All are invited to join in community and selfless service this Saturday, September 20, as we come together to continue to cultivate a place of peace and beauty for the benefit of all beings!

We will meet at 8 a.m. under the pergola located behind the Meditation Hall to begin the day; if you cannot be there at 8 a.m. or need to leave before we end for the day at 11 please do not let that keep you from attending – any amount of service is appreciated!

Likewise, if summer heat is an issue there will be work available inside, you are welcome to choose what is best for you! 

Please wear work clothes and closed toe shoes and bring work gloves if you have them. Snacks and water will be provided.

In addition, Fred will be offering interviews, a wonderful opportunity to take advantage of! 

We look forward to being with you and getting to know one another in an informal and friendly setting! 

Please familiarize yourself with our FCM Health Protocols.

Many thanks,

The Center Care Team

With Guo Gu

Dates:  September 25 - 28
Registration Deadline: August 22
Suitability
This retreat is suitable for both  new and experienced practitioners. Participation is open to all (both FCM members and non-members).

Please note that registration does not confirm acceptance into the retreat. Shortly after the registration deadline (Aug 22), we will review applications and make final decisions as to acceptance. Notifications will be made by Aug 27.  

Description

“The  Supreme Way is not difficult,

if only you do not pick and choose.”

So begins Faith in Mind 信心銘 (xinxin ming), a seminal poem in the Chan tradition traditionally attributed to the Third Patriarch, Sengcan. This succinct and evocative text presents a complete view of the Chan path—one that points beyond dualities, conceptual frameworks, and goal-oriented striving.

In this four-day residential retreat, Chan teacher Guo Gu will offer teachings grounded in both textual study and intensive sitting meditation. The retreat will provide a structured space to reflect on the key principles embedded in the poem and explore their relevance in one’s own embodied practice. Guo Gu’s commentary will not emphasize historical or philosophical interpretation but will highlight the poem’s pragmatic orientation toward the realization of non-discriminating mind. 

The verses of Faith in Mind address the fundamental obstacles in practice: attachment to views, clinging to states of stillness, and the subtle operations of preference and aversion. Through periods of seated meditation, Dharma talks, and integrated reflection, participants will investigate what it means to rest in the immediacy of mind itself, free from grasping or rejection. Suitable for both new and experienced practitioners, this retreat offers an opportunity to encounter Faith in Mind not as doctrine, but as living instruction in the path of buddhadharma.

Retreat Leader

Guo Gu (Dr. Jimmy Yu) is the founder of the Tallahassee Chan Center, the founder of the socially engaged intra-denominational Buddhist organization, Dharma Relief, and a professor of Buddhism and East Asian religions at Florida State University. He studied under the late Master Sheng Yen for over 30 years, nine of which as his attendant monk and most senior and closest disciple. He is the author of The Essence of Chan (2012), Passing Through the Gateless Barrier (2016), and Silent Illumination(2021).
Fees

The fee for in-person participation is $270 for overnighters and $210 for commuters. Your full payment is required no later than September 12 to secure your spot, should you be admitted into the retreat. A full refund will be granted for those not admitted into the retreat. 

Retreat Scholarships are available; please click here to see FCM’s Retreat Scholarship Policy and for an Application, which needs to be submitted prior to the registration deadline for this retreat.

Retreat Logistics

The retreat will offer both in-person participation at FCM ’s Tampa Center and online participation. THIS REGISTRATION PAGE IS FOR IN-PERSON (Overnighter and Commuter) PARTICIPATION ONLY. Please visit the Online Retreat page if you wish to attend online.

The retreat will begin with orientation at 5:00 pm on Thursday, September 25 and ends after lunch on Sunday at 1:00 pm, September 28. Participation is open to all (both FCM members and non-members).

Please note:

• The deadline for application for this retreat is August 22. Please understand that this application DOES NOT guarantee you a spot in the retreat; all acceptances are subject to approval. 
• We will notify all applicants by August 27 as to whether or not they have been accepted into the retreat. The retreat registrar will be sending additional information to accepted registrants once registration is closed. 
• For those accepted, the fee will be due by September 5, otherwise the spot will be given to another applicant.
• Please click here to read FCM's Retreat Cancellation Policy.
• New to retreating with FCM? Please visit our FAQs page. If you are not familiar with our campus, you may enjoy this short video tour.

The teachings are offered in the Buddhist tradition of Dana, wherein the teachers freely give of themselves to the students out of gratitude for what they’ve received from their teachers and a desire to be of service. The student’s response is also based on Dana, i.e. generosity that naturally flows from a sense of appreciation of the value of Dharma and gratitude to the living lineage. All retreat dana will go towards supporting the retreat teachers.

Questions?
Please contact Rita at ritaanna727@gmail.com for any logistical questions.

With Guo Gu

Dates:  September 25 - 28
Registration Deadline: September 19
Suitability
This retreat is suitable for both new and experienced practitioners. Participation is open to all (both FCM members and non-members).

Description

“The  Supreme Way is not difficult,

if only you do not pick and choose.”

So begins Faith in Mind 信心銘 (xinxin ming), a seminal poem in the Chan tradition traditionally attributed to the Third Patriarch, Sengcan. This succinct and evocative text presents a complete view of the Chan path—one that points beyond dualities, conceptual frameworks, and goal-oriented striving.

In this four-day retreat, Chan teacher Guo Gu will offer teachings grounded in both textual study and intensive sitting meditation. The retreat will provide a structured space to reflect on the key principles embedded in the poem and explore their relevance in one’s own embodied practice. Guo Gu’s commentary will not emphasize historical or philosophical interpretation but will highlight the poem’s pragmatic orientation toward the realization of non-discriminating mind. 

The verses of Faith in Mind address the fundamental obstacles in practice: attachment to views, clinging to states of stillness, and the subtle operations of preference and aversion. Through periods of seated meditation, Dharma talks, and integrated reflection, participants will investigate what it means to rest in the immediacy of mind itself, free from grasping or rejection. Suitable for both new and experienced practitioners, this retreat offers an opportunity to encounter Faith in Mind not as doctrine, but as living instruction in the path of buddhadharma.

Retreat Leader

Guo Gu (Dr. Jimmy Yu) is the founder of the Tallahassee Chan Center, the founder of the socially engaged intra-denominational Buddhist organization, Dharma Relief, and a professor of Buddhism and East Asian religions at Florida State University. He studied under the late Master Sheng Yen for over 30 years, nine of which as his attendant monk and most senior and closest disciple. He is the author of The Essence of Chan (2012), Passing Through the Gateless Barrier (2016), and Silent Illumination(2021).
Fees

The fee for online participation is $105. Please make your full payment no later than September 19.

Retreat Scholarships are available; please click here to see FCM’s Retreat Scholarship Policy and for an Application, which needs to be submitted prior to the registration deadline for this retreat.

Retreat Logistics

The retreat will offer both in-person participation at FCM ’s Tampa Center and online participation. THIS REGISTRATION PAGE IS FOR ONLINE PARTICIPATION ONLY. Please visit the In-Person Retreat page if you wish to attend in person.

The retreat will begin with the opening session at 7:00 pm on Thursday, September 25. The retreat will end with at noon on Sunday, September 28. Participation is open to all (both FCM members and non-members).

Please note: 

• The deadline for registration for this retreat is September 19. 
• Please click here to read FCM's Retreat Cancellation Policy.
• The retreat registrar will be sending additional information to accepted registrants once registration is closed. 
  
• New to retreating with FCM? Please visit our FAQs page. If you are not familiar with our campus, you may enjoy this short video tour.

The teachings are offered in the Buddhist tradition of Dana, wherein the teacher freely gives of themselves to the students out of gratitude for what they’ve received from their teachers and a desire to be of service. The student’s response is also based on Dana, i.e. generosity that naturally flows from a sense of appreciation of the value of Dharma and gratitude to the living lineage. All retreat dana will go towards supporting the retreat teacher.

Questions?
Please contact Rita at ritaanna727@gmail.com for any logistical questions.

Please note: FCM Members can access the Death Cafe web page and the Zoom links by clicking here.

o   my first choice

o   my second choice

o   could do but not preferred

o   cannot do. 

At FCM we celebrate the full moon each month with an evening devoted to meditations that help us develop and cultivate the mind of kindness, friendship and compassion towards all beings. During the guided meditation, we will practice embracing ourselves and others with thoughts of unconditional kindness, compassion, and support, and then to extend those feelings with well wishes for peace, happiness and an end to suffering for everyone in the world.

It has long been part of Buddhist tradition to honor and celebrate the arrival of the full moon. Legend has it that Shakyamuni Buddha was born under a full moon, arrived at his enlightenment under a full moon, and passed into paranirvana under a full moon. In Zen the full moon reminds us of our Buddha nature or our essential wholeness and completeness.

Our Full Moon Loving Kindness and Compassion evening will be from 7:30 – 8:45 pm. The evening will include guided loving kindness and compassion meditations, a short talk, and recitation of the Metta (Lovingkindness) Sutra and/or other music and altruistic readings. 

We encourage everyone in the Tampa Bay vicinity to experience the richness of practicing together, in-person in our Meditation Hall. There is no need to register ahead of time. Please familiarize yourself with our FCM Health Protocols and plan to arrive by 7:15 pm.

If joining us online, the link to Zoom is below. The event is suitable for both beginners and experienced meditators. There is no formal advance registration; simply join us online on the Sangha Line shortly before 7:30 pm. 

Zoom Links for FCM Sangha Line
Video Link https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3296243465?pwd=bUo1aFVQblhhbUFpZmZTci9EK0daZz09

Dial-In # 1-646-558-8656
Meeting ID# 329 624 3465

FCM's Days of Mindfulness are offered both In-Person at the Tampa Practice Center and Online. Whether you are a new or experienced meditator, our Days of Mindfulness are an opportunity to support and deepen the practice of mindfulness and meditation, and nourish the seeds of well being, inner peace and openness in our lives.

 

The day will be a chance for all of us to put down the busyness of our lives and to relax, refresh, and renew with the healing energy of mindfulness. The day is an opportunity to experiment with letting go of our stories and dramas about our lives and the world. Instead we will practice simply be present to, and nourished by, our actual experience in the present moment. 

We encourage everyone in the Tampa Bay vicinity to experience the richness of practicing together, in-person in our Meditation Hall. Please familiarize yourself with our FCM Health Protocols and plan to arrive by 8:30 am.

If joining us online, the link to Zoom information will be provided once you register. We provide guidance to help you make the experience at home as close as possible to an experience in the Meditation Hall.

When you register indicate your choice of participation In-Person or Online.  While there is no fee for participation, the traditional practice of Dana (generosity) is appreciated. Please register to receive important information about your In-Person or Online Zoom attendance.  

If you have any questions please contact Rita Cathey at ritaanna727@gmail.com

With Fred Eppsteiner

Dates: Wednesday Evenings, October 15, 22, 29 & November 5

Registration Deadline: October 12
Suitability
Anyone wishing to better understand and more skillfully work with anger. This workshop is open to both members and non-members and is offered in person and online.

Description

Stress and anxiety are seen by many as a "given" in today's world, but in fact they are neither normal nor healthy. Actually, stress and anxiety compound difficulties in our lives, creating greater challenges for our mental and physical wellbeing, relationships, work fulfillment, and more.

Many people who come to our community or our classes/workshops are often plagued by low to high levels of stress, worry/anxiety, depression, and/or a feeling that their life is out of control. Within the matrix of our current environment wherein social, environmental and political crisis are becoming the norm, these challenges are only intensified.

Transforming Stress and Anxiety is a four-week program that will provide participants with practical and effective mindfulness practices to help reduce their stress and mental confusion, and support greater emotional health and personal well-being. The weekly meetings will help participants integrate these practices into daily life. Led by FCM's founding teacher Fred Eppsteiner, the focus of the program will be:

1. Transforming our view of the world, people and ourselves so we can live fully based in reality without either being overwhelmed and stressed by life nor endlessly needing escapist diversions
2. Learning specific mental skills and competencies to support one's ability to live with greater clarity, intelligence and ease in daily life
3. Learning how to identify and support our individual path of self-development.

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 $100. A reduced rate of $50 is available for individuals needing financial support.

Cancellation Policy: Full refund prior to Class 1. No refunds after Class 1.

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.

With Bryan Hindert and Bill MacMillen

Dates: October 24 - 26
Registration Deadline:  September 26

Suitability

This retreat will be beneficial for both newcomers to meditation and more experienced mindfulness practitioners with an interest in living with more ease in the present moment. 

Description

In our modern world, we have countless ways to stay busy, informed, entertained, and otherwise distracted from the moment we wake up until we go to bed at night. We can easily spend our entire day completely disconnected from our actual experience and unaware of what thoughts and mind-states we are cultivating throughout our busy days. If we do have a moment to stop, we may find that we feel uneasy, agitated, bored, anxious, stressed, in despair, or otherwise uncomfortable in our bodies and our minds. 

Fortunately, as so many people throughout the world are discovering, there is another way. Through what the beloved Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh called, “The Miracle of Mindfulness,” we can learn how to be at ease in the present moment. We can learn to use our minds in a way that nourishes our well-being and helps us to feel whole again. Through cultivating mindfulness of the body, breath, and mind, we can learn to develop peace within ourselves and to enjoy the simple experience of being alive.  

In this two-day Introductory Retreat, participants will learn mindfulness and meditation practices that calm and nourish the body and mind. There will be both formal instruction as well as “off-the-cushion” practice in areas such as walking, eating, mindful movements and work meditation. There will be periods of Q&A and deep sharing within a setting that is mostly silent, offering participants the opportunity to retreat from digital devices and other distractions that so often clutter our minds and cover the natural spaciousness that lies beneath the “noise.”

This will be a silent retreat. The silence affords us the opportunity to deepen our meditative experience while absorbing the experiential meaning of the teachings and practices presented.

Retreat Leaders

Bill Mac Millen has been a Dharma practitioner with the Florida Community of Mindfulness and a student of FCM's teacher Fred Eppsteiner since 2013; in 2018 he completed the three year Dharma Transmission training taught by Fred. Bill was ordained as a member of the Order of Interbeing at Thich Nhat Hahn’s Magnolia Grove monastery in 2019. Aspiring to be of service to the community, he is on the Leadership Council overseeing the area of Center Care and also teaches and facilitates various classes and Intensive study programs offered by FCM.

Bryan Hindert has been following the Buddhist path since 2008, when a strong desire to make changes in his life and to develop a better relationship with his mind drew him to the Florida Community of Mindfulness. This path has helped Bryan to transform his life in profound ways and continues to be a source of guidance, support, and joy in all of his endeavors. In addition to helping to develop and lead Wake Up Tampa Bay, a mindfulness and meditation group for people in their 20s and 30s, Bryan has served by teaching classes and presenting on mindfulness and on Buddhism, and leading intensive practice periods. 

Fees

The fee for in-person participation is $180 for overnighters and $140 for commuters. 

Retreat Scholarships are available; please click to see FCM’s Retreat Scholarship Policy and for an Application, which needs to be submitted prior to the registration deadline for this retreat.

Retreat Logistics

This retreat is in-person only (either staying overnight or as a commuter) participation at FCM’s Tampa Center. The retreat will begin with orientation at 5:00 pm on Friday, October 24 and ends after lunch on Sunday at 4:00 pm, October 26. Participation is open to both FCM members and non-members.

Please note: 

• The deadline for registration for this retreat is September 26. 
• We will send a retreat acceptance letter by September 30 with additional information to help you prepare for retreat.
• The full fee will then be due by October 6, otherwise the spot will be given to another applicant.
• Please click here to read FCM's Retreat Cancellation Policy.
• If you are not familiar with our campus, you may enjoy this short video tour.
  
• New to retreating with FCM? Please visit our FAQs page.

The teachings are offered in the Buddhist tradition of Dana, wherein the teachers freely give of themselves to the students out of gratitude for what they’ve received from their teachers and a desire to be of service. The student’s response is also based on Dana, i.e. generosity that naturally flows from a sense of appreciation of the value of Dharma and gratitude to the living lineage. All retreat dana for this retreat will go towards supporting future programs at the FCM center. 

Questions?
For more information, please contact Bill at bmacm21@gmail.com. Please contact Rita at ritaanna727@gmail.com for any logistical questions.

All are invited to join in community and selfless service this Saturday, November 1, as we come together to continue to cultivate a place of peace and beauty for the benefit of all beings!

We will meet at 8 a.m. under the pergola located behind the Meditation Hall to begin the day; if you cannot be there at 8 a.m. or need to leave before we end for the day at 11 please do not let that keep you from attending – any amount of service is appreciated!

Likewise, if summer heat is an issue there will be work available inside, you are welcome to choose what is best for you! 

Please wear work clothes and closed toe shoes and bring work gloves if you have them. Snacks and water will be provided.

In addition, Fred will be offering interviews, a wonderful opportunity to take advantage of! 

We look forward to being with you and getting to know one another in an informal and friendly setting! 

Please familiarize yourself with our FCM Health Protocols.

Many thanks,

The Center Care Team

Please note: FCM Members can access the Death Cafe web page and the Zoom links by clicking here.

At FCM we celebrate the full moon each month with an evening devoted to meditations that help us develop and cultivate the mind of kindness, friendship and compassion towards all beings. During the guided meditation, we will practice embracing ourselves and others with thoughts of unconditional kindness, compassion, and support, and then to extend those feelings with well wishes for peace, happiness and an end to suffering for everyone in the world.

It has long been part of Buddhist tradition to honor and celebrate the arrival of the full moon. Legend has it that Shakyamuni Buddha was born under a full moon, arrived at his enlightenment under a full moon, and passed into paranirvana under a full moon. In Zen the full moon reminds us of our Buddha nature or our essential wholeness and completeness.

Our Full Moon Loving Kindness and Compassion evening will be from 7:30 – 8:45 pm. The evening will include guided loving kindness and compassion meditations, a short talk, and recitation of the Metta (Lovingkindness) Sutra and/or other music and altruistic readings. 

We encourage everyone in the Tampa Bay vicinity to experience the richness of practicing together, in-person in our Meditation Hall. There is no need to register ahead of time. Please familiarize yourself with our FCM Health Protocols and plan to arrive by 7:15 pm.

If joining us online, the link to Zoom is below. The event is suitable for both beginners and experienced meditators. There is no formal advance registration; simply join us online on the Sangha Line shortly before 7:30 pm. 

Zoom Links for FCM Sangha Line
Video Link https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3296243465?pwd=bUo1aFVQblhhbUFpZmZTci9EK0daZz09

Dial-In # 1-646-558-8656
Meeting ID# 329 624 3465

FCM's Days of Mindfulness are offered both In-Person at the Tampa Practice Center and Online. Whether you are a new or experienced meditator, our Days of Mindfulness are an opportunity to support and deepen the practice of mindfulness and meditation, and nourish the seeds of well being, inner peace and openness in our lives.

 

The day will be a chance for all of us to put down the busyness of our lives and to relax, refresh, and renew with the healing energy of mindfulness. The day is an opportunity to experiment with letting go of our stories and dramas about our lives and the world. Instead we will practice simply be present to, and nourished by, our actual experience in the present moment. The theme of this Day of Mindfulness with Fred will be Emotional Healing and Transformation.

We encourage everyone in the Tampa Bay vicinity to experience the richness of practicing together, in-person in our Meditation Hall. Please familiarize yourself with our FCM Health Protocols and plan to arrive by 8:30 am. Please bring your own vegetarian lunch. Water and tea will be provided.

If joining us online, the link to Zoom information will be provided once you register. We provide guidance to help you make the experience at home as close as possible to an experience in the Meditation Hall.

When you register indicate your choice of participation In-Person or Online.  While there is no fee for participation, the traditional practice of Dana (generosity) is appreciated. Please register to receive important information about your In-Person or Online Zoom attendance.  

If you have any questions please contact Rita Cathey at ritaanna727@gmail.com.

Save the date

All are invited to join in community and selfless service this Saturday, November 29, as we come together to continue to cultivate a place of peace and beauty for the benefit of all beings!

We will meet at 8 a.m. under the pergola located behind the Meditation Hall to begin the day; if you cannot be there at 8 a.m. or need to leave before we end for the day at 11 please do not let that keep you from attending – any amount of service is appreciated!

Likewise, if summer heat is an issue there will be work available inside, you are welcome to choose what is best for you! 

Please wear work clothes and closed toe shoes and bring work gloves if you have them. Snacks and water will be provided.

In addition, Fred will be offering interviews, a wonderful opportunity to take advantage of! 

We look forward to being with you and getting to know one another in an informal and friendly setting! 

Please familiarize yourself with our FCM Health Protocols.

Many thanks,

The Center Care Team

Please note: FCM Members can access the Death Cafe web page and the Zoom links by clicking here.

with Fred Eppsteiner (Save the date)

Description

Join Fred for this three day exploration of how to become free from this "self" that seems to hold so much sway over our lives.

This retreat is appropriate for practitioners who have been participating in FCM's Deconstructing the Myth of Self Intensive, currently or in the past.

At FCM we celebrate the full moon each month with an evening devoted to meditations that help us develop and cultivate the mind of kindness, friendship and compassion towards all beings. During the guided meditation, we will practice embracing ourselves and others with thoughts of unconditional kindness, compassion, and support, and then to extend those feelings with well wishes for peace, happiness and an end to suffering for everyone in the world.

It has long been part of Buddhist tradition to honor and celebrate the arrival of the full moon. Legend has it that Shakyamuni Buddha was born under a full moon, arrived at his enlightenment under a full moon, and passed into paranirvana under a full moon. In Zen the full moon reminds us of our Buddha nature or our essential wholeness and completeness.

Our Full Moon Loving Kindness and Compassion evening will be from 7:30 – 8:45 pm. The evening will include guided loving kindness and compassion meditations, a short talk, and recitation of the Metta (Lovingkindness) Sutra and/or other music and altruistic readings. 

We encourage everyone in the Tampa Bay vicinity to experience the richness of practicing together, in-person in our Meditation Hall. There is no need to register ahead of time. Please familiarize yourself with our FCM Health Protocols and plan to arrive by 7:15 pm.

If joining us online, the link to Zoom is below. The event is suitable for both beginners and experienced meditators. There is no formal advance registration; simply join us online on the Sangha Line shortly before 7:30 pm. 

Zoom Links for FCM Sangha Line
Video Link https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3296243465?pwd=bUo1aFVQblhhbUFpZmZTci9EK0daZz09

Dial-In # 1-646-558-8656
Meeting ID# 329 624 3465

FCM's Days of Mindfulness are offered both In-Person at the Tampa Practice Center and Online. Whether you are a new or experienced meditator, our Days of Mindfulness are an opportunity to support and deepen the practice of mindfulness and meditation, and nourish the seeds of well being, inner peace and openness in our lives.

 

The day will be a chance for all of us to put down the busyness of our lives and to relax, refresh, and renew with the healing energy of mindfulness. The day is an opportunity to experiment with letting go of our stories and dramas about our lives and the world. Instead we will practice simply be present to, and nourished by, our actual experience in the present moment. 

We encourage everyone in the Tampa Bay vicinity to experience the richness of practicing together, in-person in our Meditation Hall. Please familiarize yourself with our FCM Health Protocols and plan to arrive by 8:30 am.

If joining us online, the link to Zoom information will be provided once you register. We provide guidance to help you make the experience at home as close as possible to an experience in the Meditation Hall.

When you register indicate your choice of participation In-Person or Online.  While there is no fee for participation, the traditional practice of Dana (generosity) is appreciated. Please register to receive important information about your In-Person or Online Zoom attendance.  

If you have any questions please contact Rita Cathey at ritaanna727@gmail.com