"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do, so throw off the bowlines, sail away from safe harbor, catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore, Dream, Discover.– Mark Twain
Weekly Wisdom #25
All we need, we already have. All we want to be, we already are. We are enough.
Building Self Esteem - A Mindful Parenting Exercise
Mindful Parenting Exercise:
The lesson that we are enough just as we are is such an important lesson to teach our children and to remind ourselves, as they struggle to figure out who they are and who they want to be. Adolescence, in particular, is a time when children are constantly judging themselves by comparing themselves to others or their own view of who they think they should be. We live in an age where children quantify their own worth by how many friends they have on Facebook or how many likes they have on Instagram. As parents, we need to encourage our children to look inside themselves to discover their own inherent worth and inner strength. We can do this by praising our children’s acts of love, compassion and kindness, and their willingness to try and take risks, rather than praising only their accomplishments. In doing so, we teach them to value the strength of their character rather than value only their achievements.
Exercise #1:
Try the following exercise at home with your kids. At dinner, ask each person at the table to take a piece of paper and write down five things that they love about themselves. Emphasize that these are for their eyes only. See what happens. It is interesting to see how easy or how difficult this can be. Parents should participate as well. There are no right or wrong answers and there is no need to share. This is simply an exercise to get people to acknowledge their strengths and foster a positive self-image. Younger children may find this easy and may ask if they can list more than five things. It is the teenagers and adults who may have difficulty making this list. Encourage everyone to participate and take pride in the fact that they love things about themselves. Another variation that might be easier for some, is to make a list of what they did well that day, something(s) they can be proud of.
Exercise #2:
Another wonderful family dinner exercise is to go around the table and have each person say something that they love about another family member. It can be as simple as loving the way someone laughs, loving the way they are tucked in each night, or loving the silly faces someone makes. Continue around the table as many times as you want, each time having one person speak about a different person at the table. This may foster some laughs, some love and some real boosts in self-esteem. It is also a practice in gratitude by recognizing the little things that others do each day that make us happy.
The Pursuit of Happiness
Happiness is a big topic these days. There are many happiness blogs and books that explore how we can achieve greater happiness in our lives. The emerging field of Positive Psychology, the study of happiness, has produced a large body of scientific research that helps us understand how we can be happier. Major universities, like the University of Pennsylvania, have their own Positive Psychology departments that conduct research on what makes happy people happy. Dr. Martin Seligman, thought to be the father of Positive Psychology, heads the Positive Psychology Center at the University of Pennsylvania. Where traditionally the field of Psychology focuses on mental illness or psychological problems and how to treat them, Dr. Seligman and his peers examine how ordinary people can become happier and more fulfilled. So, why is happiness such a “hot” topic these days? Research on the mental health and wellbeing of Americans may shed some light on the answer. Statistics show that anxiety and depression affect many Americans and that those numbers are growing. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in our country, affecting over forty million adults in the United States (18% of U.S. population). An estimated one in ten adults reports being depressed. In addition, anxiety disorders affect one in eight children in the United States and rates of depression and anxiety among young people in America have been increasing steadily for the past fifty years. Today, five to eight times as many high school and college students meet the criteria for diagnosis of major depression and/or an anxiety disorder when compared to half a century ago. These statistics suggest that in the United States, a country in which we have greater material wealth and individual freedom than most other countries in the world, we are increasingly unhappy.
So, why aren’t we happier?
Perhaps it is because we live in a culture where we never feel that we have enough, or that we are enough. We are always looking to get more, be more, have more. Our culture values extreme individualism and ambition as characteristics needed to achieve success, creating a culture in which the fear of failure runs rampant. In such a culture, we think that happiness is conditional upon our achievements. Although our goals are often quite concrete (being promoted at work, buying a new car, moving to a bigger house, winning a race, making a team, getting into an ivy league school, fighting for social justice), if we press further in our investigation, we will usually find that our ultimate goal is simply to be happy. As Tal Ben-Shahar, Harvard Professor and author of several books on Positive Psychology explains, “Wealth, fame, admiration and all other goals are subordinate and secondary to happiness; whether our desires are material or social, they are means toward one end: happiness.”
What the research shows is that the attainment of a particular goal to achieve greater happiness is misguided. The achievement of our goals may bring temporary joy, but it does not impact our overall level of happiness. For example, studies of both lottery winners and people who have been paralyzed reveal that people return to their same level of happiness (or unhappiness as the case may be) one year after the event. Our projected happiness (or unhappiness) after certain events is not what we actually experience. We have all experienced a situation where we work very hard to achieve a goal, are overjoyed in accomplishing that goal, only to emerge a short time after our goal is met asking ourselves, “What’s next?” We quickly realize that the happiness we felt after achieving that goal was merely temporary. We may even feel depressed when we realize that the achievement of our much-anticipated goal did not bring us the lasting happiness we desire.
So, how can we be happier?
Research suggests that 50% of our happiness is determined by our genetics, traits we are born with such as temperament. The good news is this leaves us with 50% to work with. Many researchers are looking at the effects of mindfulness practices and other cognitive exercises that can help us shape our reactivity and perceptions of ourselves and the world we live in. In other words, instead of looking externally at what we can accomplish next, what we lack and what we want to gain so that we can be happier, we can change our perception of who we are, what we want and how we react to our circumstances.
This pursuit of happiness is what Sharon Salzberg explores in her book Real Happiness. She explains, “Because the development of inner calm & energy happens completely within and isn’t dependent on another person or a particular situation, we begin to feel a resourcefulness and independence that is quite beautiful—and a huge relief.” In the practice of mindfulness meditation, Salzberg teaches people to look inside themselves in moments of quiet and accept things as they are. Those quiet moments help us to connect to our own inner strength, our compassion for ourselves and for others, and our ability to ride the tides of our own emotions. These qualities, which we all possess, can be fostered and strengthened simply by recognizing that they are already there.
Once we take the time to reconnect to who we really are, value our inner strengths and find a sense of peace and contentment in ourselves as we are, we are able to feel more happiness in our lives. We can foster our own feelings of optimism and gratitude, which will enhance our sense of well-being. With this new perspective, it is not the achievement of goals in which we seek to attain happiness; we already have a sense of happiness along the way as we pursue our goals. The relationship between happiness and success is reciprocal – not only can success contribute to happiness, but happiness also leads to success.
Weekly Wisdom #24
“We spend precious hours fearing the inevitable. It would be wise to use that time adoring our families, cherishing our friends and living our lives.” -― Maya Angelou
New York Times Article on Life's Hard Lessons
Check out this new article from the New York Times By Jane Brody on Life's Hard Lesson
Sharon Salzberg returns to join 2bpresent for Lovingkindness in the Face of Adversity-November 13th
We are thrilled to welcome back Sharon Salzberg to our mindful community for a fall evening exploring Lovingkindness in the Face of Adversity
Wednesday November 13th from 7:00-9:00pm
Mamaroneck, NY (location to be sent upon confirmation)
Sharon is one of America’s leading spiritual teachers and authors. She is cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society (IMS) in Barre, Massachusetts. She has played a crucial role in bringing Asian meditation practices to the West. The ancient Buddhist practices of vipassana (mindfulness) and metta (lovingkindness) are the foundations of her work.
During this evening we will explore the power of lovingkindness when we face our own physical challenge or illness, emotional upheaval, negativity from others, or unfairness in how we are being treated. We will look at lovingkindness and compassion as strengths rather than as submissive states, and talk about joining them with discerning action, wisdom, and our often untapped capacity for resilience. We'll practice meditation along with dialogue and discourse. Suitable for both beginning and more experienced meditators.
To Register Click Here
To be or not to be . . . present?
Weekly Wisdom #23
"Realize deeply that the present moment is all you ever have." - Eckhart Tolle
Be Where You Are
A recent New York Times article and YouTube video I Forgot My Phone left me wondering, how much of life are we missing out on when we are constantly turning our attention to that little screen? How often are we truly present where we are? Our minds are usually taking us elsewhere --- wandering back into our past or worrying about the future. It is a challenge for us to reign in our active minds and be fully present where we are. Now, with the help of technology, it has become easier and easier to be where we are not. We don't need the torrent of our thoughts to take us elsewhere, we have the help of our smartphones to whisk us away. How often do we feel a slight moment of boredom and immediately jump on our smartphones to avoid that brief moment of mental stillness? Instead of enjoying a momentary quiet interlude, we immediately look up the latest news stories, check in to see what our friends are doing on Facebook, or reply to our endless stream of emails. How often do we "leave" the people we are with to chat with, Instagram, or email those who are somewhere else? I am all for keeping in touch and social media is a wonderful way to stay connected, but I think it is important to remind ourselves and our children that we need to enjoy where we are and who we are with by resisting that ever present temptation to jump into the electronic cyberworld of being elsewhere.
How often have you been in a restaurant and watched a family eating "together" -- one child watching a DVD, a teenager texting friends and parents checking their email? Are they really enjoying each other's company or merely occupying space next to one another while engaging with someone or something elsewhere? The average teenager writes over 3,000 texts per month. With the soaring popularity of other forms of social media, their options are vast to live in a virtual world of communicating with a screen instead of with the people next to them. I wonder if our children are learning the art of conversation or merely mastering the art of internet slang? Will they learn to use their imagination and creativity in the face of a moment of boredom or merely power on when they want to disengage ? Do they know how to connect through eye contact or just through Instagram? Imagine what they could do with all of the time they spend on their smartphones and all that they are missing right in front of them.
As parents, we spend so much time teaching our children how to be "safe" online, and are so preoccupied with checking in on their internet conversations, that we may be missing the greater lesson of teaching them to simply power off. When they are unplugged and not constantly distracted, perhaps we can teach them the importance of making face to face human connections -- how to make polite conversation, use eye contact, be a good listener. These are the elements of creating real human connections that I hope will not be lost on the next generation. In addition, we all suffer from the affects of our constant multi-tasking -- lack of focus, inability to concentrate, uncontrollable mind wandering. In our distracted and fractured culture, where we are all wired up and constantly interupted by the beeps of our electronic devices, perhaps powering off will be the best lesson of all for our children's mental and emotional well being.
Do people really need to see the dessert I am eating on vacation or an artistic picture of my shoe or one more "selfie"? Will the world end if I don't respond to an email in the middle of a dinner conversation? Am I really enjoying the concert when I am preoccupied with taking a video of it to show everyone afterwards?
So, let's try to be where we are and enjoy who we are with. It is those moments in which we are truly present that are our most precious and most meaningful moments of all.
Foundations of Meditation
Foundations of Meditation - Join Janaki Pierson for an introduction to silent, seated, mantra-based meditation. The course will help establish the participants in the daily practice of meditation to experience the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual benefits. Each class is 90 minutes and includes a 20 minute silent, seated meditation. Instructor Janaki Pierson has taught silent, sitting, yogic meditation using mantra for over 30 years. She has been established in her own daily practice for 36 years. She teaches throughout New England and Pennsylvania in medical, educational, corporate and community settings. She has taught up to six meditation classes weekly through various departments of Greenwich Hospital over the past 18 years, as well as weekly classes at the Woodbury Yoga Center for 30 years.
New class starting February 27th!
A new class will begin this Thursday, February 27th and will meet on Thursdays at 12:15 pm.
For more information, please contact Janaki Pierson at janaki1021@gmail.com.
Winter 2014 Foundations of Meditation Class
Foundations of Meditation - Join Janaki Pierson for an introduction to silent, seated, mantra-based meditation. The course will help establish the participants in the daily practice of meditation to experience the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual benefits. Each class is 90 minutes and includes a 20 minute silent meditation. Instructor Janaki Pierson has taught silent, sitting, yogic meditation using mantra for over 30 years. She has been established in her own daily practice for 36 years. She teaches throughout New England and Pennsylvania in medical, educational, corporate and community settings. She has taught up to six meditation classes weekly through various departments of Greenwich Hospital over the past 18 years, as well as weekly classes at the Woodbury Yoga Center for 30 years.
Starting February 13th:
Class times for Winter 2014 will be Wednesday mornings -
5 weeks (omitting Feb. 20) beginning on Feb. 13 from 12:15-2:15pm in Larchmont. Our last class is March 20. We are not meeting on Feb. 20th b/c of school vacations.
For more information, please contact Janaki Pierson at janaki1021@gmail.com.
Mountain Meditation
Picture the most beautiful mountain you know, or know of or can imagine. One whose form speaks personally to you, focusing on the image or the feeling of that mountain. Noticing its overall shape, its lofty peak, the base of the mountain rooted in the earth, the steep or gently sloping sides. Notice how massive it is, how unmoving, how beautiful, whether seen from afar or up close. Maybe your mountain has snow at the top, and trees on the lower slopes. Perhaps it has one prominent peak or a series of peaks or a high plateau. However it appears, just sit for a moment with the image of this mountain. Observing it -- noting its qualities.
Throughout the day, as the sun travels the sky, the mountain sits. Lights and colors are changing moment by moment, the mountain just sits, motionless. As the light and shadows change, night follows day and day follows night. The mountain remains still as the seasons change, the weather changes, moment by moment and day by day, the mountain remains, abiding all change.
In summer, no snow may remain on the mountain, except perhaps a small bit of snow at the very top. In the fall, the mountain may display a coat of brilliant colors, in winter it may be covered by a blanket of snow or ice. In any season, it may at times find itself enshrouded in clouds or fog, or pelted by freezing rain. Visitors who come to visit may be disappointed that they cannot see the mountain clearly. But it’s all the same to the mountain, seen or unseen, in sun or clouds, broiling or frigid, it just sits being itself. At times, visited by violent storms, snow and rain and in strong winds. But through it all, the mountain sits.
Spring comes, and birds sing in the sun, leaves return to the trees, flowers bloom on the mountainside, and streams overflow with water from melting snow. Through it all, the mountain continues to sit, unmoved by the weather, by what happens on the surface, by the world of appearances.
When you feel ready, see if you can bring the mountain into your body, imagine you are the mountain.
Your head becomes the lofty peak, your shoulders and arms become the side of the mountain, your bottom and legs become the base, strongly rooted in the earth. The elevated quality of the mountain felt deep in your spine.
You are the mountain, unwavering in your stillness, a centered, rooted, unmoving presence.
As we sit holding this image in our minds, we can embody the same rootedness and unwavering stillness in the face of everything that changes in our own lives, over seconds, hours and years. In our lives, and in our mindfulness practice, we experience constantly the changing nature of mind, and body and the outerworld, we experience periods of light and darkness, vivid color and drab dullness, storms of various intensity and violence in our own lives and minds, and in the world around us. We endure periods of darkness and pain, as well as savory moments of joy and uplift, even our appearance changes constantly, just like the mountains, we experience the weather and a weathering of our own.
We can adopt this strength and stability of the mountain as our own. We can use it to encounter each moment with mindfulness, equanimity and stability. Our emotional storms and crises are more like weather on the mountain. We tend to take it personally, but its strongest characteristic is impersonal. It is not to be denied or ignored, but respected and acknowledged. But we can also acknowledge our own power, incredible strength and inner stillness that will allow us to recognize that storms will pass, the sun will shine, the weather changes, but we can weather the storms just like the mountain.
As the mountain, we remain still, strong and powerful, through whatever changes surround us.
Weekly Wisdom #22
"You miss 100 percent of the shots you never take." - Wayne Gretzky
Don’t Forget to Exercise Your Brain
Most of us make time each week to workout at the gym, attend a yoga class, or go for a run. Inspired by the effects of aging on our bodies, we are compelled to work out to stay healthy and fit. As we age, our metabolism slows down, our energy levels wane, and we notice sagging and wrinkles in areas that shouldn’t sag or wrinkle. These physical changes inspire us to hit the gym to combat these signs of aging. Not only do our bodies show the signs of aging, so do our brains. Although brain aging is not visible, and therefore less apparent, our brains shrink or atrophy as we age, and we lose our memory and our thinking abilities. But there is hope. New studies of the brain and aging have shown evidence that we can slow down brain aging and even strengthen our brains with the age-old practice of meditation.
Exciting research now reveals that the way we use our brain and care for it can enhance its neuroplasticity. Scientists use to believe that the human brain was a relatively static organ. But emerging studies reveal that we can actually change our brain structure throughout our life. Changes in behavior, environment and neural processes, can actually alter the neural pathways and synapses in our brain, changing the way our brain functions. Exciting new scientific studies, such as one conducted by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, use MRI scans to document before and after changes in the brain associated with mindfulness meditation. After eight weeks, the MRI scans revealed an increased density in areas of the brain associated with memory, self-awareness and compassion, and decreases in the amygdala, which is associated with fear and stress.
I recently attended the first Advances in Meditation Research Conference, where neuroscientists spoke of their recent research in which they studied the neurological effects of meditation on the brain. The results were inspiring. Although much of the discussion was highly scientific and too technical for my brain to fully comprehend, their conclusions were quite clear that meditation can have a positive effect on our brains. At the conference, researchers discussed their recent studies that showed evidence that meditation practices slow down the natural course of aging, effectively treat the onset of neurodegenerative diseases, such as dementia and alzheimers, and increase brain function in their test cases.
Mindfulness meditation, which requires focused attention for a prolonged period of time, may sound easy, but it requires tremendous effort and mental discipline. Anyone who has tried sitting quietly for twenty minutes knows that it is hard work. Just like going to the gym or running a few miles, meditation is difficult at first. Over time, however, that hard work pays off. Just like building biceps, we can strengthen our brain and slow down the effects of aging by committing to meditation and mindfulness excercises that are proving to be incredibly beneficial. So what are you waiting for?
Top Ten Mindfulness Tips from 2012
In 2012, we explored many ways to bring calm and joy into our lives. Here is a recap of some of our favorite tools to help us lead a more stress-free, joy-filled and meaningful life.
1. Breathe Deeply
That's our story and we are sticking to it - one of the simplest and most effective ways to calm down is through simple mindful breathing exercises. The simple act of taking a few long, deep breaths can work wonders on your body and your mind. Research has shown that the simple act of breathing deeply and fully can stop the release of stress hormones in the body and allow physical and neurological function to be restored to a normal state. Breathing deeply and mindfully helps stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system which triggers this relaxation response. By focusing your attention on your breath, you will also slow down the tornado of thoughts spinning around in your mind. So, try to stop for a minute or two each day, close your eyes and breathe deeply, inhaling fully through your nose and filling your lungs and belly as you inhale. Then, empty your chest and abdomen completely as you exhale. Repeat for a few minutes in the morning or throughout the day to find a bit of space, calm and relaxation wherever you are. Try it with your children and you will be teaching them a valuable way to calm themselves down in any stressful situation. It even helps at night to relax and unwind before bedtime, and get a better night sleep. So, in 2013, keep breathing deeply!
2. Do An Act of Kindness
Little acts of kindness not only brighten other people’s days, but can go a long way in increasing your own happiness. The new and emerging science of positive psychology, the study of happiness, shows that we can increase our own sense of wellbeing by making other people happy. So, share a smile with a stranger, help someone open a door, offer a helping hand to someone in need, and you will feel a wonderful sense of connection and joy.
3. Practice Mindful Listening
Often when we lend an ear to a child or a friend, we are in problem solving mode. We are analyzing, judging, or trying to fix something most of the time we are listening. The truth is that people just want to be heard and feel listened to. So, try some mindful listening by saying little, by looking into the other person’s eyes and by giving them your full attention - no texting, e-mailing or other distractions allowed. We all know that frustrating feeling when we are speaking and we can actually feel that the other person is not really listening to us. Rather, be a compassionate and fully present listener. What a wonderful gift to give a child, parent or friend. In doing so, you are also modeling mindful listening and may reap the benefits of that person learning to give you their full attention in return.
4. Think of Something You Did Well Each Day
At the end of each day, we often go through a list of all that we failed to accomplish and all that we did not do well. Instead, at the end of each day, make a list of all that you did right. We need to take the time to recognize and appreciate all that we accomplish each day, big or small. Whether it is taking some much needed time for ourself, making sure our children are clothed and fed, calling a friend that we haven’t spoken to in a while, or completing a project at work, we need to appreciate our efforts and recognize our worth. We may feel we are in a “thankless” job or situation, but the truth is there is great value in thanking ourselves on a job well done. So, each night make sure to think about something you did well each day – you deserve it!
5. Take Time for Yourself
As we mentioned in one of our first blogs, it is so important to put your own oxygen mask on first. We cannot find peace and calm in the world around us if we are not peaceful and calm ourselves. We cannot expect our children to be relaxed and joyful if we don’t model that behavior. So, it is essential to take a time out and make time for yourself. In the end, it is not only a wonderful opportunity to connect with yourself, but it will pay off many times over in how you interact with the world around you.
6. Keep a Gratitude Journal
We often get stuck in the monotony of our daily schedules and forget to take note of the extraordinary gifts we have in our lives. One way to get out of this rut, is to buy a small notebook and create a Gratitude Journal. This can be a personal journal or you can create a family gratitude journal, in which each member of the family can jot done one thing he or she is grateful for each day. You can also make this a family routine during dinner, with each person reflecting on something good that happened that day. Research has shown that by simply recalling a positive experience our bodies release pleasure hormones, which can give us an increased overall feeling of wellbeing.
7. Unplug
It is increasingly apparent that we are becoming a society addicted to our electronic devices, unable to go for 60 seconds without checking our e-mails, voicemails or texts. In 2013, challenge yourself to "unplug" for at least 30 minutes each the day, and during mealtimes. Make “screen free” time in which you turn off your devices, phones and computers. Although these are valuable tools in our modern world, they are also a source of distraction, increased stress, and huge energy zappers because they take us away from where we are and who we are with. Checking our messages while engaged in a conversation with someone sends a strong message to those we are with that they are not important or worthy of our attention. We must be mindful as well of the example we are setting for our children as we constantly check our devices while we are at a stoplight, while they are talking to us or during mealtime. We can’t ask them to unplug if we are not willing to do the same. So, take time each day to power off, so you can tune in and be fully present in the moment, before those moments pass you by.
8. Look into their Eyes
We have all heard that the Eyes are the Windows to the Soul. Try it out and see for yourself. Make a point of looking into the eyes of the person you are with. When saying “Good Morning” or “Thank you” to people throughout the day, look into their eyes and see if you notice a difference in how it feels. You can establish a much greater connection to the people around you by taking the time to stop and notice them by looking into their eyes. So often these days we are so busy doing other things, that we don’t take a few seconds to truly acknowledge the people around us. Try it and you will see that you can enrich your everyday experiences with your children, your colleagues and even total strangers by simply taking a brief moment to truly notice them.
9. Take a Walk in Nature
Enjoying nature is a great way to take a much-needed break in our busy, hectic lives. It offers us the opportunity to slow down, breathe deeply and clear our minds. When taking a walk, running, hiking, or walking the dog, try to be fully present where you are, rather than solve problems, make mental lists or think about your busy schedule, which takes you somewhere else. Use this time to clear your thoughts, appreciate where you are at that moment, and connect to the beautiful world around you.
10. Practice Acceptance
In 2012, we wrote about Letting Go of Expectations. The flip side of that lesson is to practice acceptance. Life is a roller coaster ride, full of ups and downs, great joys and great disappointments. If we can learn to accept that life is not perfect, we are not perfect, those around us are not perfect and we embrace those imperfections and accept people and situations as they are, life becomes much easier. We can learn to accept ourselves and the people in our lives for who they are, not who we want them to be. In doing so we learn to embrace and appreciate ourselves and others with an open heart and mind.
Mindful Living: An Introduction to Mindfulness and Meditation Practices
Are you feeling tired, a lack of focus and concentration and out of patience? Do you want to learn ways to slow down, clam down and find a greater sense of balance and happiness in your life?
Join us for Mindful Living: An Introduction to Mindfulness and Meditation
We will explore meditation and mindfulness practices that can be used everyday to help bring calm, clarity, connections and contentment into your daily life. Each class will consist of a discussion and practice.
Benefits of Mindfulness and Meditation include:
- Increasing your attention, focus and concentration
- Understanding your own stress reactions and how to minimize them
- Increasing your sense of balance and equanimity
- Fostering a greater connection in your relationships
- Enriched appreciation of the ordinary moments of life
- Learning to listen with kindness to yourself and those around you
- Improved sleep
Class Dates & Times: Tuesday evenings, November 19, 26, December 3 and 10, from 8 to 9:30 pm.
Location: Westchester Jewish Center, Rockland & Palmer Avenue, Mamaroneck, New York.
Investment: $140 members and $160 non-members
*This class is a prerequisite for classes we will be offering in 2014 on Meditation and Spirituality.
**Registration opening soon for this class.
Mindful Parenting Group
Join the Larchmont-Mamaroneck Community Counseling Center and 2bpresent for a
Mindful Parenting Group
for parents of middle school children
Five Sessions on Wednesday evenings
1/30, 2/6, 2/13, 2/27, and 3/6
7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
at the Larchmont-Mamaroneck Community Counseling Center
234 Stanley Avenue, Mamaroneck, NY
Cost: $250*
What is a Mindful Parenting Group?
The Mindful Parenting Group will combine the benefits of learning to develop a mindfulness practice with parenting support and education. Led by two experienced meditation and mindfulness practitioners and a psychologist, the goal of this group will be to help you bring calm, clarity, wisdom and joy into your daily life. It is the practice of using self-awareness to know how to slow down, think, and make decisions that will help both parent and child live with greater ease and happiness.
Benefits of Mindful Parenting:
- Understanding our own stress reactions
- Increasing calm and stability in ourselves and our children
- Fostering a greater connection between parent and child
- Increasing attention, focus and concentration
- Enriched appreciation of the ordinary moments of life
- Learning to listen with kindness to ourselves and our children
To register for this group, email us at mindfulparenting123@gmail.com. Space is limited.
*contact the LMCCC/Dr. Alan Dienstag at (698-7549) to request an adjustment if fee is a barrier to participation
Mindfulness for High School Students
Mindfulness for High School Students
Being a teenager in today's fast-paced, technology driven world can be difficult. School and social pressures can add tremendous stress and anxiety to their lives. Using mindfulness practices, we teach teens to look inward to find a peaceful, calm place that they can tap into at any time. Through guided meditations and mindfulness exercises we help teens increase their body awareness, teach tools for stress reduction and increase their overall sense of well-being.
Benefits of Mindfulness:
- Increase concentration, focus and attention
- Reduce stress and anxiety
- Increase resilience to change and self-esteem
- Foster a greater connection to self and to others
- Enriched appreciation of ordinary moments
Future class times to be announced soon. Private and semi-private sessions are also available.
For more information on this class, please contact us at info@2bpresent.com.
Weekly Wisdom #21
"The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention." - Oscar Wilde
