Sundays: August 3, 10, 17 & 26 (7:30 – 9:15 PM)
includes “An Afternoon of Mindfulness” retreat on Saturday, September 8 (1:30 - 5:00 PM).
Please note: You do not need to register for the retreat, it is included with the Intro to Mindfulness: 4 Week Series registration.

$175 register/pay in advance: 4-week series including the afternoon retreat, audio practice guides, course materials, and a private 30-minute telephone consultation with Rachel.

This introductory series offers practical methods for learning and integrating mindfulness practices and meditation into everyday life, with body and breath awareness. As these practices become more second nature, you’ll find yourself meeting stressful moments with less reactivity and more mental clarity.

· Learn methods for arriving in the body and breath with awareness
· Practice directing attention, to increase concentration and focus
· Develop new ways of responding in situations that trigger stress or habits of reactivity
· Enhance your creativity by cultivating the ability to step back from planning, fixing, and worrying and toward wonder, kindness, and compassion
· Nurture stillness, for relaxation and healing

Each session offers practical information, guidance, and first-hand experience with mindfulness and meditation. Course readings provide inspiration and context for your practice. Small class size allows for individual attention and support. Activities and discussion are tailored to meet the needs of class participants.

Some comments from students who recently completed the Intro to Mindfulness Series:

“Thank you!!! You have such a calming and thoughtful way when you communicate. With each class the time flew by.”

“Why did I wait so long to get back to this after all these years?”

“[It was meaningful to find] the variety of ways I can practice. To know that I don’t need to be perfect. Thank you.”

“Being in community with other people who want to start a practice was meaningful. Having people open up and share. Holding a space for it all to unfold.”

“Just a moment of awareness can be impactful.”

“This has helped me immensely. I feel hopeful.”

“I gained additional tools for guiding my practice; I gained the ability and knowledge to practice on my own.”

This series is ideal for people with limited time, or as an introduction to the longer, 8-week Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program (starts September 23). No matter how busy you are, find effective ways to minimize stress while maximizing wellbeing.

What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness practices help us tune into the moment in order to experience a profound sense of ease and wellbeing. With practice, our habits of reactivity transform into more mindful responsiveness. Even practicing for just a few moments a day can create a fundamental shift in our response to stress. We find it easier and more natural to respond in ways that are more closely aligned to our hearts, rather than expressing ourselves in ways that are hurtful to us, and those we care for.

In the Mindfulness Basics sessions you’ll be introduced to key components of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course developed by author/researcher Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn for the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Over 30 years of research demonstrate MBSR’s effectiveness for reducing the physical and emotional impact of stress. See www.umass.edu/cfm for more on MBSR.

About Rachel:
Rachel Lanzerotti, MSW, E-RYT, is a somatic educator and instructor of meditation and yoga with individuals and groups throughout the Bay Area. She completed MBSR Professional Training with Bob Stahl, PhD, and is a graduate of Spirit Rock’s Mindfulness Yoga & Meditation Training Program, The Yoga Loft’s Teacher Training Program, and Advanced Relax & Renew® Restorative Yoga Training. At UCSF’s Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, Rachel has developed and taught programs to investigate the health effects of Mindful Breathing. She is a practitioner in the Vipassana (insight) meditation tradition. Learn more about Rachel via her website www.fiveriversyoga.com or contact her directly by email at: rachel_at_fiveriversyoga.com for more information.

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To pre-register for workshops please use Bernal Yoga’s
Web Scheduler.