6 Next Steps
9:30-9:55am Meditation instruction
9:55am-10:15am Meditation
10:15am -11am Stretch break and talk and discussion.
What did we learn? What do we need more of and how we want to go forward in our practice? Practice and study opportunities. Complete survey.