Chant, dance or meditate your way to self-care
The newly established Contemplative Resource Center at CU Boulder will host workshops open to students, faculty and staff during its launch week, Oct. 21–25. A full schedule of events is available on the Contemplative Resource Center website.
Beginning Somatic Meditation
Monday, October 21
12:00 to 1:30 p.m.
UMC 425
In this moment, our natural quality of wakefulness is fully present. The practice of somatic meditation invites us to directly experience our awakened nature through the body. In this session, you will learn core practices from the Meditating with the Body® curriculum. The practices are accessible to all levels of experience, from beginners to advanced. The practice is of great benefit to anyone looking to find grounding, presence, and the myriad benefits that come with authentic meditation.
Contemplative Movement Class
Wednesday, October 23
12:00 to 1:00 p.m.
CASE E422
This workshop will take you on a contemplative movement journey intended to find ease in your body-mind, and unleash your intuitive creative flow. Basic concepts of contact improvisation, developmental movement, reflective writing, and task-based movement will be introduced. Please wear comfortable clothing that allows you to move, and bring water. No specific movement experience is necessary. All ages and all abilities are welcome!
Slow Looking at the CU Art Museum
Thursday, October 24
12:00 to 1:00 p.m.
CU Art Museum
Join us at the CU Art Museum for a sampler of contemplative practices introducing slow looking, walking meditation, and movement in the permanent collection gallery, which currently features the exhibition Body Language: Picturing People. This exhibition considers how the pose, the gesture and the body in motion are used by artists to convey meaning . Deepen your connection with art and artists by cultivating mindfulness practices with Sandra Firmin, CU Art Museum Director; Jade Gutierrez, CU mindfulness researcher and art historian; and Paulette Erickson England, mindfulness teacher and clinician at FSAP.
Encontrando mi fuerza y fortaleza interior – Arte contemplativo
Thursday, October 24
12:00 to 1:30 p.m.
CASE E422
Encontrando mi fuerza y fortaleza interior” es un ejercicio experiencial de 50 minutos para acercarnos y llegar a conocer la fuerza y fortaleza que todos llevamos dentro. Nos enfocaremos en esta parte importante que vive en nosotros mediante una meditación guiada de 10 minutos, y luego la traeremos a la realidad al darle forma y personalidad con arte. Los-as asistentes recibirán técnicas y herramientas para conectarse con su fortaleza y fuerza interior, y podrán llevarse su creación. Es importante conocer y acercarnos a esta parte de nosotros para recordarla cuando queremos sentirnos seguros-as, empoderados-as, fuertes, y capaces.
Educación: Maestría en Salud Mental del departamento de Psicología Transpersonal de la Universidad de Naropa, con una concentración en Terapia Transpersonal basada en Mindfulness (2018). Licenciatura en Psicología Clínica de la Universidad San Francisco de Quito, (2014).
Entrenamiento/Capacitación Adicional: Terapia Enfocada en las Emociones para terapia individual y parejas: Terapia Enfocada en las Emociones para Ansiedad y Depresión; Terapia Cognitiva Conductual para Ansiedad y Depresión; Terapia para Adicciones; Terapia en temas de aborto. También he estudiado y he aplicado Terapia Cognitiva Conductual, Terapia Humanista, Terapia Psicodinámica, y Terapia para Familias.
Breve Resumen de Historial Profesional: Trabajé como terapeuta en Quito, Ecuador desde el 2014 hasta el 2015. He continuado trabajando como terapeuta bilingüe en los Estados Unidos (2015-presente) en una clínica con mujeres, y en una agencia trabajando con poblaciones involucradas con las cortes para casos de Manejo de Ira, Violencia Domestica y Conducción bajo la influencia de drogas y alcohol.
Breve Información Personal: Fuera del Programa de Asistencia a la Facultad y al Personal, disfruto de pasar tiempo en la naturaleza, especialmente cerca de ríos y lagos. Tengo una gran pasión por la comida, la música, el amor y las relaciones e interacciones humanas. Creo firmemente que la curiosidad, el amor y la compasión son la receta para una vida sana.
Chant for Emotional Well-being
Friday, October 25
12:00 to 1:00 p.m.
UMC Aspen Room
The practice of chanting has many benefits including clearing the mind for better focus and attention, opening the chest and lungs for easier breathing, and calming our emotional state. In this session we enhance these benefits by first bringing a gentle focus to our emotional well-being through a guided contemplation. We then prepare our voices with simple warm-up exercises and explore the meaning and pronunciation of the words. The chant is in a "call and response” style accompanied by live harmonium music and followed by a short peaceful meditation. No experience needed; all voices are welcome!
Amaraja Radha Devi Jones has been chanting and meditating for more than 30 years. She studied Indian music with Megan Yalkut, a student of Ali Akbar Khan, and harmonium with Mike Cohen of Kirtan Leader Institute. For Amaraja, the practice of chanting is a connection to the divine that dwells in each one of us. Chanting has been a lifeline during difficult times, and a practice which accentuates the joy and love in her life.
Kristina Eklund is an advocate of self-care via attention to our emotions. Her approach is based on a body of work which indicates that emotions are important messages from our own subconscious Self – the heart of who we are. Kristina began her practice with a focus on shame, as she faced her own struggle to heal from childhood sexual abuse. She believes emotions are key to deepening inward attention and outward connection, and loves sharing this practice.