Meditation and Mindfulness
For Spiritual Directors and Companions
Presenters
Sean Tetsudo Murphy, Sensei
Dates
July 10, 17, & 24, August 7 (no session on July 31)
9AM – 10:30AM PST
Click aquí to find your Local Time Zone
Duration
6 hours (total)
Webinar will be recorded.
"Meditation is not a way of making your mind quiet. It's a way of entering into the quiet that is already there."
— Deepak Chopra
Whether you’re wishing to establish, expand, or deepen an ongoing practice of meditation and mindfulness for personal spiritual development and/or use with those you companion, this course will help you access the inner quiet that leads to enhanced personal peace and spiritual depth, and makes room for hearing the ‘still small voice’ within you. This four week course will include a range of tips and techniques for sharing these practices with spiritual directees/companions, as well as weekly practices to work with at home. Appropriate for contemplative practitioners of all backgrounds. Beginners through all levels of experience welcome.
“Meditation is a vital way to purify and quiet the mind, thus rejuvenating the body. It is a process of transformation, so that we can focus our scattered and dissipated energies into a coherent channel. As we meditate, we deepen our awareness of ourselves, our thoughts, and our emotions. Over time, this practice cultivates inner peace, compassion, and clarity, allowing us to navigate the complexities of life with greater resilience and insight. Through meditation, we can connect with the deepest parts of our being, fostering a sense of harmony and balance that permeates all aspects of our lives.”
— Thich Nhat Hanh
Sessions
Session I: Meditation, Contemplation, Mindfulness – The practice of Reality
Meditation, contemplation, centering prayer – what do all these practices, and indeed all spiritual practices have in common? Spiritual study is valuable, but spiritual practices are different – they’re experiential, not conceptual. They are about bringing our attention into the present moment, which is in reality the only place our lives actually happen, and the only place direct experience of the sacred can reveal itself. We’ll introduce some simple approaches to seated meditation practice that are adaptable to practitioners of all backgrounds and experience levels. We’ll have a chance to practice together, and discuss and ask questions afterward. We’ll close with some assignments/suggestions for home practice during the week until our next meeting.
Session 2: Going Deeper – Walking meditation, Mindfulness, and the Conscious Breath
Taking up from where we left off, we’ll do a longer seated meditation session and introduce the practice of walking meditation, followed by discussion and questions and answers. We’ll focus on finding the quiet pleasure and peace that comes through contemplative practice, and also introduce the practice of Mindfulness – meditation in action in our daily lives. Even one conscious breath can make a difference… 3 is better! We’ll close again with assignments/suggestions for home practice during the week, including an assignment in finding a simple daily activity which we can apply mindfulness to in daily life.
Session 3: Mindfulness of Mind, Deep Stillness, and Connection with the Sacred
More practice with seated meditation, walking meditation, and mindfulness, along with further methods for ‘finessing’ our practice and overcoming common hindrances/obstacles. We’ll also introduce the practice of ‘body scan’ – a method for deep relaxation which can not only improve our quality of life, but deepen our meditative practices. We’ll delve into further dimensions of meditative and mindfulness theory/philosophy, and extend our simple mindfulness techniques to include mindfulness of mind, which allows for truly transformative opportunities in becoming conscious of, and beginning to release, patterns of mental and emotional conditioning that no longer serve us, and that get in the way of our direct experience of the sacred. Again we’ll have opportunities for discussion and questions and answers, as well as assignments/suggestions for home practice.
Session 4: Where Do We Go From Here?
We’ll continue with the practices we’ve learned, but also focus on how to establish, commit to, and effectively maintain an ongoing daily practice of meditation and mindfulness, as well as how to creatively approach our contemplative/meditative practices to keep them vital and alive over time, so that we can effectively carry forward what we’ve learned and practiced into our lives. We’ll also examine ways to connect with guidance and community to overcome obstacles and grow deeper into practice, and effective ways to share contemplative practice with directees.
- Participants from all spiritual traditions and orientations are welcome in this webinar series as are those with all levels of spiritual experience.
- Each session runs 90 minutes.
- All sessions will be recorded and be viewable for at least 12 months after the last session goes live.
When
This four-part webinar series will run 3 consecutive Wednesdays, July 10, 17, & 24, no session on July 31, then reconvene for the final session on August 7, from 9am-10:30am Pacific Time. Find your own local time here.
But if that timing doesn’t work, you can enjoy the webinar any time you like.
Each session is recorded so you can watch at your convenience.
Presenter
Sean Tetsudo Murphy, Sensei, is a fully authorized Zen teacher in the American White Plum lineage, as well an award-winning author and recipient of a 2018 National Endowment of the Arts Fellowship in Creative Writing. He served six years as a member of the SDI board, and has taught on a number of occasions for SDI programs. He is highly experienced in sharing traditional meditative techniques in interfaith and secular settings for practitioners of all backgrounds. The author of One Bird, One Stone:108 Contemporary Zen Stories as well as three novels with Bantam Dell books, he is founder and director of The Sage Institute of Taos, NM, which hosts an innovative ecumenical Meditation and Mindfulness Leader Training Program. He also teaches meditation, creative writing, and literature for the University of New Mexico-Taos and many other venues. www.sagetaos.org www.murphyzen.com
Testimonials
“Sean Murphy is one of the most gifted mindfulness and meditation teachers I have ever known — and I
have known many! His decades of intensive practice and teaching combine with luminous intelligence,
quirky humor and a kind heart to create a potent, robust and transformational space for his students to
connect with their own innate wisdom and compassion — a true treasure.”
Mirabai Starr (author, Wild Mercy)”
“Sean Murphy is a superbly gifted and completely authentic Zen teacher. He combines profound scholarship with a radical intimacy that can only come from profound practice.”
Andrew Harvey (author, Journey to Ladakh, etc)
Additional Information
- Participants from all spiritual traditions and orientations are welcome in this webinar series as are those with all levels of spiritual experience.
- Each session will run 90 minutes. We understand that the timing of the seminar will not be convenient in every time zone on the planet. For those who have trouble making this time, a recorded copy of each session will be made available to all those who sign up.
- CEU credits are available for all those who participate. SDI will provide a certificate of completion for self-reporting to agencies. More information can be found here: continuing education units (CEUs).
- Cost: $99 for Student and Basic Members, with significant discounts for Enhanced and Premium SDI Tiers
- Scholarships are available for those facing financial hardship. Please apply here.
Valoraciones
No hay valoraciones aún.