A Year of Mindfulness

A Year of Mindfulness

Setting aside some dedicated time to pause and explore a personal mindfulness practice, creates unexpected ripple effects into all areas of our lives…

The Year of Mindfulness workshops were born out of the passionate belief that a teacher or parent creates, consciously or unconsciously, the heartbeat of a classroom or home. Whether the heartbeat races and promotes anxiety, or beats steadily and promotes calm, can be connected back to the adult’s ability to reflect, process, and ultimately operate from a clear mind and an expansive heart.

This series was born of my love for both working with children and exploring the gifts of Yoga. At first these were two separate endeavours but as my personal practice developed I became intrigued by the ripple effects I was seeing in the rest of my life, including my classroom and home. These ripples were not created because I was necessarily sharing practices with my friends, family, or students but rather sharing a more grounded and balanced version of myself.

This series has been running for many years and if you join us this Fall, you will have the special experience of being part of a community of like-minded teachers and parents. This series is perfect for classroom teachers, parents, caregivers, or anyone who lives or works with children.

Comments from past participants:

“A lot can happen in a month and with today’s pace of life, going to Roots Yoga Studio in Toronto to gather with a wonderful group of women and to have Dana facilitate an opportunity for us to slow down, breathe, get calm and grounded, is one of the best medicines one could ask for.  The gentle, caring, and thoughtful way in which Dana conducts herself creates a safe, excepting, and healing environment for all who come. Although it is not a group therapy session monthly, it is a place where prayer can happen; where spiritual growth can take place; where by engaging in the very act of meditation, healing can happen in its simplest form; stopping from the rushed pace of life and being in the moment, presently engaging in breathing in an environment that is a little like heaven, one can begin to heal; and certainly become rejuvenated.  I do not think there is a way to show the level of gratitude I have for these most special and treasured mindfulness meetings each month. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.” ~Julie

“I am just finishing my second “year of mindfulness” and have learned so many strategies for my own personal mindfulness practice, as well as how to support teachers in my work as a teacher educator.  Dana is truly inspiring, and she has created a space for us to feel open to converse, participate in meditations, engage in yoga practices and be enriched by the ongoing sense of community.  This has been a wonderful experience for me as a person and as an educator.  Through this course, I have become more aware of myself as a mindfulness educator and have, in turn, supported many teachers to truly understand the power of mindfulness in their own classrooms.” ~Brenda

Year of Mindfulness

This year-long series was created to support teachers and parents, who have completed Classroom Heartbeat Workshops or the Kid’s Yoga Teacher Training, in continuing their exploration of how a mindfulness practice can impact their personal and professional lives.

While the previous courses focus on self practices as well as ways to introduce mindfulness to children, the focus of this year shifts entirely to cultivating and deepening a personal practice.

Cost:

$339 (includes HST)

Please note: this course is limited to 16 participants. Please contact me at danachapman@beebirch.com to ensure there is space.

Please send an email money transfer to: danachapman@beebirch.com. Once it is received, you will receive an email confirming your enrolment. Space is limited so please register early if you are interested.

For more information:

Contact me at danachapman@beebirch.com  ~ 647.308.9123

“A pause is a suspension of activity, a time of temporary disengagement when we are no longer moving toward any goal…We stop asking, “What do I do next?” The pause can occur in the midst of almost any activity and can last for an instant, for hours or for seasons of our life. We may take a pause from our ongoing responsibilities by sitting down to meditate. We may pause in the midst of meditation to let go of thoughts and reawaken our attention to the breath. We may pause by stepping out of daily life to go on a retreat or to spend time in nature or to take a sabbatical. We may pause in a conversation, letting go of what we’re about to say, in order to genuinely listen and be with the other person. We may pause when we feel suddenly moved or delighted or saddened, allowing the feelings to play through our heart. In a pause we simply discontinue whatever we are doing—thinking, talking, walking, writing, planning, worrying, eating—and become wholeheartedly present, attentive and, often, physically still. You might try it now: Stop reading and sit there, doing “no thing,” and simply notice what you are experiencing.”

(Tara Brach ~ Radical Acceptance)