With Bill MacMillen and John McHarris
Dates: February 23 - May 18
Registration Deadline: February 9
Suitability
This Intensive for FCM members will benefit all levels of practitioners.
(Learn more about becoming a member)
Path: Mindful Living Path/Opening the Heart (Learn more about FCM's Three Paths)
Description
The Buddha taught that to avoid being swept away by habitual thoughts and emotional reactivity, it is essential to ground our minds in the present moment. When lost in thoughts, regrets, or worries, we disconnect from reality and miss out on the immediacy of life. In today’s world, with its relentless pace and digital distractions, this disconnection becomes even more pronounced. Mindfulness of the body and sensory experience can anchor us, preventing the mind from being swept away by conceptuality.
Once grounded, the mind can begin to settle, which then gives us space to cultivate positive and nourishing mental states. The Buddha emphasized that many of the negative emotions we experience—like stress, irritation, or discontent—stem from how we use our minds. In this Intensive, by anchoring in mindfulness of the body and mind and redirecting our focus, we can proactively cultivate joy, ease, and well-being, laying the foundation for transformation and liberation.
Commitments
- A minimum of 30 minutes of daily formal meditation and/or other practices related to this intensive
- Reading and reflecting on the assigned readings
- Practicing with assigned guided meditations
- Being Present for the seven Zoom Dharma Talks (bi-weekly, beginning February 23 - talks are recorded for those who may miss them)
- Participation in six bi-weekly Mentoring Group Zoom calls
- Attending all the practice periods of your Sangha during the Intensive, as possible.
- Daily sharing of a concrete Intensive-related intention with your Dharma Buddy via text or email. You may request a specific buddy who is also registered for this intensive by contacting evelynhaseman@gmail.com.
Specific readings, group assignments, and Zoom instructions will be announced once registration has been completed.
Fees
The fee for this Intensive is $100. This is a suggested amount and participants are free to offer more or less depending on their individual financial situation - we do not want financial considerations to be a deterrent to participation.
You may pay on-line or send your check made out to the Florida Community of Mindfulness (FCM) to Florida Community of Mindfulness, 6501 N. Nebraska Ave., Tampa, FL 33604.Registration Procedures
Please read the information below before you click to register.
Mentor Groups
When you register, you will also be asked to indicate your preferences for your bi-weekly Mentor Groups (small groups of 6-8 participants) offered through Zoom. You will be required to score each group as one of the following:
If there is more than one group that will work well for you, please mark all these as “my first choice.” This will provide us with added flexibility in making group assignments. Please have your calendar available when you register so that you can complete this part of the registration process accurately.
Mentor Group #1: Tuesdays 7:30-8:30am: Mar 3, 17 & 31; Apr 14 & 28; May 12
Mentor Group #2: Tuesdays 6:30-7:30pm: Mar 3, 17, & 31; Apr 14 & 28; May 12
Mentor Group #3: Wednesdays 4:30-5:30 pm: Mar 4 & 18; Apr 1, 15, & 29 and May 13
Mentor Group #4: Thursdays 7:30-8:30am: Mar 5 & 19; Apr 2, 16, & 30; May 14
Mentor Group #5: Thursdays 6:30-7:30pm: Mar 5 & 19; Apr 2, 16, & 30; May 14
Contacts for More Information
If you have any questions about this Intensive program or whether it is appropriate for you, please contact John McHarris at jmcharris2@gmail.com. If you have any questions about the logistics of this Intensive, please contact Donna at intensivecoordinator@floridamindfulness.org.
