What we’re about
--------------- Hi, and Welcome! Be sure to READ HERE (click) for more details!
This is the Meetup website for Mindful Somatics Institute (MSI) and MOSI (pronounced moh-zee), which is the acronym for Mindfulness Oriented Somatic Inquiry. MOSI is a new and emerging mindfulness and somatics practice group (and style) based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. MSI is its parent organization, and offers many classes, workshops, sessions and retreats in the field of mindful somatics.
What is somatics?
Philosopher and somatics educator, Thomas Hanna, defined somatics as "...the field of study dealing with somatic phenomena, i.e., the human being as experienced by himself (or herself) from the inside." He defined soma as "the body experienced from within." The perspective of MOSI is that any practices which encourage and support the integration of mind, body, and spirit is a somatics practice -- and that mindfulness and somatics go together beautifully.
What is mindfulness?
According to author and teacher, Jon Kabat-Zinn, "mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way; on purpose, in the present moment, and non judgmentally. Mindfulness practitioners learn how to pay attention on purpose by practicing specially developed mindfulness meditation practices & mindful movements."
But mindfulness isn't just about what we ordinarily consider to be "the mind," it's also about the body (the soma) and about the heart. Kabat-Zinn has said that,
"Mindfulness is often spoken of as the heart of Buddhist meditation. [But] it’s not about Buddhism, but about paying attention. That’s what all meditation is, no matter what tradition or particular technique is used. In Asian languages, the word for mind and the word for heart are the same. So if you’re not hearing mindfulness in some deep way as heartfulness, you’re not really understanding it. Compassion and kindness towards oneself are intrinsically woven into it. You could think of mindfulness as wise and affectionate attention."
In MOSI, we endeavor to bring wise and affectionate attention to our present moment experience in various "modes" of practice, which we call Stillness, Movement, Listening, Voice, Touch and Vision. We embrace familiar Stillness meditation forms, such as the ever-popular sitting cross-legged on the floor (or any other upright sitting), but we also practice meditation in motion, as Movement (which can include dance and non-dance movement). Most often, our Movement practices are both spontaneous and improvisational.
While MOSI is ultimately very conceptually simple, it's also difficult to explain concisely. You really have to join with us to appreciate its innovative, gentle, creative spirit.
MSI welcomes gifts of many kinds in support of our emerging and growing mindful somatics practice community. If you have talents or skills to offer, wonderful! If you have practice space for sessions, workshops, retreats, classes, fantastic! If you'd like to offer your facilitation and teaching skills in mindful somatics, hallelujah! Monetary gift pledges are welcome, too. (See address below.) We'd also be happy to have the services of talented writers, photographers, graphic artists, computer 'geeks', editors, movers and dancers, meditators... pretty much any skills or talents.... Ask us! -- http://www.meetup.com/Mindful-Somatics-Santa-Fe/messages/boards/thread/47064772
Through receiving gifts from our community, MSI (and MOSI) can offer what it offers as a gift to all who will receive. Welcome to the emerging gift economy! (Or ecology, if you prefer.)
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MSI welcomes your tax deductible contributions at
Mindful Somatics Institute
PO Box 1534
Santa Fe, NM 87504-1534
