FREE Weekly Worldwide Online Sit
-Jon Kabat-Zinn
Founder of MBSR and author of Full Catastrophe Living
Over years of teaching MBSR classes, Margaret and Rebecca have continually been asked this question by students—
"Is there a group I can connect with on a regular basis to help maintain and deepen my mindfulness practice?"
Rebecca started a weekly global online gathering during her time at the Center for Mindfulness precisely to address this need; both she and Margaret committed their Thursday mid-days to the online community that grew and flourished. Now the tradition continues at East Coast Mindfulness as the Worldwide Online Sit—a weekly gathering offered free of charge to all who have completed an MBSR or MBCT course, or who already have an established mindfulness practice.
Over the course of a 40-minute session, a teaching is offered, followed by meditation (the "sit," silent or guided) and optional group sharing. The Worldwide Sit also features occasional guest hosts with backgrounds in MBSR, mindfulness, or meditation.
The session is held every Thursday, 12:10 - 12:50PM US Eastern Time. Use the link below to register once for this free offering, after which you will be emailed a Zoom link so that you can participate. We’d love to have you every Thursday you’re able to be with us (and if you can't join us live, you can always watch videos of Weekly Worldwide Online Sit sessions on our Videos page).
Special guest on the August 27, 2020 Worldwide Online Sit:
Anne Twohig
Anne Twohig is from Dublin, Ireland and now lives in the beautiful seaside town of Greystones, south of Dublin where she enjoys long walks by the sea and hiking in the hills of County Wicklow. She is a certified MBSR teacher and teacher trainer and the founder of the Centre for Mindfulness Ireland, which she established in 2007. Anne trained with the Center for Mindfulness (CFM), University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMass), and was a member of their professional teaching faculty from 2014 to 2018. Anne is now an adjunct faculty member with UCSD.
Anne says about Mindfulness in these times of Covid-19 – ‘Of course I do not know how it would be for me making my way through these very challenging times without my practice of mindfulness, however, I feel sure that it would be much more difficult than it is. It feels like mindfulness was fashioned for these times. I remember hearing one of my earlier teachers say how the practice of mindfulness is like credit in the bank for when you need it and I now understand these words with much greater depth. I have also heard it said that in times of trouble, the practice will find you. I know this to be true. It is the many wonderful qualities gently held within this practice that makes it an essential and reliable lifelong companion.’
The session begins promptly at 12:10PM and ends at 12:50PM US Eastern Time.
Special guest on the September 17, 2020 Worldwide Online Sit:
Pam Erdmann
Pam Erdmann claims herself as the oldest (eighty-three!) living MBSR teacher on the planet! She trained in the late 80s with Jon Kabat-Zinn and Saki Santorelli at U. Mass Medical School, teaching in the hospital and in the Massachsetts Prison System and the New Hampshire Prison system. Pam taught and trained teachers at the University of Bangor, Wales for twenty years as well as supervising folks in Ireland, Scotland, China, Finland, Portugal and Greece.
What Pam has to say right now: 'I have found Mindfulness invaluable in dealing both with old age and a world burning up. Coming back to the breath and body when things seem to spring toward a dark, dark place is invaluable. Sometimes, it seems, practice is the only place to grasp sanity and calm. What a gift we have to invite others to learn these skills.'
The session begins promptly at 12:10PM and ends at 12:50PM US Eastern Time.
Feel inspired to make an offering to support the Worldwide Sit?
Totally optional, and always appreciated!