MEDITATION & PHILOSOPHY


 

MEDITATION & MINDFUL MOVEMENT

every Thursday morning from 7:30-8:15 AM
with Margaret Fletcher

Gather with those who are interested in pursuing and strengthening a meditation practice. We will spend a short period in guided gentle movement, followed by sitting together in silence, and ending with a brief group closing. Street clothes are appropriate for this class. Our intention is to create a time and space where anyone can begin the day in peace and collectedness. The downtown Concord community is welcomed and encouraged to come and try meditation.
 

Margaret Fletcher is the founding director of WellAware, whose mission is to foster health, well-being and effectiveness for individuals, companies and organizations, through the cultivation of mindfulness. Margaret is enrolled in the professional certification program for Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction at the University of Massachusetts Medical School’s Center for Mindfulness. In 2008 she was invited by her teacher, Norman Scrimshaw, to share the teachings of the dharma through White Mountain Sangha, a NH spiritual community for those investigating the truth of being in this human life. Margaret received her 200-hour RYT with Maureen Miller and teaches yoga philosophy and meditation at Living Yoga Studio in Concord, NH. You can read Margaret’s writings on the art of awakening at her blog,stumblingawake.blogspot.com.
 

Cost for this class:
Monthly members participate for free. Class-pass members may use their pass or offer a $10 donation.
Anyone with sincere interest will not be turned away because of an inability to pay.

 

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Community Satsang

 Dates: Friday, 1/13
Time: 7:00 - 8:30pm
Suggested donation: $10


If you are interested in developing your yoga practice and would like to explore yoga both on and off the mat, Living Yoga offers you the opportunity to begin or continue your Meditation practice. Margaret Fletcher will lead these gatherings once a month by bringing her own curiosity about living her yoga and she invites the community to a explore a more intimate look at their own practice.

In this time together, there will be a guided meditation, a talk by the teacher, and time for question-and-answer on any topic of sincere interest to those gathered. This type of gathering is also known as satsang, which is a Sanskrit term that translates as "gathering in truth." The format, grounded in meditation, invites participants to know silence in a deep and nurturing way, and calls them to fearlessly investigate truth through their own personal experience.

For more information about Margaret Fletcher and White Mountain Sangha, please visit:

www.whitemountainsangha.org


 See comment below from a student who attended an 8-week session with Margaret.

 "As a beginning yoga student, this class was invaluable for me because it helped me understand the intellectual, spiritual, and emotional aspects of yoga that make asana practice meaningful and sustainable. I started the class because I wanted to exercise regularly, and for the first time, I have found physical movement that engages my whole person. I've also learned how to breathe correctly. Margaret's gentle wisdom, calm demeanor, thoughtful teaching, and personal warmth helped our class coalesce as a community. I walked away each week with an overwhelming sense of reverence and gratitude. I honestly feel like a better and more joyful person as a result of this class. Thank you."



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Sanskrit and Chanting -- Level 1



 "Join us as we begin to dive into the journey of understanding the language
that these yoga practices are steeped in.”

with Beth-Aime Labonte


 Saturday's, 1/14 - 2/04
Time: 11:00am-1:00pm
 Registration form coming soon!
 

Sanskrit is the language upon which yoga was built; from ancient spiritual texts, to mantras, to asana names. Using Sanskrit is a little like honoring an ancestor. This ancient Indian language is believed to date back to the 2nd millennium B.C., when knowledge was handed down through the generations verbally;
a method called shruti parampara.

In this five week course we will begin to learn the proper pronunciations of the asanas names in the Intermediate Series of Ashtanga Yoga; learn more diacritical marks and practice our writing skills for example how two consonants join, what a pure consonant is, proper 'R' placement, and begin to write and translate the devangari script. We will diving deeper into the Samadhipada (Book 1. of the Yoga Sutras) as we practice call and response chanting of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali along with a few select Vedic and common mantras and each class will end with guided Yoga Nidra in a restorative posture of your choice as we review the select mantras and sutras from the day to soothe the mind and return it to its natural state of tranquility and joy.

This course is a must for the yoga teacher! Students will leave with the tools to bring a mantra practice to their existing asana practice as well as the confidence to lead a call and response mantra in a group setting. There will be light homework to support the material throughout the session course.

 Level 1 prerequisite: Students must have some prior knowledge of a mantra practice and the Sanskrit alphabet or have attended the Introduction to Sanskrit and Chanting course in order to attend this 5 week class.
Please bring: notebook, two different colored pens, and please wear comfortable clothing.

 

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Level 2 Reiki Certification 1-day course

with Stacey Gibbons


Date: Sunday, 1/29
Time: 11:00am-6:00pm
 Cost: Early Bird special is $190 if paid by 1/11; after 1/11 cost is $200
Click here for registration form.

The word Reiki (ray-key) is made of two Japanese words...Rei and Ki. Rei means supernatural force or spiritual intelligence. Ki means life energy. Reiki is a natural healing technique the makes use of the laying-on of hands. It is thought to have originated in Tibet thousands of years ago and was rediscovered by Dr. Mikao Usui, a Japanese Buddhist monk in the nineteenth century. Reiki is not taught in the way that other healing techniques are taught. The ability to do Reiki is simply transferred to the student by the Reiki Master during the attunement process. Because of this, virtually anyone can learn Reiki with no prior experience or ability necessary. It is an amazing energy that comes directly from the highest spiritual source. It has its own innate intelligence. It is multi-dimensional and will help heal the cause of a problem on whatever level it may exist...body, heart, mind, or spirit. Reiki can be used alone or along with Massage Therapy and/or other healing modalities. Yoga Instructors can expect a heightened awareness while teaching and adjusting their students.

About the teacher:
Stacey Gibbons is the Owner and Director of Earth and Sky Yoga in Wolfeboro, NH. Stacey is certified in Forrest Yoga, Power Vinyasa Flow, and Hatha Yoga, and has trained with Manju Jois in the Ashtanga system of yoga. She most recently attended the Advanced Forrest Yoga Teacher Training in Cranston, Rhode Island. In addition to her Master certifications in Traditional Reiki and Karuna Reiki, Stacey has also trained in Shamanic, Light and Sound, and Stewardship of the Earth Practices with Cie Simurro. She also received her Advanced certification in Kolaimni Healing as taught by Grandmother Mechi of Cherokee descent. She also holds her training with Levity LaughingStar very dear to her as Levity is a Master Healer in multiple disciplines including Native American Wisdom. Stacey is the Holistic Health Educator for The Kingswood Youth Center and is responsible for creating "The Wilderness Within", a nine week credit course offered to high school students that combine a Reiki certification, Native American Wisdom, Yoga and yoga philosophy, and meditation. This course is school board approved. Stacey brings humor and compassion into her classes and intuitively guides her students into their own healing space with Forrest Yoga.

 

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Yoga & Wellness



with Maureen Miller, E-RYT and Certified Life Coach

Mondays, 2/20 - 3/12
Time: 6:15-8:00pm

Registration form and details coming soon!
"Living your life on purpose."
Do you want to live your life on purpose, with intention? In this four week session we will practice gentle yoga as well as introduce yoga breathing techniques, meditation, journaling and yoga mudras. Each week will also have a personal development focus to help identify what is important to us living our lives off the mat. We will identify personal core values and beliefs to examine if we are living in alignment with what is truly important to us. We will discuss balancing all aspects of our lives (career, relationships, health, personal/spiritual development, financial) and consider changes we may want to make to live in alignment with our values and beliefs.

You may have seen glimpses in your life where you live your life on purpose, you may be living in full alignment with your core values or this may all be new to your way of thinking. Wherever you are at is perfect – this four week session is for anyone who is dealing with change in their life or for those who simply want to pay more attention to their life choices.