Cognitive Behavior Therapy - CBT

Mindfulness Meditation group practice every Wednesday evening at Unity of Gaithersburg. Mindfulness practice is not about achieving some special state of mind; it is more about noticing the experience you are having without trying to change it. This interesting video suggests why you might sit and watch your mind wander off. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmmBF8eTl18 This noticing tends to shift your nervous system from a 'fight-or-flight' state to a more relaxed and receptive state. In this receptive mental state, you begin to see your own experience differently and, over time, see other people and the world differently. Also, it is good for you: "the effect of regular meditation on the cortex was so profound that fifty-year-old meditators had a prefrontal cortex that looked like that of a twenty-five-year-old" [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PLRZVTT](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PLRZVTT) Here is an interesting and funny take on meditation by Ajahn Brahm: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TR60RRmXeYs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TR60RRmXeYs). If you arrive on time, there will be an introduction at the beginning, if you arrive late, find a chair and join us. There will be some discussion after. This is a free event, but contributions to the church's expenses are welcome. You can just show up this Wednesday or subsequent Wednesdays. More information at [https://www.unityofgaithersburg.org](https://www.unityofgaithersburg.org/)/

This group is for anyone who wants to explore Buddhist meditation in a relaxed and supportive setting. Each session includes a short meditation, a simple teaching from Buddhist psychology, and an open discussion about how these ideas show up in everyday life. While our foundation is Buddhist practice, we love weaving in wisdom from other traditions whenever it helps us grow, find peace, and support each other. Members of our community come from many different backgrounds, and you do not need to consider yourself a Buddhist to attend. All are welcome. The session runs from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m., with doors open from 6:30 to 9:00. Come early or stay after if you’d like to enjoy some quiet reflection or casual conversation with the community. On the first Wednesday of each month, we share a potluck meal. Bring a dish if you’d like, but the most important thing you can bring is yourself. We look forward to seeing you!

What if the conflicts in your life weren’t problems to fix—but doorways to deeper understanding? In this interactive Authentic Relating (AR) event, we’ll explore what unmet needs often sit beneath tension, frustration, and disconnection. Rather than focusing on who’s right or wrong, we’ll practice shifting attention to what truly matters underneath: our shared basic human needs; as described by Marshall Rosenberg (NVC). Through guided games and real-time exercises, you’ll practice slowing down, listening more deeply, and uncovering what truly matters—both in yourself and others. Whether you're navigating family dynamics, relationships, or everyday interactions, this experience offers a supportive space to: * Recognize the needs driving conflict * Express yourself with honesty and care * Build deeper, more meaningful connections * Come as you are—no experience necessary. Just bring your curiosity and willingness to connect. **Who would benefit from this practice:** partners, family members, those who want help connecting with others (friendships), professionals who have trouble working with team members, and team leaders who are trying to make an impact. **About Mike**: Mike is a certified Authentic Relating facilitator from ART International and trained in Nonviolent Communications. He is eager to facilitate authentic relating exercises in order to provide impact on people's lives.

Come and join Northern Virginia porcelain artists. We will provide all the paints and materials needed. Just bring your smile and creativity. We paint from 10:00 am - 2:00pm every Tuesday & Wednesday. Please RSVP in advance if you like to join oir group. Text: 703-906-9150 We are located few minutes from Tyson’s corner in McLean.

**Unwind. Breathe. Reset.** Join us for a calming **guided evening meditation** designed to help you **release stress**, **quiet the mind**, and **restore inner peace**, even if you’ve never meditated before. * **Time:** 7:00 PM–7:30 PM * **Format:** Gentle guidance + quiet time + peaceful reflection * **Perfect for:** Beginners and experienced meditators * **What to bring:** Just yourself **Come as you are. Leave feeling lighter.** * **Reserve your spot** (recommended) * **Free Event - Donations Appreciated** * **Bring a friend. First-timers welcome!** * **Arrive early to settle in. Doors open at 6:00 PM.**

This is introductory meditation for people who wants to learn basics of meditation. It's a free event held every week and everyone is welcome to join.

[**NOTE:** An RSVP to this Meetup event is not sufficient for registration. To register and pay for the event, please follow [this link](https://imcw.org/event/?eventId=1682).] **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](https://www.staneisenstein.com/biography) and[ recordings of Stan's teachings](https://www.staneisenstein.com/talks-meditations) at his website: [staneisenstein.com](https://www.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](https://imcw.org/event/?eventId=1682) :** 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. **\~Beth**

This is an in-person event hosted by Sahaja Yoga meditation. We offer free meditation sessions and everyone is welcome to join and experience the peace within!

This is an in-person event hosted by Sahaja Yoga meditation. We offer free meditation sessions and everyone is welcome to join and experience the peace within!

Discover the path to stress management, life's tranquility, and self-improvement through Heartfulness Meditation. Embrace relaxation, meditation, and emotional detoxification practices to unlock your best self. Join our free sessions every Sunday at 8 AM at VA. Experience the profound benefits of these simple yet powerful practices. Commit to a few months of meditation and witness the transformative impact firsthand. We eagerly await your presence at these enlightening sessions.

Now at **11 a.m.**, this beginner-friendly guided meditation class helps stabilize the mind and open the heart. The session includes traditional practices such as Shamatha (calm abiding) and Tonglen (sending and receiving), as well as Jetsunma’s Light Expansion Prayer. Both relaxing and healing, these meditations can be practiced by anyone, regardless of religious tradition. Each class concludes with a dedication that our efforts benefit all beings. All are welcome whether new to meditation or regular practitioners looking for a supportive group with whom to sit. Join us! Class is offered IN-PERSON in our Prayer Room and ONLINE on our Facebook and YouTube channel. Watch online here: [https://www.tara.org/kpc-maryland-events-calendar/](https://www.tara.org/kpc-maryland-events-calendar/) Missed a class? You can watch past classes on our YouTube channel: [https://www.youtube.com/@KunzangPalyulCholing/streams](https://www.youtube.com/@KunzangPalyulCholing/streams)

This is an in-person event hosted by Sahaja Yoga meditation. We offer free meditation sessions and everyone is welcome to join and experience the peace within!

**Step out of the noise of the day and into a space of deep calm**. Join us for a rare and restorative evening with **Sister Kyoko**, and **Sukanya** visiting from the **Meditation Center San Francisco**, as they gently guide you into meditation accompanied by the soothing tones of healing harp music. This immersive experience is designed to help you release stress, quiet the mind, and reconnect with a deeper sense of peace and balance. No experience needed—just come, sit, and allow the sound and silence to do their work. Sat., May 28th, 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm. Held at Brahma Kumaris, 14020 Thunderbolt Pl, Suite 200, 2nd Floor, Chantilly, VA. Free Event – Register at: [https://shorturl.at/ZgP2E](https://shorturl.at/ZgP2E)

Now at **11 a.m.**, this beginner-friendly guided meditation class helps stabilize the mind and open the heart. The session includes traditional practices such as Shamatha (calm abiding) and Tonglen (sending and receiving), as well as Jetsunma’s Light Expansion Prayer. Both relaxing and healing, these meditations can be practiced by anyone, regardless of religious tradition. Each class concludes with a dedication that our efforts benefit all beings. All are welcome whether new to meditation or regular practitioners looking for a supportive group with whom to sit. Join us! Class is offered IN-PERSON in our Prayer Room and ONLINE on our Facebook and YouTube channel. Watch online here: [https://www.tara.org/kpc-maryland-events-calendar/](https://www.tara.org/kpc-maryland-events-calendar/) Missed a class? You can watch past classes on our YouTube channel: [https://www.youtube.com/@KunzangPalyulCholing/streams](https://www.youtube.com/@KunzangPalyulCholing/streams)

## ***Join emerging Gen Z leader Akshay Kuchibhatla for this special workshop. Move beyond expectations and make choices that feel right for you.*** In a time when everyone is trying to figure out who they are, it’s easy to get pulled in different directions, by expectations, social media, relationships, and the pressure to “have it all together.” Somewhere along the way, many begin to feel disconnected from their true self. This workshop is a space to pause, reset, and reconnect with your true self. Come explore who you are at your core, beyond labels, trends, and outside opinions. Through guided reflection, real conversations, and simple mindfulness practices, you’ll gain clarity on your values, strengthen your inner voice, and learn how to make choices that feel right for you. You don’t have to lose yourself to find yourself. You can grow, evolve, and still stay true. Come as you are. Leave more connected, clear, and confident. ***Akshay Kuchibhatla*** *is a thoughtful and emerging Gen Z leader currently pursuing a degree in Computer Science at George Mason University. Passionate about personal growth, self-awareness, and helping young people navigate life with clarity and purpose, Akshay brings a grounded and relatable perspective to conversations about identity, values, and inner strength.* Sat., May 24th, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm. Held at Brahma Kumaris, 14020 Thunderbolt Pl, Suite 200, 2nd Floor, Chantilly, VA. Free Event – Register at: [https://shorturl.at/luks5](https://shorturl.at/luks5)