The foundation for the 2600 year unfolding of the Way of Buddha are the sutras. Sutras purport to be the original teachings of the Buddha, given in myriad different circumstances and the various different audiences. For those of us currently encountering Dharma in an American context, being exposed to these early teachings from the Buddhist Mahayana tradition is both instructional and inspiring. They are all informed by Shakyamuni’s Great Enlightenment and his skillful application of this wisdom through his teaching methods.

Starting next week, live in our Meditation Hall and online at 7:15 pm, on Tuesday and Thursday evenings January 13th, 15th, 20th, and 22nd, Fred will be reading and commenting from various Sutras that are the wellspring of many of the teachings that are practiced in our Dharma community. While he will be offering only a tiny sampling of this immense written tradition, his choices will be made with the hope to stimulate the hearers interest in undertaking their own journey within the vast Buddhist Sutra tradition.

There is no fee for these classes and no registration is needed as this is an offering from Fred to the community, FCM members and non-members alike.

Video Link https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3296243465?pwd=bUo1aFVQblhhbUFpZmZTci9EK0daZz09

Dial-In # 1-646-558-8656

Meeting ID# 329 624 3465

Passcode is metta

There is no registration for this Pop-Up - Simply show up!

With Fred Eppsteiner

Date: Saturday, January 24, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm

Registration Deadline: January 17 for in-person, January 22 for online.
Suitability
Anyone wishing to become more aware of and be free of the stories that unnecessarily bind them and cause them suffering. This workshop is open to both members and non-members and is offered in person and online.

Description

No matter how we may appear to others outwardly, often our internal world is an endless jumble of narratives and stories. Stories about ourself and others. Stories about our supposed past and imagined future. Stories about the world. Good stories and bad stories. Uplifting stories and depressing stories. On and on and on. Lost in these stories about ourselves and life (ruminating/obsessing), we are unconsciously conditioning our mind states and emotional states, and effecting our relationship with ourself and others. What to do?

In this workshop, Fred will help participants clearly identify the stories that consume and bind their inner life and present them with an alternative way of being that allows greater freedom, openness, and satisfaction. Based on Buddhist psychology and mindfulness and meditative techniques, Fred will offer participants a clear and practical path to begin living in real life. Without the distracting inner voice of the story-making self constantly narrating our life, emotional stability and inner peace becomes more readily available to us.

Course Instructor

Our Teacher Fred Eppsteiner will be using his training as a family therapist, plus his experience as a meditation and Dharma teacher, to create a challenging and opening environment for workshop participants to learn practical and easily applicable means to facilitate the workshop’s goals. Theoretical and psychological presentations, mindfulness practice, and guided experiential meditations will all be utilized during the workshop.

Fred has been a student of the psychology of Buddhist meditation for over 50 years, and was a psychotherapist for more than 30 years. He has trained extensively in the Buddhist meditative traditions the U.S. and Asia. He received permission to teach from Thich Nhat Hanh in 1994 and is the editor of two books: The Path of Compassion and Interbeing.

Fees

This workshop is presented by the Florida Community of Mindfulness at our Practice Center, 6501 N. Nebraska Ave in Tampa. The fee for this workshop is $115 In-person and $100 Online. Reduced rates are available for individuals needing financial support.

Cancellation Policy:  An administrative fee of $20 will be charged for in-person registrations cancelled after January 17.

Contacts for More Information
If you have any questions about this class, please e-mail us at info@floridamindfulness.org or call 813-237-0746.

“David has reached our hearts. With voices like his still singing, there’s a certainty that the candle will remain lit, the hope reasserted, and the dream still sung...”

- Peter Yarrow

(Peter, Paul, & Mary)

David’s songs have found their way to Carnegie Hall, the United Nations, several Chicken Soup for the Soul books, the Kennedy Center, NASA’s Space Shuttle “Atlantis”, Peter, Paul, & Mary and Kingston Trio CDs, (and 15 of his own), the Rise Up Singing and Rise Again songbooks, and countless venues in this and other countries (and now other WORLDS) for more than three decades. Poignant to improbable, holistic to hilarious, the Chicago native visits Tampa on his annual Florida tour.

For more information about David Roth:

For more information, please contact peggyfcm6501@gmail.com

Dates

Class is Feb 15, 12:30 to 2:00 pm, in person only in Tampa Meditation Hall
Ceremony is March 15, 9:30 to 11:30 am, in person only in Tampa Meditation Hall
Registration Deadline:  February 9
Suitability

FCM members who are interested in learning more about making a formal commitment to follow the Buddhist path of practice.

Description

Since the time of the Buddha, people have expressed their commitment to follow the Buddhist path of practice by taking refuge in the Three Jewels and by receiving transmission of the five Buddhist Precepts or Trainings. Our teacher, Fred, was formally authorized by Thich Nhat Hanh to transmit the Refuges and Trainings.

Fred will be conducting a Transmission Ceremony at the Tampa Practice Center on Sunday morning, March 15, for any FCM members, including teenagers 13 years and older, who wish to formally Take Refuge and receive the Five Mindfulness Trainings. He will also be transmitting the Two Promises for younger children. As Fred believes this is an important step in one’s spiritual development, you must be present in person at the Center in order to take Transmission.

Taking Refuge

Taking Refuge means to take refuge in the Three Jewels—the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. By taking refuge we express our trust in our own capacity to awaken, in the path of practice and mindful living, and in the sangha community to provide a refuge of safety, guidance, and support.

In the Thich Nhat Hanh tradition, this is expressed as:

I take refuge in the Buddha, the one who shows me the way in this life.

I take refuge in the Dharma, the path of understanding and love.

I take refuge in the Sangha, the community that lives in harmony and awareness.

Further information on Taking Refuge can be found on the FCM website under Formally Entering the Path.

The Five Mindfulness Trainings or Precepts

Thich Nhat Hanh has formulated the traditional five Buddhist precepts as The Five Mindfulness Trainings. They provide the basis for living in ways that create happiness and relieve suffering for ourselves and for others. They are not authoritative rules imposed from the outside but rather guidelines for reflecting on our own actions and their consequences in order to live a more consciously aware life. The Five Mindfulness Trainings can be found on the FCM website under Resources.

The Two Promises for Children
The Two Promises are the mindfulness trainings developed by Thich Nhat Hanh for children. Children of FCM members who are in elementary school (grades 1-5) and middle school (grades 6-8) are eligible to receive Transmission of the Two Promises on March 15. If you are interested please contact Karuna by February 7 at Karunaee@gmail.com. The preparation session for Transmission of the Two Promises will take place during the Family Program, and on zoom, if needed. You will find the Two Promises under the Family and Teen Program on our website.

The preparatory class will provide further explanation of the Three Refuges and the Five Mindfulness Trainings, explore ways they can be manifested in our daily lives and offer opportunities for questions and answers. Registering and attending the class does not obligate you to Take Refuge or Transmission.  You are welcome to attend if you are just interested in learning more about these two practices and traditions that are integral to the Buddhist path.

Fees

There is no fee for this class or Ceremony.

Registration Notes

You must register and attend one of the two classes in order to participate in the Transmission Ceremony on March 15.

The ceremony on March 15 will be the only time the Transmission Ceremony will be offered. To receive transmission, you must be present in person at the Tampa Practice Center or on zoom for the ceremony.

Teenagers 13 and older who are children of FCM members are eligible to take the Five Mindfulness Trainings at the same time as the adults. Parents, pleaser register for one of the preparatory classes and put your teen’s name and age in the indicated box in the registration form.

Contacts for More Information

If you have any questions about this Intensive program or whether it is appropriate for you, please contact Diane Powell at diane.powell2010@gmail.com.

Dates

Class is Feb 16, 7:00 to 8:30 pm, online only on Zoom
Ceremony is March 15, 9:30 to 11:30 am, in person only in Tampa Meditation Hall
Registration Deadline:  February 9
Suitability

FCM members who are interested in learning more about making a formal commitment to follow the Buddhist path of practice.

Description

Since the time of the Buddha, people have expressed their commitment to follow the Buddhist path of practice by taking refuge in the Three Jewels and by receiving transmission of the five Buddhist Precepts or Trainings. Our teacher, Fred, was formally authorized by Thich Nhat Hanh to transmit the Refuges and Trainings.

Fred will be conducting a Transmission Ceremony at the Tampa Practice Center on Sunday morning, March 15, for any FCM members, including teenagers 13 years and older, who wish to formally Take Refuge and receive the Five Mindfulness Trainings. He will also be transmitting the Two Promises for younger children. As Fred believes this is an important step in one’s spiritual development, you must be present in person at the Center in order to take Transmission.

Taking Refuge

Taking Refuge means to take refuge in the Three Jewels—the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. By taking refuge we express our trust in our own capacity to awaken, in the path of practice and mindful living, and in the sangha community to provide a refuge of safety, guidance, and support.

In the Thich Nhat Hanh tradition, this is expressed as:

I take refuge in the Buddha, the one who shows me the way in this life.

I take refuge in the Dharma, the path of understanding and love.

I take refuge in the Sangha, the community that lives in harmony and awareness.

Further information on Taking Refuge can be found on the FCM website under Formally Entering the Path.

The Five Mindfulness Trainings or Precepts

Thich Nhat Hanh has formulated the traditional five Buddhist precepts as The Five Mindfulness Trainings. They provide the basis for living in ways that create happiness and relieve suffering for ourselves and for others. They are not authoritative rules imposed from the outside but rather guidelines for reflecting on our own actions and their consequences in order to live a more consciously aware life. The Five Mindfulness Trainings can be found on the FCM website under Resources.

The Two Promises for Children
The Two Promises are the mindfulness trainings developed by Thich Nhat Hanh for children. Children of FCM members who are in elementary school (grades 1-5) and middle school (grades 6-8) are eligible to receive Transmission of the Two Promises on March 15. If you are interested please contact Karuna by February 7 at Karunaee@gmail.com. The preparation session for Transmission of the Two Promises will take place during the Family Program, and on zoom, if needed. You will find the Two Promises under the Family and Teen Program on our website.

The preparatory class will provide further explanation of the Three Refuges and the Five Mindfulness Trainings, explore ways they can be manifested in our daily lives and offer opportunities for questions and answers. Registering and attending the class does not obligate you to Take Refuge or Transmission.  You are welcome to attend if you are just interested in learning more about these two practices and traditions that are integral to the Buddhist path.

Fees

There is no fee for this class or Ceremony.

Registration Notes

You must register and attend one of the two classes in order to participate in the Transmission Ceremony on March 15.

The ceremony on March 15 will be the only time the Transmission Ceremony will be offered. To receive transmission, you must be present in person at the Tampa Practice Center or on zoom for the ceremony.

Teenagers 13 and older who are children of FCM members are eligible to take the Five Mindfulness Trainings at the same time as the adults. Parents, pleaser register for one of the preparatory classes and put your teen’s name and age in the indicated box in the registration form.

Contacts for More Information

If you have any questions about this Intensive program or whether it is appropriate for you, please contact Diane Powell at diane.powell2010@gmail.com.

With Fred Eppsteiner and Angie Parrish

Every moment of life – through our our speech, our actions, and particularly the thoughts we entertain – we are creating the basis for our future happiness or unhappiness. The Buddha called this truth, this reality of cause & effect - karma. Essentially, when we think, speak or act from a wholesome place – from motivations that are generous, kind and wise – we create the conditions for happiness for ourselves and others, both now and in the future. And when our actions spring from unwholesome motivations, like greed, anger or confusion – we create the conditions for unhappiness.

The law of karma – of cause and effect – is one of the most important and essential teachings of the Buddha. Our world is challenging, from personal and relationship challenges to global issues such as the climate crisis, wars, polarization and conflict in society. In the midst of all these challenges, if we truly wish to live with a calm mind –with clarity, equanimity, and emotional stability - and to be a force for bringing goodness into the world, we need to understand these teachings. We can then both live with compassion and understanding for how the world is today AND know how to live in a way that brings more happiness and helps alleviate suffering for ourselves and others.

So what exactly is karma? How do individuals and societies create their karma? Why focus on karma if everything is essentially “empty,” as the Buddha taught? How can we and societies change our karma? And how does understanding karma give rise to the understanding of emptiness and the arising of compassion?

Join Fred Eppsteiner and Angie Parrish on Saturday, April 25, from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm to explore these questions and learn how the understanding of karma is of utmost importance for our spiritual development.

Logistics

The cost is $70 (reduced rate of $35 for those with financial need) for the day. If you have questions, please contact us at info@floridamindfulness.org. This workshop will be offered both in-person and online.

Please bring your own vegetarian lunch. Water and tea will be provided.

Workshop Leaders

Our teacher Fred Eppsteiner will be using his training as a family therapist, plus his experience as a meditation and Dharma teacher, to create a challenging and opening environment for workshop participants to learn practical and easily applicable means to facilitate the workshop’s goals. Theoretical and psychological presentations, mindfulness practice, and guided experiential meditations will all be utilized during the workshop.

Fred has been a student of the psychology of Buddhist meditation for over 40 years, and was a psychotherapist for more than 30 years. He has trained extensively in the Buddhist meditative traditions the U.S. and Asia. He received permission to teach from Thich Nhat Hanh in 1994 and is the editor of two books: The Path of Compassion and Interbeing.

Angie Parrish has been a student of Buddhism and mindfulness for over 20 years. After a 1999 retreat with Thich Nhat Hanh, she became a student of Fred Eppsteiner's and a member of the Florida Community of Mindfulness. Angie brought the fruits of her experience in mindfulness and meditation into her professional career as an employee benefits consultant for a wide variety of organizations, including many employee training programs.

Angie is a Dharma Instructor with FCM, having been given permission by FCM’s teacher Fred Eppsteiner to share the Buddha’s teachings with the sangha. She is also a Qualified Teacher of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and is a frequent teacher of classes and retreats at FCM.

With Angie Parrish

In a time when conversations can quickly become tense, polarized, or exhausting—even with the people we love most—it’s easy to fall into habits of reacting rather than relating.

This one-day experiential workshop offers practical tools for communicating with greater presence, clarity, and care—especially when conversations feel charged or difficult. Drawing on the principles of mindful communication, we’ll learn how to recognize when we’re triggered, pause the momentum of reactivity, and reconnect with what truly matters in the moment.

Through short teachings, guided reflection, meditation, and structured partner practices, participants will explore how to:

This workshop is not about winning arguments or fixing others. It’s about cultivating the inner conditions that make real understanding—and real connection—possible.

No prior mindfulness experience is necessary. All are welcome.

Logistics

The cost is $80 (reduced rate of $40 for those with financial need) for the day. If you have questions, please contact us at info@floridamindfulness.org. This workshop will be offered both in-person only.

Please bring your own vegetarian lunch. Water and tea will be provided.

Workshop Leader

Angie Parrish has been a student of Buddhism and mindfulness for over 20 years. After a 1999 retreat with Thich Nhat Hanh, she became a student of Fred Eppsteiner's and a member of the Florida Community of Mindfulness. Angie brought the fruits of her experience in mindfulness and meditation into her professional career as an employee benefits consultant for a wide variety of organizations, including many employee training programs.

Angie is a Dharma Instructor with FCM, having been given permission by FCM’s teacher Fred Eppsteiner to share the Buddha’s teachings with the sangha. She is also a Qualified Teacher of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and is a frequent teacher of classes and retreats at FCM.

Dates
This is a Self-Paced Course—Enroll Anytime and Complete on Your Schedule
Suitability
Individuals at any stage of practice, from beginner to more experienced, who wish to establish a strong foundation of "Right View"  for practicing on the Buddhist path 

Description

The Four Thoughts that Turn the Mind Toward Dharma - Precious Human Life, Impermanence, Defects of Samsara, and Cause and Effect - are an essential foundational teaching in Buddhist practice. Without a deep understanding and integration of these teachings, we will not build the strong foundation needed to support our continued development on the spiritual path.

In this five-module course, our study and contemplation of the Four Thoughts will guide us in turning away from the distractions of samsara—the endless cycle of suffering—and toward the path of genuine liberation. When understood deeply and practiced sincerely, these reflections have the power to illuminate the mind with wisdom, dissolving the delusions and misunderstandings that give rise to suffering.

This 5-part, self-guided, pre-recorded audio course will help you to::

• Gain both an intellectual understanding of the Four Thoughts and a heartfelt recognition of the nature of existence.
• Learn how to reflect on these contemplations and bring them into our life experiences.
• Awaken a sense of clarity and urgency about why we practice the Dharma.
• Be inspired to turn our minds toward the Dharma so that we can focus on what truly matters and begin to align our lives with wisdom and compassion.

The course includes recorded talks by FCM's founding teacher Fred Eppsteiner, readings, guided meditations, reflection questions, and suggested practice opportunities. A participant Discussion Forum is also provided for sharing insights with the course mentors and other participants in the course.

This course is open to both members of the Florida Community of Mindfulness and non-members. It is a Self-Paced course, conducted entirely online, with access to a Course Mentor. Total expected time to complete the course is estimated at 15-25 hours, but participants complete the course on their own schedule.
Course Instructors
Fred Eppsteiner has been a student of the psychology of Buddhist meditation for over 50 years and was a psychotherapist for more than 30 years. He has trained extensively in the Buddhist meditative traditions the U.S. and Asia. He received permission to teach from Thich Nhat Hanh in 1994 and is the editor of two books: The Path of Compassion and Interbeing. He is the founding teacher of the Florida Community of Mindfulness.
Fees

This course if offered on a donation-basis for FCM members and at a fee of $100 for non-members. Members select an amount, if any, that they would like to offer to support future programs at FCM.

Contacts for More Information
If you have any questions about this course or whether it is appropriate for you, please e-mail us at info@floridamindfulness.org or call 813-237-0746.