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
Nancy is a board certified Clinical Nurse Specialist and psychotherapist with 30 years experience in health and wellness and a specialty in mood and anxiety disorders. She 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. Nancy has worked with people with a variety of mental and physical conditions and of all ages. She has 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. Nancy is 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. She has been incorporating mindfulness in my work for over eight years.
STAN EISENSTEIN, MSW
Stan is a full teacher with the Insight Meditation Community of Washington (IMCW). He is a graduate of the Meditation Teacher Training Institute, a two-year certification program with senior Insight teachers Tara Brach, Jonathan Foust, Hugh Byrne, and Pat Coffey. Stan also teaches Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and other mindfulness-based courses. He is a mentor for several online courses taught by Tara Brach, and is a meditation leader for Telesangha. He also works with individuals in instruction on using meditation and mindfulness to bring a greater sense of peace and freedom in daily life. Stan is a former high school physics teacher (32 years) who has been meditating for 30 years and has been practicing Insight Meditation since 2004. Stan earned a Masters of Social Work in 1998. You can check out this weekly class and his teachings by following this link: http://www.meetup.com/Columbia-Insight-Medi... (http://www.meetup.com/Columbia-Insight-Meditation-Group/)
We Hope You Can Join Us!
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- SILENT WEEKEND RETREAT: Cultivating Ease and Joy - In-Person and Online HybridWellsprings Retreat Center , Germantown, MD
[NOTE: An RSVP to this Meetup event is not sufficient for registration. To register and pay for the event, please follow this link.]
ABOUT: Join us for a weekend dedicated to practices designed to help move into a greater sense of tranquility and well-being. The heart of the Buddhist teachings is to move beyond suffering and stress--dukkha--and into a state of well-being or joy--sukkha. Removing ourselves from daily stresses, coming home into the body, learning to stay with present-moment experiences, and practicing relaxation and lovingkindness meditations all serve to enhance our capacity for peace and happiness.
Through dharma talks, guided and unguided meditations, group meetings with the teachers, and mindful movement, we will practice cultivating a deeper sense of ease and joy.
TEACHERS: 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.comLINDA NAINI developed a deep appreciation for Tara Brach’s teachings and the practice of mindfulness in 2009 during her father’s terminal illness and later while working through her own depression after his death. A certified Health and Wellness Coach through the Maryland University of Integrative Health, In 2013, she received Reiki II certification and participated in the .b Teacher Training, where she received a certification to teach mindfulness meditation to children and adolescents. As an Iranian-American, Linda has studied Rumi and Hafiz in both Persian and English. She loves sharing their poetry in her weekly mindfulness classes at Flow Yoga Center, extendYoga, Equinox, and with children and adolescents through MINDS and The Village Youth.
LOCATION: Wellspring Retreat Center in Germantown, MD or Online via Zoom Video Conferencing.
RETREAT FEES:
Single room (sold out): $700.00
Shared room: $560.00
Camping: $440.00
Online: $250.00
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 9 and online participation is May 21.
QUESTIONS : Contact manager at imcwretreatmanager@gmail.com
TESTIMONIALS
I have no words at this moment to describe what I learned or how I benefited from attending this retreat other than to say I will carry the truths Stan so skillfully taught, the people I met, and the deep knowing found during our meditation periods with me for the rest of my life. I am profoundly changed, and grateful. ~Melanie
This was a much needed respite from the craziness of the world around us. Stan is a wonderful guide, teaching with love and kindness how to be loving and kind to ourselves during difficult times. His practices gave me a sense of calm and clearing out, and being in community with others (even over Zoom) felt so supportive. Many thanks ~Julie
- Silent Weekend Retreat: Cultivating Tranquility - Online/In-Person HybridSevenoaks Retreat Center, Madison, VA
[NOTE: An RSVP to this Meetup event is not sufficient for registration. To register and pay for the event, please follow this link.]
"Go placidly amid the noise and haste. Remember what peace there may be in Silence. And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul."
~Max Ehrmann
ABOUT: Tranquility is essential to wise discernment and freedom. When our minds and bodies are caught in activation we cannot see clearly. Only when the mind is calmed do we have the capacity to untangle from the ways we get stuck in life.
Tranquility is one of the Seven Factors of Enlightenment, and it leads to deepened focus and concentration. This cultivation of tranquility helps us not only in our own lives but also influences those around us. Through dharma talks, group meetings with the teacher, meditation instruction, personal meditation, and gentle movement practices, you will be guided to practice cultivating direct experiences of tranquility.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: You are invited to attend this retreat either in-person at the Seven Oaks Retreat Center in Madison, VA, or online via Zoom.
MEALS: All meals are ovo-lacto vegetarian, and you will have the opportunity to provide information about allergies and other dietary needs (e.g., vegan, gluten-free) when you register.
RETREAT FEES: Single room: $830
Shared room (2-4): $660
Camping: $560
Online: $250
DANA OFFERING: In keeping with the Buddhist tradition, the teachers and retreat managers receive no payment. The retreat fee only covers direct expenses for this event, such as room, meals, and administrative costs. 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. Dana offerings are tax-deductible.
REGISTRATION: Registration opens May 1 though IMCW. The deadline for in-person registration is August 15, 2025, and the deadline for online registration is August 27, 2025.QUESTIONS: Contact retreat manager at imcwretreatmanager@gmail.com
TESTIMONIALS
This was a much needed respite from the craziness of the world around us. Stan is a wonderful guide, teaching with love and kindness how to be loving and kind to ourselves during difficult times. His practices gave me a sense of calm and clearing out, and being in community with others (even over Zoom) felt so supportive. Many thanks! ~JulieStan's guidance throughout the retreat was unparalleled in the variety of teachings he incorporated and balancing that with periods without guidance to let those teachings do their work. I truly appreciated the way the activities throughout the day flowed into one another and how even the breaks had the spirit of the retreat. I could sense that he was keenly aware of folks' responses to his guidance and would provide additional guidance when necessary. It didn't feel like we were simply going through a set of preplanned events and the retreat had a sense of aliveness to it that was beneficial for me finding clarity about what it means to allow every part of my experience to be as it is and trust that all is unfolding as it should. ~Wouhib
As a practitioner and teacher of Vipassana mindfulness this retreat was expansive and transformative for me. Enjoyed Stan’s version of RAIN which was a different journey that resonated with me. Also enjoyed the Spiritual Heart Meditation, timing was perfect. The hybrid format was a wonderful opportunity for me because driving the distance wasn’t possible at this time and also the cost was considerably lower. Even though I missed the in-person energy I felt that there was an online sangha. I very much enjoyed that ability to hear from the in-person participants there comments during the integration portion of the retreat. Overall perfect timing and wonderful way to stay connected with other mindfulness meditators. ~Christa
- Intro to Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) 8-Week Course - ONLINEZoom Video Conference, Maryland, MD
NOTE: To participate, you must register at the links below. RSVP at this meetup is not sufficient.
REGISTRATION:
8-week course beginning September 15 with a free introduction class on September 8 (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: Monday, September 8, 6:30 - 8 PM
8-Week Course: Eight Mondays, September 15 - November 3, 6:30 - 9 PM
Daylong Retreat: Saturday, October 25, 10 AM - 4:30 PMTEACHER: 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 beginsCOST & 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 September 15 with a free introduction class on September 8 (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 Stan - Intro to Self-Inquiry 8-Week Course ONLINEZoom Video Conference, Maryland, MD
NOTE: To participate, you must register at the links below. RSVP at this meetup is not sufficient.
REGISTRATION:
8-week course beginning September 16 with a free introduction class on September 9 (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:
The process of Inquiry allows us to discover and release from subconscious programming that keeps us stuck and suffering. We all carry conditioning, automatic reactions to buried beliefs and hurts. This conditioning, if left unexplored, limits our capacity to live fully and freely. Inquiry practices use meditative techniques to help us to uncover this subconscious programming and begin the process of healing and release.The practice of Inquiry is an art, and yet there are skills and orientations that can be learned to help make the process more effective and efficient. This course is designed to offer a variety of tools to help in the development of an inquiry practice. The course will be a mix of guided meditations (recorded and available for practice), experiential exercises, short talks, and inquiry practice, both individually and in pairs.
TOPICS:
▪ Why Inquiry is Valuable
▪ Using Meditation as an Experiment
▪ Cultivating Self-Kindness and Working with the Inner Critic
▪ Inquiry and Trauma – Caveats and Skillful Means
▪ How the Body Aids in Inquiry
▪ How we Identify and Work with Emotion
▪ Recognizing Patterns of Thought
▪ The Importance of Allowing, and Inviting Discomfort to Tea
▪ Resourcing, and How to Deal With Moments of Overwhelm
▪ Investigation – How to Gradually Deepen Awareness
▪ Investigating Deeply-Held Beliefs
▪ Working with Old Hurts and Wounds
▪ Forgiveness
▪ Healing through Reparenting
▪ Working with Imagery
▪ Interpersonal InquiryDATES (all times Eastern Time):
Introduction: Tuesday, September 9, 6:30 - 8 PM
8-Week Course: Eight Tuesdays, September 16 - November 4, 6:30 - 9 PM
Daylong Retreat: Sunday, October 26, 10 AM - 4:30 PMTEACHER: 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), Inviting Chronic Pain and Illness to Tea, and Deepening Practice 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 STAN'S INQUIRY COURSE:
Follow this link to see comments by participants in recent courses.LOCATION:
The Course will be held Online. Zoom links will be sent to registrants about a week before the course beginsCOST & PAYMENT:
Total cost of the 8-week Course: $550Scholarship is available. For more information, contact Stan.
REGISTRATION:
8-week course beginning September 16 with a free introduction class on September 9 (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 Stan
