April 26: Guest Teacher - Stephen Burns

On April 26, our Monday evening gathering was led by Stephen Burns. Stephen is on faculty at the DePaul University School of Music and is the founder and Artistic Director of the Fulcrum Point New Music Project in Chicago. In addition to teaching a course in Mindfulness for Musicians, he has taught at the Chicago Shambhala Meditation Center for many years.

Those who wish to offer dana for Stephen’s teaching are encouraged to donate to the Shambhala Chicago Meditation Center.

Study Opportunity: Making Mindfulness a Habit (with Bridget Rolens)

Insight Meditation teacher Bridget Rolens is offering a new online-line course, “Making Mindfulness a Habit.” The course meets weekly on Wednesdays at 6:00 - 7:00 PM through May 5, 2021. The course is open to anyone who already has a basic understanding of mindfulness and wants to integrate it more fully into their lives.

For more information or to register, please contact Bridget at bridget.rolens@hshs.org or call 314-369-1391. The fee for the course is on a sliding scale ($15-$75), more or less as participants are able.

Bridget has provided the following description of the course:

Our habits create our lives. Where mindfulness has become a habit, we find ourselves more resilient in the face of the difficulties and challenges of life. This class will focus on building the habit of mindfulness through both formal and informal mindful practices. The class will include: goal setting; guided mindfulness practice; and discussion. Video recordings and guided meditations will be provided along with other class materials.

February 22: Guest Teacher - Bridget Rolens

This week's gathering is led by insight meditation teacher Bridget Rolens.

The theme of our evening is "Knowing and Letting Go." When Ajahn Chah was teaching, he'd say that practice is extremely simple: "Knowing and letting go. Knowing and letting go."  His student Ajahn Passano says, “We can turn to that place of clarity and simplicity. Knowing what's happening and then letting it go, releasing it.” In a spirit of inquiry, we will explore the burden of clinging to anything as “I, me, or mine” and the freedom of letting go.

Bridget has practiced insight meditation since 1997.  She teaches mindfulness meditation as a spiritual practice and as a tool for stress reduction. Bridget has certification as a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction teacher. Recognized by the Spirit Rock Teachers Council as a Community Dharma Leader, she leads a weekly insight meditation group and offers classes and retreats. Forty-five years of experience in healthcare and spiritual practices rooted in Christian, Buddhist and Twelve-Step Recovery traditions give Bridget a strong understanding of the connection between body, mind and spirit.

January 25: Guest Teacher - Alice Dan

"Meditation is a way of making friends with yourself," says Alice Dan, one of the Governing Council members of the 40-year-old Shambhala Chicago Meditation Center, for whom she teaches and leads meditation sessions.

Alice will be joining us a guest teacher on Monday, January 25.

Alice was the founding director of the Center for Research on Women and Gender and a longtime faculty member in the College of Nursing Program at the University of Illinois.

Participants wishing to offer dana for Alice's teaching are invited to make a donation to the Shambala Chicago Meditation Center.