Contemplative Studies

• Pre-class Readings: None
• Poem: The Way It Is by William Stafford
• Quote: "Part of the Universe" quote by Albert Einstein
• Dedication: For All Beings Prayer by Zenju Earthlyn Manuel

Daily Home Practice (Click here for detailed week 1 home practice instructions)

• Formal Practice 
  • Morning Meditation: At Home in Nature (13 Minutes) You can use this meditation to practice each day this week. 
  • Grounding Meditation (15 Minutes) You can use this meditation at night before sleep, to regulate in the face of stress or overwhelm, or any time at all. 
• Informal Practice (the pith): Throughout the day - as often as you remember - put your body on the ground/in nature, breath deeply, feel/notice the ground. 

• Pre-class Readings: None
• Poem: Peace of Wild Things by Wendell Berry
• Poem: Ancient Language by Hannah Stephenson
• Dedication: For All Beings Prayer by Zenju Earthlyn Manuel

Daily Home Practice

• Formal Practice
  • Common Humanity Meditation led by Audrey (17 minutes)
  • Deep Breathing led by Kate (24 minutes) 
  • Journal Resources and Journal Activity One
• Informal Practice (the pith): Throughout the day - as often as you remember - tune into your breath, deepen your breath, feel the breath as a connection to all of life.

• Pre-class Podcast: The Wisdom of the Body: Mind & Life Podcast with Anne Klein (1 hr)
• Poem: Unconditional by Jennifer Wellwood
• Poem: Shared Silence by Christopher Plowman
• Poem: House of Belonging by David Whyte
• Poem: Living My Life as a Mystic by Edward Hirsch
• Poem: Antidote to Fear of Death by Rebecca Elson
• Dedication: For All Beings Prayer by Zenju Earthlyn Manuel

Daily Home Practice

• Formal Practices
  • Slowing Down/Listening Inwardly - Mindful Movement led by Kate (25 min)
  • 4 Anchors Open Sky Meditation led by Audrey (20 min)
  • Journal Activity Two
• Informal Practice (the pith): Throughout the day - as often as you remember - slow down, tune into your body, and listen. 

Resources for Next Session

• There is nothing to read/view before class next week. 

• Pre-class readings: None
• Poem: Finding What You Didn't Lose by John Fox
• Poem: Alchemy of Attention by Steve Taylor
• Poem: Meditation on a Grapefruit by Craig Arnold
• Haikus: Collected November 5-11
• Dedication: For All Beings Prayer by Zenju Earthlyn Manuel

Daily Home Practice

• Formal Practices
  • Self-Compassion Break Practice led by Kate (20 min)
  • Shorter versions of this practice are available on the web: 5 Minutes with Kristen Neff and 6 Minutes with Chris Germer
  • Journal Activity 3
• Informal Practices (the pith): Throughout the day - whenever you need it - so gently, say "this, too...." Simply remembering throughout the day to welcome whatever is arising.

For Next Session

• Please read: The 5 Myths of Self-Compassion by Kristen Neff

• Pre-class readings: The Five Myths of Self-Compassion
• Quote: Mary Oliver "I don't ask for the sights...."
• Poem: Hokusai Says  by Roger Keyes
• Dedication: For All Beings Prayer by Zenju Earthlyn Manuel

• Formal Practices
  • Please revisit any of the practices offered during classes 1-4. 
  • Journal Practice 4
• Informal Practices (the pith): Feeling your day-to-day life as a prayer, open sacred space. Do less, not more.

For Next Session

• No readings for next session, which is December 2nd, the week after Thanksgiving!

• Pre-class readings: None
• Acknowledgment: Pith Community Guidelines
• Program Review: Module One Themes PDF 
• Poem: Wild Geese by Mary Oliver
• Dedication: For All Beings Prayer by Zenju Earthlyn Manuel

• Formal Practices
  • Please revisit any of the practices offered during classes 1-4. 
  • Optional: One for Me, One for You 20 Minutes with Kristen Neff | 20 Minutes with Chris Germer
  • Optional: Feel welcome to explore additional Self-Compassion practices on Kristen Neff and Chris Germer's sites.
  • Journal Practice 5: Contemplating retreat
• Informal Practices (the pith): Making the teachings your own; homing in on compassionate embodied presence

For Next Session

• No readings for next session, which is our last session before winter break. 
• Please explore the Journal practice 5 prompt (linked above), which will be referred to during session 7. 

• Pre-class readings: None
• Poem: The Way It Is by William Stafford
• Poem: Self-Compassion by James Crews
• Dedication: For All Beings Prayer by Zenju Earthlyn Manuel

• Formal Practices (Term Review)
  • Morning Meditation: At Home in Nature led by Audrey (13 Minutes)
  • Grounding Meditation led by Kate (15 Minutes)
  • Common Humanity Meditation led by Audrey (17 minutes)
  • Deep Breathing led by Kate (24 minutes) 
  • Slowing Down/Listening Inwardly - Mindful Movement led by Kate (25 min)
  • 4 Anchors Open Sky Meditation led by Audrey (20 min)
  • Self-Compassion Break Practice led by Kate (20 min)
  • Morning Meditation 2: (Mostly resting in gentle silence) led by Audrey (30 min)
  • Additional Self-Compassion practices on Kristen Neff and Chris Germer's sites.
• Informal Practices (the pith): Making the teachings your own; homing in on compassionate embodied presence

For Next Session

• Read Siddhartha by Herman Hesse (Translation by Hilda Rosner)
• Carry Out a 12- to 36-hour personal retreat. See full retreat schedule and instructions.

• Pre-class readings: None
• Poem: I Imagine the Gods by Jack Gilbert
• Dedication: For All Beings Prayer by Zenju Earthlyn Manuel

Daily Home Practice

• Formal Practices
  • Informal Practice Pause that refreshes (Time variable 2+ minutes)
  • Morning Meditation: At Home in Nature (13 Minutes)
  • Shamatha 1: Relaxation & Stability led by Kate (17 min) 
  • Shamatha 2: Stability & Vividness led by Kate (18+ minutes)
  • Term 3 Journal 1 Prompt 

Resources for Next Session: 

• Looking Deeply within the Three Dharma Seals: Impermanence, No-Self, Nirvana by Thich Nhat Hanh

• Pre-class readings: Looking Deeply within the Three Dharma Seals: Impermanence, No-Self, Nirvana by TNH
• Poem: Happy Lucky Idiot by Nanao Sakaki
• Poem: Evolution by Rebecca Elson
• Poem: Losing Everything by Jeff Foster
• Poem: If You Knew by Ellen Bass
• Poem: Allow by Danna Faulds
• Dedication: For All Beings Prayer by Zenju Earthlyn Manuel

Daily Home Practice

• Formal Practices 
  • Shamatha-Vipassana 1 led by Kate (33 minutes)
  • Term 3 Journal 2: Aging
• Informal Practice (the pith): Everything is in motion, all is process.

Resources for Next Session: 

• The Birth and Caretaking of a Violent Thought Lecture by Lama Rod Owens (1 hr 46 min)

• Pre-class lecture: The Birth and Caretaking of a Violent Thought by Lama Rod Owens
• Poem: Feather at Mid Day by Sister Dang Nghiem
• Poem: Kindness by Naomi Shihab Nye
• Poem: Watching My Friend Pretend Her Heart Isn't Breaking by Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer
• Dedication: For All Beings Prayer by Zenju Earthlyn Manuel

Daily Home Practice

• Formal Practices:
  • Noting led by Kristen Neff (20 minutes)
  • Shamatha-Vipassana 1 led by Kate (33 minutes)
  • Term 3 Journal 3: Common Humanity

Resources for Next Session: 

• The Fullness of Emptiness by Thich Nhat Hanh

• Pre-class readings: The Fullness of Emptiness by Thich Nhat Hanh
• Poem: Consider the Space Between the Stars by Linda Pastan
• Passage: Hiding by David Whyte
• Quote: Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche
• Dedication: For All Beings Prayer by Zenju Earthlyn Manuel

Daily Home Practice

• Formal Practices: 
  • Minding the Gap led by Audrey (13 minutes)
  • Minding the Gap led by Audrey (20 minutes)
  • Term 3 Journal 4: Keeping Wisdom Nearby

Resources for Next Session: 

• Attention Revolution: 2 Interludes/Lucid Dreaming - Daytime Practice and Lucid Dreaming - Nighttime Practice

• Pre-class readings: Attention Revolution 2 Interludes/Lucid Dreaming - Daytime Practice and Lucid Dreaming - Nighttime Practice
• Poem: Calling the Spirit Back from Wandering the Earth in its Human Feet by Joy Harjo
• Presentation: Slides on Construct Activation and Emptiness
• Dedication: For All Beings Prayer by Zenju Earthlyn Manuel

Daily Home Practice

• Formal Practices
  • Minding the Gap led by Audrey (13 minutes)
  • Minding the Gap led by Audrey (20 minutes)
  • Term 3 Journal 4: Keeping Wisdom Nearby

Resources for Next Session: 

• Attention Revolution 2 Interludes/Dream Yoga - Daytime Practice and Dream Yoga - Nighttime Practice

• Pre-class readings: Attention Revolution 2 Interludes/Dream Yoga - Daytime Practice and Dream Yoga - Nighttime Practice
• Presentataion: Slides on Construct Activation and Emptiness
• Dedication: For All Beings Prayer by Zenju Earthlyn Manuel

Daily Home Practice

• Formal Practices
  • Space of the Mind led by Kate (16+ minutes)
  • Term 3 Journal 4: Keeping Wisdom Nearby
  • Off the Cushion Practice

Resources for Next Session: 

• None

• Pre-class readings: None
• Dedication: For All Beings Prayer by Zenju Earthlyn Manuel

Resources for Next Session: 

• None

• Pre-class readings: TBD
• Dedication: For All Beings Prayer by Zenju Earthlyn Manuel

Resources for ongoing practice: 

• Audrey's Resource List
• Kate's Resource List