Tampa Sangha
History and Description: The Tampa group was founded in 1997 by four people who attended a Thich Nhat Hanh retreat in Key West. Dancing Waters Sangha practiced in the engaged Buddhism tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh and met weekly for meditation, mindfulness practice and Buddhist teachings. Since 2005, our teacher, Fred Eppsteiner, has taught twice a month at our sangha meetings, and our group has been known officially as the Tampa Sangha of the Florida Community of Mindfulness.
Location: FCM Practice Center, 6501 N. Nebraska Avenue, Tampa, FL 33604, between Hillsborough and Sligh Avenues. Turn east on Lambright off of Nebraska, then make immediate left into parking lot.
Contact: If you have any questions, please email us at info@floridamindfulness.org
Weekly Sangha: Group Meditation & Dharma Talk
When and Where: The Tampa Sangha meets every Sunday morning from 10:00 am to noon (please try to arrive about 15 minutes early). Come upstairs and remove your shoes in the Meditation Hall foyer. Enter the Meditation Hall quietly and settle in.
Beginning at 10:00 am, we practice mindfulness sitting meditation for 30 minutes, walking meditation for about 15 minutes, and then listen to a Dharma talk or participate in a Dharma discussion. We end with time for tea and informal socializing.
Wednesday Evening Qigong & Mindful Movements
When and Where: Every Wednesday evening from 6:15 pm to 6:45 pm (please arrive about 10 minutes early). Come downstairs and remove your shoes in the Meditation Hall foyer, then join us in the downstairs Hall.
Qigong is Chinese yoga and meditation that involves gentle but surprisingly effective ways of moving and caring for the mind and body. It involves low-impact exercises drawn from Daoism, Buddhism, traditional Chinese health practices, and even Asian martial arts traditions. We will do 30 minutes of simple warm-up exercises and short movement forms to stretch and condition our bodies and prepare for the seated and reclined practices of the Relax & Renew meditation session that will follow. Appropriate for beginners and people with more experience. Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing if you can, but come as you are--all the movements we do can be modified so that you can do them in pretty much anything you are wearing and in pretty much whatever shape you think your body is in.
Wednesday Evening "Relax & Renew"
When and Where: Every Wednesday evening from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm (please try to arrive about 10 minutes early. Come upstairs and remove your shoes in the Meditation Hall foyer. Enter the Meditation Hall quietly and settle in.
We will practice deep relaxation, loving kindness meditation, and other guided meditations, so please bring a yoga mat or help yourself to an extra sitting mat from the foyer.
Thursday Evening "Gentle Yoga Class"
When and Where: Every Thursday evening from 7:00 pm to 8:15 pm (please try to arrive about 10 minutes early). Come upstairs and remove your shoes in the Meditation Hall Foyer. Class is in the upstairs Hall.
Relax, stretch, replenish your mind, body, and spirit in this very gentle yoga class. Find comfort in your meditation seat by bringing flexibility and joint freedom into your practice. Experienced yoga teacher, Val Spies (owner of the Lotus Pond Center for Yoga and Health) will be teaching this class at the FCM center every Thursday.
Classes are $15 each / $58 for 5 / or $108 for 10. Class packages are valid at FCM and the Lotus Pond. For more information about this or other classes and events hosted by the Lotus Pond, please call the Lotus Pond at 813-961-3160 or visit their website: www.lotuspondyoga.com.
