Feel the spring air? It’s time to go outdoors and enjoy the aliveness and renewal of the Earth. Join us to celebrate the spring equinox with nature practices. Whether it’s standing in front of a tree or watching a quiet sunset, we can open up our senses and find wisdom and joy by immersing in nature. Let our experiences in nature reveal the dharma and doorways to who we truly are.
This will be the first of a monthly series of nature meditation offerings from March to September, 2017. Sessions are “sign-up as you go.” No prior meditation experience required.
Sessions will be conducted outdoors so please dress appropriately, with closed-toe shoes, clothing appropriate to the weather, hats, etc. Please bring a water bottle to all sessions. There will be park benches to sit on but if you prefer, please feel free to bring any meditation props that you find to be helpful (meditation cushion or bench, yoga mat, backjack, etc.). Most sessions will include some gentle movement or walking practice so please offer care for yourself around mobility issues.
For planning purposes, please register online so we know to expect you and we will send an email notification at least 24 hours in advance in case of location change or cancellation due to weather conditions.
We look forward to awakening in the wild together.
When:
4-6:30pm, Saturday, March 25, 2017
(Meet at 3:45pm at the 190th St. entrance, across the A train 190th St. stop)
Where:
Fort Tryon Park, in Upper Manhattan, offers spectacular views of the Hudson River, 800 flower varieties, the Cloisters Museum and miles of landscape
Register at: New York Insight Meditation Center
Fee by donation: Suggested starting donation at $15 but whatever you offer is greatly appreciated and no one is ever turned away for lack of funds.
Facilitators:
Jon Aaron has been a teacher at New York insight since 2006. His principal dharma teacher has been Matthew Flickstein of The Forest Way. He trained in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction at the Center for Mindfulness at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, and is a certified teacher through the CFM. He has taught over 50 cycles of the seminal curriculum as well as numerous courses for alumni of the program. He completed the Integrated Study and Practice Program at the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies and the Foundations in Buddhist Contemplative Care at the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care. He is the co-guiding teacher of the Makom Meditation Havurah program at the Jewish Community Center. He is a certified Somatic Experience Practitionertm and has most recently completed the teacher training in Mindfulness for Pain offered by Breathworks in England.
Lin Gordon has practiced insight meditation in the last six years. Her principal dharma teachers have been Jonathan Foust of Insight Meditation Community of Washington, Mark Coleman of Spirit Rock, and Jon Aaron at New York Insight. Inspired by Mark Coleman’s nature practices, she will complete Mark Coleman’s Awake in the Wild Meditation in Nature Facilitators Training in the fall of 2017.
Photo Credit: Jonathan Foust, 2016