MEDITATION RETREAT DAY: MEETING OURSELVES AND THE WORLD WITH STEADINESS
WITH ELISABETH SCHRAMM
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 9TH, 10AM – 4PM
ST. BRIGID’S VILLA, IGNATIUS JESUIT CENTRE, GUELPH
Meditation is a way of coming home to ourselves, to reconnect with what it is to live in this human body. On a day-long retreat we are briefly free of the roles and responsibilities we have in daily life. The support of sangha, walking and mindful movement, in a way that is welcoming to all, including those who have never attended a day-long. Everyone is encouraged to practice in a way that feels supportive. The schedule will include a 90 minute lunch period, to enjoy mindfully eating, with time to walk the trails, or rest in the retreat centre.
$90 plus Dana (donation), includes a simple catered lunch. A sliding scale is available so that no one is excluded.
Please contact Elisabeth Schramm directly to register: elisaschramm@gmail.com
Meditation Classes & Weekly Sits
These classes (with the exception of Earth Meditation) are On-Line.
Following the 2,500-year-old Buddhist tradition, the teachings are considered priceless and so are offered freely. We practice dana, or generosity, by offering a donation for the meditation teachings. Dana is not a payment for goods or services, but comes from the heart. For Elisabeth’s classes, please send e-transfer to elisabethschramm@gmail.com.
Sunrise Meditation Online
Wednesdays 7am – 7:45am
You can attend by simply clicking on the Zoom Link here: SUNRISE MEDITATION
Arrive on your cushion in the stillness of the morning and begin your day with a settled body and open mind. The session will begin with brief teaching and instructions informed by the Buddha’s teachings. Some guidance is offered during stationary meditation practice (seated or reclined) which is about 30 minutes. For those who have the flexibility in their schedule, there will be time for discussion (inquiry) until 8:00 a.m. Please feel welcome to attend even if you need to sign off early.
In the Buddhist spirit of dana (generosity) these classes are offered freely. Any donation toward the classes would be welcomed and can be made directly to Elisabeth. Please send e-transfer to elisabethschramm@gmail.com.
Metta Mondays 7:30pm – 8:30pm
You can attend by simply clicking on the Zoom Link here: METTA MONDAYS
A hybrid class offered simultaneously with 2 registration links. Specifiy whether you will attend on zoom or in person (you will receive the address after registering).
These times require revoluntionary love and care for ourselves, one another and the earth. In these sessions we engage with the Brahmaviharas in various ways and perhaps discover that lovingkindess, compassion, appreciative joy and equanimity are already present. “Hatred never ceases by hatred, but by love alone is healed; this is the eternal law.” (Dhammapada)
In the Buddhist spirit of dana (generosity) these classes are offered freely. Any donation toward the classes would be welcomed and can be made directly to Elisabeth. Please send e-transfer to elisabethschramm@gmail.com.
Earth Meditation
Sundays from 8:00am – 9:00am
In Hillcrest Park, Guelph – drop in, rain or shine. Why meditate amid worry about the climate crisis? The uncertaintly and pain we are experiencing is an invitation to cherish this world and to meet ourselves with kindness and compassion as we navigate these challenging times. Practicing mindfulness meditation outdoors, seated on the earth we directly experience how we are supported each moment by the earth. We are not separate from the earth and her creatures, we are ourselves nature. From this steady place we might realize how to care for the earth as we care for ourselves. We may even be inspired to engage in eco-activism. Simple instruction and support offered. All are welcome to practice sitting, standing or walking. Freely offered.
Caregiver and Bereavement Support
Tuesdays 7:30pm – 8:30pm
Offered in collaboration with True North Insight Meditation. If you are caring for a loved one during these turbulent times, we invite you to join with others to nourish yourself in the supportive company of other care-givers. An opportunity to connect & practice meditation in a welcoming space. This group is appropriate for all. We meet virtually on zoom.
Meditative Counseling
With Ken Hood
“Change your mind. Change your life.”
I am offering a new form of support and practice, called Meditative Counseling. Drawn from over 30 years of working with people one-on-one and in various sized groups and settings, it generally involves a combination of conversation (inquiry). meditation and practical instruction. This approach can be short or long term i.e. weeks, months, even years; weekly or bi-weekly and in-person or on-line. Whatever works best for you!
During our time together, we will identify the area(s) of life where you are having difficulty, or want to excel even more, through greater focus, mental clarity, self-compassion, resilience and skillfulness. Together we will create a customized “bundle” of re-frames, meditations and mind-training practices for you to do this. I personally believe that in this age of distress, distraction, information overload and dopamine addiction, if you are not intentionally training your mind, you are in a real sense falling behind!
People who reach out to me are often working with:
a feeling of being stuck.
challenges at home or at work.
the loss of a meaningful orientation to life.
serious illness injury or a related loss of capacity.
a mental challenge.*
the prospect of dying and death, yourself or with someone you love.
the strangeness and uncertainty of these times, which includes the looming distress of climate change, late stage capitalism and other aspects of the poly-crisis that we are living through.
[*Meditative Counseling is not therapy or psychotherapy, but it can be used to complement it. Meditation is not recommended if you are experiencing a psychosis or serious delusional states, and should be used very, very carefully in trauma work.]
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I have also been finding some interest by clients, in studying Buddhist ideas and practices, mostly in a non-religious way!
Sessions are usually a little over an hour, and cost $100 which includes HST
A sliding scale is available, depending on need.
If you have any questions or want to book a session, please contact me at jacquie.ken@gmail.com