What we’re about
WHAT WE DO:
We provide a variety of mindfulness meditation experiences (classes, workshops, retreats, mentoring, one-to-one teaching, and therapy), including Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) 8-week classes.
"As long as you are breathing, there is more right with you than there is wrong with you, no matter how ill or hopeless you may feel." - Jon Kabat-Zinn
Our mission is to help you open up to all that you are and all that you can be through mindfulness meditation.
Mindfulness:
Mindfulness is "paying attention in a particular way, on purpose, in the present moment, without judgement" - Jon Kabat-Zinn
Mindfulness is a form of meditation that stems from Buddhism and is often referred to as Insight Meditation or Vipassina Meditation. Mindfulness meditation is not just practiced on the cushion, through sitting meditation, but it is incorporated in all that we do in our daily lives, moment by moment. In mindfulness we learn to clear our minds, open our hearts, and live life fully through our bodies. Through this process we open up to a greater sense of wholeness and wellbeing within ourselves and a vast connectedness with others and the world. As we build the muscles of mindfulness meditation, we live more fully in the present moment and experience life from a greater stillness, which aids us in relating to both ourselves and others with increased clarity, compassion, calmness and creativity, and less fear, anxiety, and stress. Thirty years of research has indicated that mindfulness meditation is associated with significant decreases in stress, pain, physical and emotional distress (including depression, anxiety, grief and loss), and improvements in sleep, energy, health outcomes, and quality of life.
TEACHERS:
NANCY BRUTSCHÉ, MSN, RN, PMHCNS-BC
I am a board certified Clinical Nurse Specialist and psychotherapist with 30 years experience in health and wellness and a specialty in mood and anxiety disorders. I was trained in Cognitive Therapy through the Beck Institute of Cognitive Therapy, in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) through the EMDR Institute, and have incorporated various theoretical frameworks in my work. I have worked with people with a variety of mental and physical conditions and of all ages. I have had a regular personal meditation practice for over 12 years and extensive training in Mindfulness Meditation, including MBSR, MBCT, Mindful Eating Conscious Living (MECL), and mindfulness in chronic illness, in death and dying, in managing anger, and more. I am a graduate of a two-year program through the Meditation Teachers Training Institute (MTTI) with teachers Tara Brach, Jonathan Foust, Hugh Byrne, and Pat Coffey. I have been incorporating mindfulness in my work for over eight years.
STAN EISENSTEIN, MSW
I have been meditating for over 25 years and have been practicing Mindfulness Meditation for over nine years, including numerous 7 day silent meditation retreats. I have trained in MBSR with Jon Kabat-Zinn and Saki Santorelli, as well as with Nancy Brutsche. I have taught both MBSR and Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) with Nancy. I am a graduate of a two-year training through the Meditation Teachers Training Institute (MTTI), with teachers Tara Brach, Jonathan Foust, Hugh Byrne, and Pat Coffey. I am involved with the Insight Meditation Community of Washington (IMCW), and I am currently teaching an open, weekly, Mindfulness Meditation class in Columbia, MD for more than 25 students a week. You can check out this weekly class and my teachings by following this link: http://www.meetup.com/Columbia-Insight-Medi... I have taught physics to high school students for 30 years and have a Masters degree in Social Work.
We Hope You Can Join Us!
Upcoming events
4
Cultivating the Heart 8-Week Course - Online
Zoom Video Conference, None, Maryland, md, US[NOTE: An RSVP to this Meetup event is not sufficient for registration. To register and pay for the event, please follow this link.]
ABOUT: The Brahmaviharas, or divine abodes, are states of the heart that facilitate a sense of well-being, connection, and joy – both internally and in our environment. These states, which include loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity, can be cultivated directly. Through intention, attention, meditation, reasoning, and embodied and imaginal practice, our capacity to cultivate these states grows. We will explore bringing kindness to ourselves, to those we find mildly or moderately challenging, and to all beings. We will look at the challenge of authentic compassion and practice with staying present when we encounter suffering. We will explore our capacity for forgiveness and gratitude and how to move through grief effectively. We will also explore the power of equanimity as a way to keep our opening hearts balanced and discerning. Finally, we will touch in on the Spiritual Heart, the heart of loving awareness, and how we can experience it for ourselves and others.
DATES/TIMES: Mondays, January 26 through March 16, 6:30 - 8:30 PM Eastern Time
VENUE: Online via Zoom
TUITION: $300. Price includes eight 2-hour live experiential sessions and eight guided meditations designed to cultivate the heart. Some scholarship is available; Contact Stan to apply.
TEACHER: Stan Eisenstein has been guiding mindfulness, meditation, self-inquiry, loving-kindness and other meditation practices since 2012. He is a teacher for the Insight Meditation Community of Washington, with founder Tara Brach. Stan is a an instructor for various courses: Mindfulness-Basted Stress Reduction; Inviting Chronic Pain and Illness to Tea; Self-Inquiry. He is also a mentor for the international Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program, taught by Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield, and run by Sounds True. You can explore Stan's bio and recordings of Stan's teachings at his website: staneisenstein.com
REGISTRATION AND MORE INFORMATION
QUESTIONS: Contact Stan
STUDENT TESTIMONIALS:
I have taken several of Stan’s classes and each time i find i deepen meditation practice and presence. Very grateful for the learnings. - Madelyn
I so appreciate Stan's teaching style. He articulates the concepts so clearly. His classes and courses are well structured for learning. It is clear that he “knows” his subject and provides personal testimony to make the subject matter live. His respect for individual differences, his patience and nonjudgmental attitude provides a safe “holding environment” in which we can freely learn and interact. - Diane1 attendee
Intro to Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) 8-Week Course: ONLINE
Zoom Video Conference, None, Maryland, md, USNOTE: To participate, you must register at the links below. RSVP at this meetup is not sufficient.
REGISTRATION:
8-week course beginning March 26 with a free introduction class on March 19 (register for the 8-week course and, if after attending the free intro you decide not to continue, you will receive a full refund)
ABOUT THE COURSE:
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is an eight-week program, developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn, that assists people who want to learn to use their own internal resources to respond more skillfully to stress, medical and psychological conditions, and promote healthy living. MBSR has been highly researched since its onset in 1979, and research strongly supports its effectiveness in improving difficulties in multiple areas of health and wellness.
Some reasons people come to the group include: job, school or family stress; chronic pain; hypertension; attention deficits; enhancement of quality of life/happiness; mild or situational depression; gastrointestinal disorders; wellness and self-care; cancer; anxiety and panic; anger-management; life transitions; developing and deepening a meditation practice.
Intentional, present-moment awareness, developed through mindfulness meditation practices, helps us experience whatever is happening in our life as it unfolds with curiosity, non-judging attention, and compassion for ourselves and others. Engaging with our life in this manner helps us to become more skillful and creative in our responses while gaining insight into how to free ourselves from habitual patterns of reacting.
This program can be a complement to current medical care, as well as promotion of health and well-being.
DATES (all times Eastern Time):
Free Introductory Class: Thursday, March 19, 6:30 - 8 PM
8-Week Course: Eight Thursdays, March 26 - May 14, 6:30 - 9 PM
Daylong Retreat: Sunday,May 3, 10 AM - 4:30 PM
TEACHER: Stan Eisenstein
Stan is the founder and teacher of the Columbia Insight Meditation Group (a weekly drop-in meditation and mindfulness community). Stan is a teacher for the Insight Meditation Community of Washington (IMCW) with senior teacher Tara Brach.
Stan is a mentor for the Power of Awareness meditation course and for the Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program, both published by Sounds True with teachers Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield. Stan teaches Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Mindfulness for Teens, Meeting Chronic Pain and Illness, and Deepening MBSR courses. Stan also holds daylong workshops on Relationships, Heart Practices, Forgiveness, and Working with Strong Emotions. Stan has a Master’s Degree in Social Work.
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT THE CLASS:
Follow this link to see comments by participants in recent classes.
LOCATION:
The Course will be held Online. Zoom links will be sent to registrants about a week before the course begins
COST & PAYMENT:
Introductory Class: Free (register for the 8-week course and, if after attending the intro on January 9 you decide not to continue, you will receive a full refund)
Total cost of the 8-Week Course: $550
Includes 18 guided meditations in mp3 format and an online workbook.
Some SCHOLARSHIP is available. For more information, contact Stan
REGISTRATION:
8-week course beginning March 26 with a free introduction class on March 19 (register for the 8-week course and, if after attending the free intro you decide not to continue, you will receive a full refund)
QUESTIONS:
Contact Stan1 attendeeMindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) 8-Week Course: ONLINE
Zoom Video Conference, None, Maryland, md, USNOTE: To participate, you must register at the links below. RSVP at this meetup is not sufficient.
REGISTRATION:
8-week course beginning March 26 with a free introduction class on March 19 (register for the 8-week course and, if after attending the free intro you decide not to continue, you will receive a full refund)
ABOUT THE COURSE:
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is an eight-week program, developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn, that assists people who want to learn to use their own internal resources to respond more skillfully to stress, medical and psychological conditions, and promote healthy living. MBSR has been highly researched since its onset in 1979, and research strongly supports its effectiveness in improving difficulties in multiple areas of health and wellness.
Some reasons people come to the group include: job, school or family stress; chronic pain; hypertension; attention deficits; enhancement of quality of life/happiness; mild or situational depression; gastrointestinal disorders; wellness and self-care; cancer; anxiety and panic; anger-management; life transitions; developing and deepening a meditation practice.
Intentional, present-moment awareness, developed through mindfulness meditation practices, helps us experience whatever is happening in our life as it unfolds with curiosity, non-judging attention, and compassion for ourselves and others. Engaging with our life in this manner helps us to become more skillful and creative in our responses while gaining insight into how to free ourselves from habitual patterns of reacting.
This program can be a complement to current medical care, as well as promotion of health and well-being.
DATES (all times Eastern Time):
Free Introductory Class: Thursday, March 19, 6:30 - 8 PM
8-Week Course: Eight Thursdays, March 26 - May 14, 6:30 - 9 PM
Daylong Retreat: Sunday, May 3, 10 AM - 4:30 PM
TEACHER: Stan Eisenstein
Stan is the founder and teacher of the Columbia Insight Meditation Group (a weekly drop-in meditation and mindfulness community). Stan is a teacher for the Insight Meditation Community of Washington (IMCW) with senior teacher Tara Brach.
Stan is a mentor for the Power of Awareness meditation course and for the Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program, both published by Sounds True with teachers Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield. Stan teaches Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Mindfulness for Teens, Meeting Chronic Pain and Illness, and Deepening MBSR courses. Stan also holds daylong workshops on Relationships, Heart Practices, Forgiveness, and Working with Strong Emotions. Stan has a Master’s Degree in Social Work.
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT THE CLASS:
Follow this link to see comments by participants in recent classes.
LOCATION:
The Course will be held Online. Zoom links will be sent to registrants about a week before the course begins
COST & PAYMENT:
Introductory Class: Free (register for the 8-week course and, if after attending the intro on January 9 you decide not to continue, you will receive a full refund)
Total cost of the 8-Week Course: $550
Includes 18 guided meditations in mp3 format and an online workbook.
Some SCHOLARSHIP is available. For more information, contact Stan
REGISTRATION:
8-week course beginning March 26 with a free introduction class on March 19 (register for the 8-week course and, if after attending the free intro you decide not to continue, you will receive a full refund)
QUESTIONS:
Contact Stan1 attendee
SILENT WEEKEND RETREAT: Deepening Into the Mystery - In-Person and Online Hybrid
Sevenoaks Retreat Center, 403 Pathwork Way, Madison, VA, US[NOTE: An RSVP to this Meetup event is not sufficient for registration. To register and pay for the event, please follow this link.]
ABOUT: The rhythms of Spring invite us, to tune into the deeper currents of life, to sense our deeper spiritual roots, and to experience unity. We tend to identify ourselves with our separateness: our personalities, our achievements or failures, our beliefs, our worldly selves. Yet there is something more fundamental about ourselves that we can explore, both in our minds and in our bodies, in our beings. As we cultivate a letting go of clinging to a worldly identity, we can begin to explore who we are at a deeper level. This shift in identity has the capacity to bring a great deal of freedom, peace, and joy.
Through dharma talks, group meetings with the teacher, meditation instruction, personal meditation, and gentle movement practices, you will be guided toward a sense of who we are more fundamental than our experience of our personalities, our ego, or our worldly selves.
TEACHER: Stan Eisenstein has been guiding self-inquiry and other meditation practices since 2012. He is a teacher for the Insight Meditation Community of Washington, with founder Tara Brach. Stan is a an instructor for various courses: Mindfulness-Basted Stress Reduction; Inviting Chronic Pain and Illness to Tea; Self-Inquiry. He is also a mentor for the international Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program, taught by Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield, and run by Sounds True. You can explore Stan's bio and recordings of Stan's teachings at his website: staneisenstein.com
LOCATION: Seven Oaks Retreat Center in Madison, VA or Online via Zoom Video Conferencing.
RETREAT FEES:
Single room (sold out): $8500.00
Shared room: $670.00
Camping: $580.00
Online: $270.00
Please note that retreat fees only cover direct expenses for this event, such as room, meals, and administrative costs. In keeping with the Buddhist tradition, the teachers and retreat managers receive no payment. Donations offered by students at the end of the retreat are appreciated and support the teachers and retreat managers in continuing to make the teachings available to all.
REGISTRATION : The registration deadline for in-person participation is May 11 and online participation is May 23.
QUESTIONS : Contact manager at imcwretreatmanager@gmail.com
TESTIMONIALS
I have found this Deepening Into the Mystery retreat a refuge into myself and the wider world around me. I discovered and rediscovered Truths with a capital T. Truths that cannot be sensed, as my scientific training so desperately wants to do - to observe. But truths that can only be experience in the quiet stillness of consciousness. When thoughts and emotions have melted away, and the only thing left is the territory itself. There we find the mystery which words cannot explain or even describe. - Kris
This retreat gave me the special opportunity to sit with and touch the embodiment of no-self. The practices presented worked in a systematic and congruous way that, both rationally and subconsciously, helped us to touch deep into our being and be with the emptiness and awareness that is our true nature. ~Ari
A moving an insightful retreat--even over Zoom I felt connected to Stan and to the larger group. It helped me to feel "unstuck" in my life and feel into where my life choices could be in better alignment with what I really want/need. ~Beth1 attendee
Past events
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