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Weekly Meditation

Meditation is the foundational practice for our community’s path of healing, transformation and awakening. It is through a regular sitting meditation practice that we develop the capacities of mindfulness and concentration. Mindfulness is the ability to observe what is happening around us and what is arising within our own minds. Concentration is the ability to sustain our attention—to intentionally place and maintain our focus of attention.

Together these two skills bring the stability of mind that allows us to have a quieter, more peaceful mind, to transform our afflictive emotions and unwholesome mind states, to cultivate positive wholesome mind states, and even to investigate the nature of our own mind. This self-awareness, the capacity to be aware of our own experience, is a gift of the human mind and forms the basis for leading a life of intention, meaning, wisdom and well-being.

Come join us in one of our practice community locations for weekly meditation and Dharma talks. All are welcome, from experienced meditators to those exploring meditation for the first time. In the tradition of sharing Buddhist teachings for over 2,600 years, all programs are offered freely and supported by "dana" (donations). Participants are encouraged to practice generosity to support the teachings from their hearts. Suggested dana is $5, but any amount offered is greatly appreciated.

We ask that you try to arrive at least 10 minutes before the start of meditation and refrain from bringing cell phones and other electronic devices into the meditation halls. All of our locations are wheelchair accessible.

Please click here to read important and helpful information about what to expect at our meditation gatherings. Please visit the FCM calendar to see all upcoming meditation and other FCM events. We also offer a number of "Community Programs" that offer meditation components, such as our Family, Teen, Illness, and Parenting programs.


	Tampa Practice Center 6501 N. Nebraska Avenue, Tampa 33604 (Meditation Hall unless otherwise noted) Contact: Tampa-meditation@floridamindfulness.org
	Sunday Morning Meditation and Talk Every Sunday from 10:00 am - noon Beginning at 10:00 am, we practice 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.
	Monthly Newcomers Orientation First Sunday of each month, 9:00 am A 30-minute orientation for newcomers is offered the first Sunday of each month at 9:00 a.m. in the Lotus Room in the Education Building (no registration required, simply show up). It may be helpful but it is not necessary to attend a newcomer orientation prior to attending weekly sangha or other FCM meditation programs. In addition, a four-week Introduction to Mindfulness and Meditation class is offered each quarter at the Tampa Center (check calendar for dates).
Learn More	Meditation in Recovery Every Tuesday evening from 6:30 to 8:00 pm Open to everyone in recovery: AA, NA, Alanon, and other programs. It is also for those trying to spend less time on the Internet, social media, TV, shopping, etc. Please join us to learn more about the 11th Step (Prayer and Meditation) to make it part of your daily life. Meditation is easy to learn and will help you cultivate a rich and rewarding spiritual practice, one that will support you in realizing the promises. The evenings are led by teachers with a foundation in both meditation and recovery. The group meets in the Education Building.
	Wednesday Evening "Meditations for Mindful Living" Every Wednesday from 7:00 to 8:30 pm Wednesday Evening Meditations for Mindful Living, based on the wonderful teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh and the Plum Village tradition, are designed to help us build a daily life that is grounded and stable with greater clarity and ease. Teachings include Mindfulness (learning to live in the present moment and cultivating a happy, peaceful mind "here and now"), Emotional Healing (the dangers of spiritual bypassing), Four Foundations of Mindfulness, and the Five Mindfulness Trainings. Practices include sitting, body/breath, waking mindfulness meditation, deep relaxation, mindful communication, working with stress, afflictive emotions and difficult mind states, as well as mindfulness practices for daily life, including work and relationships. Everyone is welcome, including members and non-members, people who have taken Introduction to Mindfulness Meditation classes, people on the Mindful Living Path, and experienced practitioners who want to go deeper into the core practices.
	Thursday Evening Extended Meditation Every Thursday from 7:15 to 9:00 pm Our teacher Fred leads this weekly extended evening meditation, which is open to all. The evening consists of two 35-minute sitting meditation periods, with formal walking meditation in between. These extended periods offer students the opportunity to deepen their practices of mindfulness, concentration and insight. While meditation is occurring, Fred offers private interviews to FCM members who have become Fred's students in the Center's downstairs interview room. Interviews are conducted in the Zen “dokusan" tradition –- going alone to visit the teacher. No advance sign-up occurs for interview: Instead, students line up at the back of the Meditation Hall and the personal interviews unfold, one following the other, as time permits. The length of each interview ranges from 5 to 15 minutes, depending on the situation. Dokusan pertains to issues that arise in the student's personal meditation practice and their experiences of integrating the teachings into their daily life, not with intellectual or theoretical matters.
	Friday Sunrise Meditation Every Friday morning from 7:00 to 8:00 am You are welcome to join us in meditation every Friday morning at FCM. Arrive anytime between 7 and 8 am. The meditation will be two 25-minute periods of silent sitting meditation, with a 10-minute walking meditation in between. Please leave silenced phones, water, shoes and other personal items in the foyer or in your car and come into the Meditation Hall in silence and enjoy.
Learn More	Wake Up Tampa Bay Every other Friday night from 7:00 to 8:30 pm We are a mindfulness and meditation group for people in their 20s and 30s, a group of peers who support each other in our practice of mindfulness and meditation and in leading wholesome, healthy, happy lives. We take inspiration and guidance from Buddhist teachings and help each other see how we can apply them to our lives. This group is open for everyone in our age group, Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike. Click here for more information.
	Naples Sangha House of Yoga, Peacock Court, 6200 Trail Blvd, Naples, FL 34108 Contact: Naples-meditation@floridamindfulness.org
	Sunday Evening Meditation and Talk Every Sunday from 6:30 to 8:00 pm We begin at 6:30 pm with the practice of sitting meditation for 30 minutes, followed by walking meditation for 15 minutes, sitting/loving-kindness meditation for another 20 minutes, and then listen to a Dharma talk or participate in a Dharma discussion.
	Monthly Newcomers Orientation Last Sunday of each month, 5:00 pm A one-hour orientation for newcomers is offered the last Sunday of each month at 5:00 pm at the House of Yoga (no registration required, simply show up). It may be helpful but it is not necessary to attend a newcomer orientation prior to attending other FCM meditation programs.
	St. Petersburg Sangha King of Peace Metropolitan Community Church, 3150 5th Ave. N., St. Petersburg, FL 33713 Contact: st-pete meditation@floridamindfulness.org
	Tuesday Evening Meditation and Talk Every Tuesday from 7:00 to 8:45 pm We begin at 7:00 pm with the practice of sitting meditation for 30 minutes, followed by walking meditation for 15 minutes, and then listen to a Dharma talk or participate in a Dharma discussion.
	Monthly Newcomers Orientation First Tuesday of each month, 6:30 pm A one-hour orientation for newcomers is offered the first Tuesday of each month at 6:30 pm (no registration required, simply show up). It may be helpful but it is not necessary to attend a newcomer orientation prior to attending other FCM meditation programs. In addition, a four-week Introduction to Mindfulness and Meditation class is offered quarterly by FCM in Tampa (check calendar for dates).
	Fort Myers Caloosahatchee Rising Tide Sangha Online Only. www.caloosahatcheesanga.com Contact: anne.kracmer@gmail.com or mrobinsonfl@aol.com
	Midweek Mindfulness on Zoom On the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month, at 5:00pm-6:00pm on Zoom, we will meet as a sangha for meditation and deep sharing. This is a great opportunity to check in with yourself, and the sangha during the week. So come relax and calm the mind and body, and practice meditation and deep listening together with us. Our weekly discussions usually involve examples of how we’ve applied the mindfulness practices we study. Even if you are not familiar with the practice, you are likely to find something of value in the discussion and be able to share from your own experiences if you choose. Please note: The Caloosahatchee Rising Tide Sangha is independent of FCM but led by FCM members and follows the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh. Their members often participate in FCM retreats, Intensive study periods and daylong retreats.

Florida Community of Mindfulness, Tampa Center
6501 N. Nebraska Avenue
Tampa, FL 33604

Click below to learn about:

Naples Sangha
St Petersburg Sangha

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