Smiling Like a Buddha: A Ten Week Mindfulness Meditation Workshop
Some Comments from Previous Participants
Before taking the class, I didn't understand how to work with difficult emotions through meditation. I had been meditating for a while but had just been trying to focus on my breath and come back to my breath. The class helped me understand how I could open myself to whatever emotions were present, acknowledge the, and say, "May I hold this emotion in mindfulness."
The class was great. I have done a lot of reading about meditation and mindfulness over the years, but it mostly served as a momentary "fix," not penetrating in a lasting way. The incremental lessons each week combining theory and practice, taught a practical path, and tools to integrate the ideas into daily life. ... I learned how to notice when I am not settled, and tools to recover myself. My life has changed dramatically. ... I was able to go off anti-depressants after 10 years which I attribute to becoming aware of the habits of mind that made me depressed. I can still be sad, but most of the time I can tolerate it and breathe or walk and ride the wave without being drowned.
"I enjoyed this workshop very much. I loved how you presented mindfulness in a down to earth way -- complex topics presented simply and with humor. [I learned] that mindfulness can happen in everyday life (I can practice it in everyday life). The most notable change has been noticing that I have been pulling back from reacting and instead observing and noticing my internal experience, without being swept away by my mind."
"I think [taking the Smiling Like a Buddha Workshop] was one of my best decisions. I came to it at a time when my life was in upheaval but I did not realize it. For me, the guided meditations help me go inside and without judgment recognize where my feelings and emotions were coming from -- what prompted them. I learned not to judge myself or others. I have become aware that I do communicate, especially with those I love, in a violent manner and I hope with practice to change the way I deal with others in myself -- to be calm, to be mindful, to remember to breathe."
"My over all experience was quite positive. I like the guided meditations, particularly the ones with guided relaxation. I found it enjoyable to come to this quiet, calm, space that you created each Monday night. I realized that what I should work on getting from meditation is learning how to be more present in my life instead of having a pervasive feeling of always waiting for the other shoe to fall in spite of the many personal and professional successes I've been blessed with."
"I respond well to the lecture/meditation/sharing experience. I was reminded that it was OK to respect myself. It was interesting for me that some of the lessons included the right to have some backbone behind a smile. I also really like the lessons about anger management -- the way to express feelings and requests without getting personal."
"My overall experience was excellent -- life changing. I especially like the sitting that we did before class. … I am a very obsessive person. I have been able to calm down and calm my obsessions down. I have been able to be more accepting and patient. I have also been able to incorporate mindfulness into a daily routine, which has changed the quality of my life a great deal."
"This was a great workshop. Many things worked especially well for me -- 10 sessions kept the momentum going. Sitting quietly each evening helped me settle into the session. The variety of topics covered a broad span. I have learned that sitting is for me. I really benefit from stopping, calming, and resting. I have changed how I start the day, how I eat breakfast, how I drive, and how I walk."
"This workshop served as a great anchor for my practice of mindfulness. Just as you come back to your breath to refocus and energize, each week coming to the session refocused my energy on the path and motivated me to practice. The most important things I learned are the simple things -- to come back to my breath and the present moment, to calm myself and smile with each step. In my daily life I think about and practice what we've learned throughout each day. Generating mindfulness has helped me to see others with more compassion, to be more patient, and to focus on spending my time wisely."