Mindfulness Meditation, also known as Insight Meditation or Samatha Vipassana meditation, is an ancient Buddhist practice for training the mind to be our friend instead of our enemy. It’s intended to free the mind from its conditioning so we can perceive reality clearly and come to live in harmony with the way things are. By bringing calm, focused, accepting attention to our moment-to-moment experience, we pop out of autopilot, and wake up to our inner workings and to what’s happening around us. It allows us to see what habits of the mind create suffering, and what creates happiness. Then, instead of being stuck in our habits, we can respond with more wisdom, kindness, compassion and skill.
Mindfulness has been studied extensively in the West for over 30 years, and neuroscientists have learned that when we change the mind we change the brain. Studies show this practice benefits us on every dimension: physiologically, psychologically, emotionally, interpersonally, and spiritually.
I’ve been studying and practicing mindfulness for over 25 years and teaching meditation classes for more than 18 years. I find this to be the most useful tool for working with whatever challenges us in life. It’s a method that is transformational and deeply healing. In my own life it’s helped me become less anxious and more self-accepting, manage physical pain with less suffering, successfully handle the multiple challenges of recovering from cancer, enabled steadiness through a very difficult relationship crisis, and continues to be invaluable with the inevitable challenges of growing older.
I offer 8-10 week classes throughout the year, specially designed classes for work groups, organizations and businesses, individual lessons, and retreats.