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 2600 years, all programs are offered freely and supported by "dana" (donations) from participants. 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 also 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 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.
	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 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). It may be helpful but it is not necessary to attend a newcomer orientation prior to attending weekly sangha.
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 move 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 Livings, 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 by-passing; Four Foundations of Mindfulness; and Five Mindfulness Trainings. Practices include: Sitting, body/breath, waking mindfulness meditation; deep relaxation; mindful communication; working with stress, afflictive emotions and difficult mind states; and 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 of the FCM Developmental Path for Dharma practice and personal transformation; and experienced practitioners who want to go deeper in 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 meditation periods offer students the opportunity to deepen their practices of mindfulness, concentration and insight. While meditation is occurring, Fred offers private interviews in the Center's downstairs Interview Room to FCM members (those who have become Fred’s students) - please visit Membership for more information. Interviews are conducted in the Zen “dokusan" tradition – going alone to visit the teacher. No advance sign-up occurs for interviews; 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 may range from 5 to 15 minutes, depending on the situation. Dokusan pertains to issues that arise in the student's personal meditation practice and their life 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 silence anytime between 7:00 and 8:00 am for the Sunrise Meditation, where we will sit for 30 minutes, walk for 5 minutes, and sit for another 30 minutes. The meditation will be totally in silence.
	Wake Up Tampa Bay Every other Friday night from 7:00 to 8:30 pm A mindfulness and meditation group for people in their 20s and 30s. We are a group of peers who support each other in our practices 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. However, this group is open for everyone in our age group, Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike. Click here for more information.
	Naples Sangha Green Monkey Yoga Studio, 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 with the practice of mindfulness 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 Green Monkey Yoga Studio (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 periodically by FCM in Naples (check calendar for dates).
	St. Petersburg Sangha Unitarian Universalist Church, 719 Arlington Ave North, St. Petersburg, FL 33701 Contact: st-pete meditation@floridamindfulness.org
	Wednesday Evening Meditation and Talk Every Wednesday from 7:00 to 8:45 pm We begin at 7:00 pm with the practice of mindfulness 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 Wednesday of each month, 6:00 pm A one-hour orientation for newcomers is offered the first Wednesday of each month at 6:00 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 6719 Winkler Road, Suite 100, Fort Myers, FL  Contact: alkracmer@comcast.net or mrobinsonfl@aol.com
	Tuesday Evening Meditation and Talk Every Tuesday from 6:30 to 8:00 pm We begin at 6:30 pm with sitting and walking meditation and the discussion of significant Buddhist teachings. Our weekly discussions usually involve examples of how we’ve applied the mindfulness practices we study. Even if you are not familiar with the reading, 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 days of mindfulness.