self care

5 posts

nourishing resilience

Image of Tree of Resilience in Big Bear California
The tree of resilience at Big Bear Retreat Center in California. Image description: interior view of an ancient cypress. The tree trunk is burned as if struck by lightning, the tree still thrives.

Since the beginning of 2023, I’ve been participating in Sacred Mountain Sangha‘s two year Dharmapala Training with my teachers Thanissara and Kittisaro.

Participating in the co-creation of a dedicated community has been deeply nourishing for me and inspired me to return to sharing my own meditation practice. It’s my hope that what’s been so nourishing for me may also be of benefit to others.

From September through December 2023, I’ll be offering space for silent midday meditation practice online Mondays from 12-12:30 (EST).

Nourish resilience by slowing down, allowing space for stillness at midday. Come through! No previous meditation experience is necessary. Basic meditation instruction and light guidance may be offered as needed. All are welcome.

For more information or to join, please contact me at double.earth.mindfulness [at] gmail [dot] com. I’ll send out links to join closer to the time. Be well!

Fall 2021 MBSR offerings

Beginning next month, Fall offerings are available. I’m offering two cycles of the 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course online.

Thursday evenings: September 9th through October 28th 6-8:30 pm EST
Friday afternoons: September 10th through October 29th 12-2:30 pm EST

The practice day for both sections will be on Sunday October 17th 9am -5pm.

What is MBSR? Originally used with patients experiencing chronic pain, MBSR has been of enormous benefit to people in addressing everything from routine daily stress to stress experienced as overwhelming. The majority of people who complete the 8-week program have reported a range of positive results from increased coping ability and decreased pain levels to greater energy and more joy.

MBSR online with Betsy Fagin Sept 9- Oct 28, 2021.

Through a variety of formal and informal mindfulness practices, participants will learn to bring awareness to thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations to cultivate the resources necessary to move through stress and reactivity with greater presence and ease. Creating space and flexibility to respond to life more fully.

MBSR online with Betsy Fagin Sept 10- Oct 29, 2021.

I’ll give more detailed information about MBSR’s history and an overview of the course in the free orientation sessions. There’s also more information available here. Attendance at an orientation session for these Fall offerings is required to participate in the course. Orientations will take place Thursday September 2nd 6-8:30 pm EST and Friday September 3rd 12:2:30 pm EST.

Pricing

There are many things to consider in establishing a pricing scale. I value the course highly and have seen the benefits of the practice in my own life and in the lives of many others. For that reason, I want to make it available to as many people as possible. I also value my own time, training and have life costs that need to be met. Balancing these considerations, I’m currently offering tiered pricing for the 8-week course on par with other offerings in NYC. Fees (including materials and all-day retreat) are $600 – $500 – $400.

Paying at the supporting side of the scale subsidizes those who may not otherwise have access to the course. Please reach out if the regular pricing tiers are not accessible to you right now. I offer at least one free space per course, based on need.

To register for the course or attend the free orientation session, contact me at double.earth.mindfulness@gmail.com.

balance

Moving into April, I’m just finishing up an 8-week MBSR cycle at Mindful Leader. I’ve decided to put a hold on my upcoming offerings in the spring so that I can regroup and resource to get back to balance. It’s my intention to offer another MBSR cycle in the Fall.

Betsy stands in a yoga balance pose (Warrior III/Virabhadrasana III) on a beach
Betsy stands in a yoga balance pose (Warrior III/Virabhadrasana III) on a beach

In the meantime, there’s a brief meditation from me available for folks to enjoy on the Mindful Leader site. If you have any questions about upcoming offerings (or anything else) please reach out.

Fall 2020 cycle

The next cycle of the 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) will meet on Saturdays 12:00-2:30 pm EST from September 12 – November 7, 2020 with an all-day practice session Saturday October 24th 9:30-5:00 pm EST.

The first step to registering for the 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course is to attend the free Orientation Session August 29th at 12:00 pm EST to find out if the course is right for you now.

For more information, contact double.earth.mindfulness@gmail.com.

Summer 2020 cycle

Stress-free Summer? Is that even possible? Probably not, but you can learn some tools and practices to help reduce stress and relate differently to the challenges life brings. The next cycle of the 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction course begins online via Zoom August 5, 2020. Join the free orientation session July 29th 6:30 pm EST to find out if the course is right for you now. For more information, contact double.earth.mindfulness@gmail.com.

Upcoming Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction course begins August 5, 2020
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction begins August 5, 2020