PAUSECreating Moments of Peace

A final learning project for Upaya Chaplain Training Program

by Kim Nolan, M.Ed.January 2010

TABLE OF CONTENTSCHAPTER 1 3

Personal Statement of Intention 3

Framework for the Final Learning Project Paper 5

View 6

Path 8

Action 10

CHAPTER 2: VIEW 12

Why Pause? 12

Who needs to pause? 13

Defining the view of mindfulness 14

A Spectrum of Human Development 17

CHAPTER 4: ACTION 48

Taking Pause 48

Chaplain training and field work 49

REFERENCES 57

ADDENDUM & ATTACHMENTS" 59

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CHAPTER 1

Personal Statement of Intention

My work as a service provider has primarily been focused in the field of mental health. I am

professionally trained as a counselor and have served in many capacities of community based

mental health, last filling the role of Program Director.

My experience in the field is that health is ironically built upon a deficit based model.

Throughout my career, I have witnessed the problem solving orientation toward health as

limiting and incomplete. Though grateful for the skilled technicians who provide support to

individuals experiencing pain, I have felt very alone in attempts to expand traditional treatment

to include models of wellness and practices to develop inner resilience. B. Alan Wallace speaks

to this point in his book Buddhism With An Attitude when he writes:

The goal of practice is to realize a state of genuine well-being that flows from a

wellspring of awareness that is pure and unobscured. The ancient Greeks called such a

state eudaimonia, a truth given joy. The ancient Indians called it mahasukha, great bliss.

Funny that we don’t have a word for it in modern English. Maybe it has something to do

with the fact that we know a lot more about mental disease than we do about mental

health (2001, p. 13).

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With a mix of burn out, sadness and resignation, I stepped down from a successful leadership

position and dedicated the last three years to my own restoration and healing. A large part of the

healing process has been the Buddhist Chaplain program at Upaya. Specific to this point has

been my fieldwork, providing Care of the Care Provider trainings, workshops and retreats

throughout Vermont. As a result of these experiences, I have been able to restore my own

reserves and no longer self identify as a burned out care provider.

I have regained my position, and perhaps with a more confident stance this time, that human

development must include aspects of wellness, compassion, and inner resilience if true healing

and wholeness is to be possible. This orientation not only supports, but literally encourages,

what I believe to be our innate drive toward full human potential; wholeness and peace. In its

relative form, the drive to wholeness and peace refers to the ultimate well-being of ego. In the

absolute realm, the drive is toward the wholeness of non-separation and wakefulness. Zen

teacher, Adyashanti, refers to the latter as our impulse to freedom in The Impact of Awakening

“The impulse to be free is an evolutionary spark within consciousness which originates from

beyond the ego. It is an impulse toward the divine, unity and wholeness” (2000, p. 3).

The final learning project (FLP) I am submitting is a culmination of training, field work and

study during the two year chaplain program. The FLP specifically aims to examine my stance

that human development occurs along a spectrum; comprised of stages that organically support

growth toward wholeness. Ken Wilber’s work on human development will be the framework for

this spectrum. Please note that for purposes of this paper, the terms wholeness and peace are

used interchangeably to indicate health and wellness.

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In addition to the above, the FLP will explore mindfulness practices as an effective way to

create moments of peace along the spectrum of development. We are literally living at a pace that

is faster than has ever existed on this planet. I believe the skills acquired from creating moments

of peace allow us to tend to our interior world and cultivate the resilience that is so needed

during this time of great transition. The skills apply whether we are progressing with health or

pathology along the spectrum.

With a strong back and soft front, I am stepping back into the world as a spiritually engaged

service provider. I offer a deep bow of gratitude to the teachers, guides and friends who have

supported my journey along the way. May this work be of benefit to all beings.

Framework for the Final Learning Project Paper

The framework of this final learning project (FLP) is organized in three sections; view, path

and action. Each section stands alone, with wholeness and meaning. At the same time, each

section stands in relationship to the other. The Greek term holon describes the phenomena of

something being simultaneously whole and part of a whole. Dzogchen Ponlop directly relates

these same ideas to the journey of the Buddhist path in Wild Awakening when he writes:

Mahamudra and Dzogchen are similar to all other Buddhist journeys in that there is a

beginning, a middle, and an end, which correspond to the ground, path and fruition stages

of the path. The journey starts at the beginning, which is called ground [view], and not at

the end, which is fruition [action]. However, the fruition aspect cannot be isolated from

the ground aspect; they both are aspects of the whole path (2003, p.7).

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Below are initial or introductory definitions for the terms: view, path and action. In the

following chapters, the application of these terms, as they relate to their respective sections of the

FLP, will be expanded upon and explored.

View

View is a word that can be exchanged for ground, perspective, or orientation It contains a

sense of laying the groundwork for something. The vision. The outlook. Common to these word

choices is the essence of foundation. Simply put, one’s view is the foundation, or basis, of

thoughts, actions and speech. The way we see the world corresponds with the meaning we make

of it. Based on this logic, our view is the starting point for how we walk in the world.

In a Buddhist context, the view is the ground of Now, where we are in this moment. Shunryu

Suzuki speaks of the timeless, or Now aspect of ground in his “Caring for the Soil” chapter of

Not Always So.

Usually we are not interested in the nothingness of the ground. Our tendency is to be

interested in something that is growing in the garden, not in the bare soil itself. But if

you want to have a good harvest the most important thing is to make the soil rich and to

cultivate it well. The Buddha’s teachings is not about the food itself but about how it is

grown, and how to take care of it. Buddha was not interested in a special deity but in the

ground from which various gardens will appear (2003, p. 48).

I understand Bernie Glassman’s view of spiritually engaged Buddhism to have a sense of

aspiration for cultivating a mind of not knowing. One could say that we practice to cultivate

wisdom. Glassman would more likely say that we practice to drop our righteous knowing and

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remain open to the situation at hand. This open mind of not knowing is the first of three tenets of

the Zen Peacemaker Order that Glassman founded and my chaplain track follows.

James Gimian speaks of the importance of view, the path of expanding view and a resulting

action in The Rules of Victory, which is based on the ancient text, The Art of War. He writes:

If we are to disrupt our habitual responses -- a key to attaining knowledge and unlocking

the power of taking whole -- we need to confound the impulses of our apprehending

mind. The fact that a given line [or view] may not yield its truth except by deeper

examination is part of its power.

To go beyond simply “getting” something from the text requires taking a step back to

view the bigger picture, which is the first step in the process of contemplation, the

deepest form of study. By contemplation we mean creating an open yet protected space

for observation. In this context, we are not speaking of contemplating any specific thing

but simply creating openness to consider whatever arises. When we come to understand

something by contemplating its meaning beyond our habitual framework, the truth comes

not from the text alone or from our own internal resources. It arises from the relationship

between the two. We mix our minds with the text, which sparks genuine insight and

conviction, which we can test in the field of action (2008, p. 24-25).

What Gimian refers to as “taking whole” is the theme of wholeness in this FLP. The point of

creating moments of peace is to step back and disrupt habits, truly seeing into the present

moment, and experiencing the inherent peace of our inner stillness. Bearing witness to what

comes into a wider, less habitual view is where inner peace and wholeness can be experienced.

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The view of the FLP includes a simplified outline of Ken Wilber’s spectrum of human

development. Wilber’s larger scope of work addresses developmental states versus stages,

pathologies along the spectrum, and correlating therapies for treatment. The reader can learn

more of Wilber’s corresponding spectrum of pathology in Transformations of Consciousness and

works on AQAL theory and integral philosophies in more recent publications. The FLP will not

delve into such an exploration. Instead, a more general consideration will be made for expanding

conventional treatments to include mindfulness practices as applied to an integrative approach to

restored wellness, wholeness and peace.

Path

Path connotes a journey, travel from point A to point B. In spiritual traditions, path often

refers to the progressive stages one travels in the journey to awakening. Sakyong Mipham

Rinpoche, spiritual leader of the Shambhala tradition, discusses the progressive stages of a

spiritual path in his book Turning the Mind Into An Ally. He offers a general outline of the

meditation path in three categories; cultivating stability of mind, clarity of mind and strength of

mind. The categories are aligned with the traditional, Tibetan, nine stage outline of progress

along the meditation path. The nine stages are based on direct experience and act as signposts

for the practitioner along the path. “These guidelines are helpful because the mind is so vast that

if we’re left to our own devices, we’ll usually just wander in thought. These nine stages are a

map” (Sakyong, 2003, p. 114). Below is a brief outline of the stages from the Sakyong’s book:

The first four stages - placement, continued placement, repeated placement, and close

placement - have to do with developing stability. Stages five and six - taming and

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pacifying - have to do with developing clarity. And the last three stages - thoroughly

pacifying, one-pointed, and equanimity - have to do with building strength (2003, p. 115).

We know that there are many ways one can travel a path. One can travel at great speeds,

missing subtle details and experiences along the way. One can travel more slowly and stop to

smell the proverbial roses along the way. There are as many options as there are travelers. In

relation to growth and wholeness, I suggest that we all travel with attention and awareness to our

own lives, using mindfulness practices as a means to integrating experiences along the way.

The experience of relaxation, restoration or increased insight that can arise from taking pause

and creating moments of peace can easily evaporate the moment we are faced with the speed and

realities of our daily lives. Without a path of mindfulness practice, insights about view and

creating moments of peace in one’s life remain as new thoughts, which will only float away like

all other thoughts. Again referencing The Rules of Victory, Gimian points to the need for a path

of practice and integration when he writes, “For the insights offered by any tradition to have

powerful effect, even the most profound view must be aligned with practices -- disciplines, broad

strategies, and ways of being -- that strengthen it and extend it effectively into the real

world” (2008, p. 26).

For purposes of the FLP, the discussion of path is aimed toward the science and research

related to mindfulness practice. A review of recent research, as well as evidence from a case

study on the risks and benefits related to pausing and creating moments of peace is provided.

A deep bow of gratitude is offered to the scientists and contemplatives who have pioneered a

path that has literally constructed a bridge between the respective worlds. This has allowed me to

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accomplish fieldwork in community based settings that a few years ago would have never

allowed mindfulness based practices to occur.

Action

The term action holds a sense of moving and doing. Many are familiar with action oriented

sayings such as “troops moving into action,” “a class action law suit,” or when ready, “one takes

action.” There are obvious traps and challenges to action that is automatic or habitual. Perhaps

this is why wise teachers from many traditions remind us that we are much better off being than

always doing. Being what? Mindful. Reflective. Open minded. Bearing witness.

Many schools of Buddhism look upon action as the fruition of having traveled a spiritual

path. Each moment presenting an opportunity for awakened action to arise from being deeply

practiced and processed along the way (shinjang is Tibetan for one’s mind being well processed).

The previously mentioned Zen Peacemaker Order is rooted in three tenets. The third, or

fruition, arises in relation to the other two tenets; a mind of not knowing and bearing witness to

what is. Glassman points to the awakened, fruition aspect of action in his book, Instructions to

the Cook by reminding us that we don’t meditate to become enlightened. We meditate because

we are enlightened (1996, p. 28). My experience has shown that creating moments of peace is a

way for us to touch in, if only for a brief moment, on our already enlightened mind, our home

base of peace. It is the wisdom that arises from touching in to this space leads to the third tenet

mentioned above, compassionate action.

The action section of the FLP discusses the fruition aspect of creating my own moments of

peace and the resulting action of fieldwork accomplished through the Dignity Foundation (the

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service delivery organization I created for the chaplain program). In this section, I will introduce

how I incorporated mindfulness practices as complimentary with and supplementary to

conventional therapies, and as its own form of treatment to individuals suffering from fatigue,

illness and pathology along the spectrum of their own (human) development.

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CHAPTER 2: VIEW

Why Pause?

I often joke that I use pause as my reference for teaching mindfulness because stop is too

abrupt. If you have ever slammed on your breaks, you know what I am talking about. Sudden

stops are effective, but not always helpful. A more gentle approach, like taking pause, allows a

person to take an inward look and create change in a more sustainable manner. Stop forces and

pause invites.

Hollywood produced the movie Click, several years ago. The main character, played by

comedian Adam Sandler, is unhappy with his work and family life. He desperately wishes for

change. While shopping, Sandler meets a wild looking man who works in the proverbial “back

room” of the electronic shop. The man offers Sandler a special remote control for the television

just purchased. We soon learn that the remote possesses magic. By pressing the pause button,

Sandler is able to stop the activity of his life and make changes. When he presses the button

again, life resumes with the changes he made in action. At first, the changes are based on his

wishes and desires. Resuming the paused scene brings him love, adoration and affection. As

time passes on, Sandler sees a lack of happiness and the selfishness of his ways. The magic

clicker induced changes he creates start shifting from desire to being of benefit to others. I can’t

remember how the movie ends. My guess is that in typical Hollywood fashion, the main

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character learns to create magic in his life without the help of the supernatural clicker, all wrongs

along the way get corrected, and everyone lives happily ever after (I do recall it being a Disney

production!).

Rest assured that this Hollywood version of a Bodhisattva is not the main focus of the final

learning project. However, the premise of taking pause in the midst of our hectic lives is. This

notion is why I chose the familiar icon from the remote control as a simple reminder to take

pause. Thich Nhat Hahn uses the ring of a bell as a mindfulness reminder, and I, the product of

an American, 1970’s upbringing, use the pause button from a tv clicker.

Who needs to pause?

Every one of us.

My experience of teaching pause in workshops and trainings has been aimed toward

professional care providers and parents. However, I deeply believe that the need for and benefits

from pausing and creating moments of peace apply to each and every one of us. Whether we are

experiencing stress and anxiety from life’s challenges, suffering from trauma or the pain of

mental illness, or just living in the modern world of multi-tasking and high speeds, we could

benefit from cultivating an increased sense of wholeness and inner peace in our daily lives.

Just for fun, pages 15 and 16 are slides from a keynote presentation I gave to Vermont

educators in January 2009. Before I introduced themes of self care to the audience, I offered

slides to open a discussion of who care providers are. I trust that most of us provide some form

of care to another person or sentient being. In other words, we are all care providers. We can all

benefit from taking pause and creating moments of peace in our lives.

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Defining the view of mindfulness

Jon Kabat-Zinn offers a four part definition of mindfulness that is accessible and user

friendly. Since this work is intended for a wide range of practitioners, his definition of the term

will be used in the FLP. The four parts of mindfulness are from Full Catastrophe Living (1990,

p.2)

• Paying attention

• In the present moment

• On purpose (with intention)

• Without judgement

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from January 2009 PATH to Wellness presentation

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from January 2009 PATH to Wellness presentation

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A Spectrum of Human Development

Ken Wilber, a leading integral philosopher, put forth a theory of human nature, growth,

pathology and ultimate fulfillment involving multiple stages of development that many still find

relevant today. According to his “full spectrum model” of human development, each stage in

human growth not only exhibits its own unique deep structure and maturation, but can also

potentially acquire specific malfunctions or pathologies correlated with that stage. Full

examination of the spectrum of development, growth, pathologies and treatment would be

fascinating, but is beyond the scope of the FLP. A simplified over view of important terminology

and key points to Wilber’s theory is provided below. It should be stated that even the simplest of

simplified over views regarding Ken Wilber’s work is still very complex.

Chogyam Trungpa, the founder of Shambhala Buddhism in the West, introduces another

model of human development in Glimpses of Abhidharma. Without delving deeply into a

discussion of the Buddhist psychology, Trungpa writes that, “the five skandhas represent the

constant structure of human psychology as well as the patterns of evolution” (1975, p. 3).

Similar to Wilber, Trungpa names that with any process of development, there are opportunities

for faulty growth and pathology. Trungpa points to this by adding, “the skandhas are also related

to blockages of different types - spiritual ones, material ones, emotional ones” (1975, p. 3).

It seems relevant to acknowledge the abhidharma and other models of human growth for our

contemplation. However, I find Wilber’s work to be truly a full spectrum model, in that it

incorporates perspectives from psychology, philosophy, as well as spirituality. Though

simplified, Wilber’s interdisciplinary view of human development is the model for the FLP.

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SELF

Although this is not a paper on the theory of self from a psychological or Buddhist view, it

does deal with the formation of self in various stages of development and the recovery of self in

therapy. Thus a minimal working definition of self will help the reader approach the body of this

paper.

In Transformations of Consciousness, Wilber simply refers to the self as the “locus of

identification, the locus of what the self will call ‘I’ or ‘me’” (p.78).

Equal to Wilber’s brilliance is the work of Carl Jung, master of human development. From a

collection of his work entitled The Archetypes of the Collective Unconscious, Jung writes of self

as the “supra-ordinate personality, which is the total of man as he really is, not as he appears to

himself. To this wholeness, the unconscious psyche belong” (1969, p.186). He provides more

detail which sounds similar to Wilber in writing:

I usually describe the supra-ordinate personality as the ‘self,’ thus making a sharp

distinction between the ego, which, as is well known, extends only as far as the conscious

mind, and the whole personality, which includes the unconscious as well as the conscious

component. The ego is thus related to the self as part to the whole. To that extent the self

is supra-ordinate (1969, p. 187).

Interesting to note is that some branches of transpersonal psychology have attempted to bring

the notion of soul back into the work of self in psychology. One such example comes from

James Hillman, who has further elaborated Carl Jung’s work in human development. Hillman

argues that psychology, whose name is derived from soul (psyche), “does not even use the word

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soul; a person is referred to as a self or an ego. We have all been de-souled” (1975, p. 2-3).

Though his point is interesting to consider, it is not the intention of the FLP to define soul or

distinguish its relation to self.

From Chogyam Trungpa’s work in Glimpses of Abhidharma, another view of self as ego is

shared for consideration:

According to the abhidharma, ego consists, in one of its aspects, of eight kinds of

consciousness. These eight consciousness can be looked at as being on the level of the

first skandha, form. They are the form of ego, the tangible aspect of it (1975, p. 9-10).

Ego is the source of all the relative concepts in the whole samsaric world. You cannot

have criteria, notions of comparison, without ego. Things begin from ego’s impression of

relativity (1975, p. 11).

Buddhism is more complex and subtle when it comes to examining the self. A. H. Almaas

explains in The Inner Journey Home that the Buddha formulated his teachings in response to

what he perceived to be “an excessive Hindu emphasis on atman, at his time” (2004, p. 584).

Within Hinduism, the term atman is used to refer to self. However, it should be noted that this

use is more like our contemporary concept of soul, which as stated above, is not aligned with any

use in the FLP. The primary aim of Buddhist teaching is called anatman, where there is no such

self (2004, p. 582-584). Almaas reminds readers that even Buddhist schools themselves have

different understandings of what self means. He summarizes the most general Buddhist view as,

“the sense of being an autonomous and eternally unchanging entity [self] is not real but

illusory” (2004, p.584).

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GROWTH

Although Abraham Maslow said, “We just don’t know enough about growth yet to be able to

define it well” (1968, p. 24), I feel Wilber has succeeded in defining the growth process for the

purposes of the FLP. Wilber points to healthy growth as involving not only movement from

stage 1 to 9 in the spectrum (or beyond, to stage 10), but also making the transitions between any

two stages properly.

Another view of growth from Wilber, in the barest outline, is a threefold process of (1)

differentiating from a stage of development, (2) de-identifying with it and then (3) identifying

with a higher stage of development. Features of the lower stage of development should then be

modified and incorporated into the new stage of development.

Wilber gives a fuller characteristic of growth in his book The Atman Project. He writes:

At each point in psychological growth we find: a higher order structure emerges in

consciousness with the help of symbolic forms; the self identifies its being with the

higher stage; the next higher order level eventually emerges; the self dis-identifies with

the lower level and shifts its essential identity to the higher one; consciousness thereby

transcends the lower level,and ; becomes capable of operating on that lower level from

the higher-order level; consciousness integrates all proceeding levels levels into its

Consciousness, and evolution continues until there is only Unity [wholeness/peace],

ultimate in all directions, whereupon the force of evolution is exhausted and there is

perfect release in Radiance as the entire world flux (p. 80).

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Wilber’s threefold growth process relates to Dr. Neil Theise’s work in system thinking and

change, as outlined during the Zen Brain program at Upaya (January 2009). During his

presentation, Theise introduced four criteria needed for a system to be created. The forth being

low level randomness. He explained if randomness is too high, we have chaos. If it is too low,

the system may not be able to respond to environmental changes and not adapt or survive. When

low level randomness is present, then the system is healthy enough to look for new possibilities

when adaptation is needed. I consider the parts of the system that look for new possibility to be

outliers. Wilber would consider them as part of the growth process. And Theise refers to this

process as Quench Disorder (Zen Brain reflection paper, January 2009).

All this, of course, is ideal growth. It must be acknowledged that the growth cycle can become

stagnated or even arrested in its development. Pathologies along the spectrum or within a system

do exist.

PATHOLOGY

Wilber: In making transitions between any stages of the spectrum a number of things might

happen that determine whether or not growth is healthy or faulty. A pathology develops if a

stage is mis-navigated by any of the three improper types of transition. In more traditional

psychology-based language, they are (1) when a child does not accomplish the “task” of a stage

adequately and moves onto the next stage with gaps and deficiencies, (2) when a child

dissociates, represses or splits off unacceptable aspects of him/herself and moves onto the next

stage with buried aspects, or (3) when a child is consolidated too well in a stage, remains

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unchallenged and fuses with it, thus carrying immature elements and habits into the next stage

(Wilber, 1979).

Emotional Pathology: as defined by Dzogchen Ponlop in Wild Awakening:

From a Buddhist perspective, neurosis refers to our experience of ordinary, conventional

reality, in which we undergo various forms of suffering based on a mistaken perception

that the “I” or “self” is a truly exiting, permanent entity. Based on this fundamental

misperception, we grasp onto the imagined self, and this clinging - often referred to as

ego clinging - then serves as a basis for the arising of disturbing emotions (2003, p. 8).

Emotions as Wisdom (not pathology): though this is a section on pathology, it seems only fair

to mention that within the more esoteric schools of Buddhism there exists the view of emotional

states as great fuel for the fire of wisdom. Vajrayana master Dzogchen Ponlop shares a story of

Buddha to point to the wisdom of emotions as such fuel in Wild Awakening:

Shakyamuni Buddha taught the [esoteric] perspective on emotions through the metaphor

of human waste. To those who live in cities, human waste is simply garbage that they

want to get rid of as soon as possible. However, to the [esoteric] farmer, human waste is

excellent manure with which to grow stronger and healthier crops. Buddha said that our

disturbing emotions, which Hinayana practitioners regard as being like human waste, are

regarded as excellent fertilizer by [esoteric] practitioners (2003, p. 227).

The potential of emotions being of benefit to the path requires the discipline of practice.

Without the strong base of a stable and cultivated mind, resulting from practice, we run the risk

of reducing our capacity for emotional regulation. To this point, Dzogchen reminds us “we could

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say that if we have not started to plow our field, then the manure will not help us very much. It

will not penetrate the earth and will remain simple, stinky garbage, even for a [esoteric]

farmer” (2003, p. 227).

Destructive Emotions: Dan Goleman’s work on emotional intelligence and destructive

emotions is an intersecting point between traditional psychology and Buddhist views. From his

book of the same title, Goleman shares insights that emerged during a conversation shared with

H.H. Dalai Lama. His work on this subject is referenced for continued investigation by those of

us interested in bridging the worlds of science and contemplation. From the book’s foreword,

H.H. Dalai Lama writes:

Much human suffering stems from destructive emotions, such as hatred breeds violence

or craving fuels addiction. One of our most basic responsibilities as caring people is to

alleviate the human costs of such out of control emotions. In that mission, I feel that

Buddhism and science both have much to contribute. They are not conflicting

perspectives, but rather differing approaches to the same end; seeking truth (2003,

foreword).

SPECTRUM OF DEVELOPMENT

Segments of Growth

For purposes of distinguishing standard Western models of developmental psychology from

Eastern models, Wilber divides the full spectrum of development (or growth) into two stages: the

conventional (traditional western psychology) and the contemplative (transpersonal and yoga

psychologies for Wilber).

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The conventional stages in Wilber span from stages 1 through 5, or the sensori-physical to the

formal reflexive stage (see spectrum diagram on a following page). Proper growth through out

these stages involves proper boundary formation (completion of the threefold process of growth

previously mentioned). Proper boundary formation is the separation of the self from

embeddedness in world, nature, parents and body. These stages culminate in forming the mental

ego (Wilber, 1986, p. 69-73).

The contemplative segment of the growth process is of course less familiar and more

controversial. It spans development from stages 6 through 9, or the vision-logic to the causal

stage (Buddhist emptiness) and ideally culminates in what Wilber refers to as beyond stage 9, the

no boundary or Unity Consciousness experience (Wilber, 1986, p. 69-73). I refer to this as

wholeness or peace. From a Buddhist perspective, this would be referred to as Buddha nature.

The contemplative phase of growth generally involves correcting faulty growth prior to the

ego level, and dissolving ontological boundaries. In other words, transpersonal growth involves

eliminating first the faulty boundaries formed by improper growth and then the temporarily

necessary ones which become a barrier to realizing final “no boundary consciousness.”

Spectrum Stages

Wilber has examined psychological and religious models of growth in eastern and western

cultures and constructed what he regards as a universal model, a full spectrum of the basic stages

of human development. Following is a cursory glance of the nine different stages of his model:

Stage 1 - Sensoriphysical: the realms of matter, sensation, and perception (the first three

Buddhist skandhas). This relates to Piaget’s sensorimotor level.

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Stage 2 - Phantasmic-emotional: the emotional, sexual level (the sheath of bioenergy,

libido or prana; the fourth Buddhist skandha). Phantasmic level is a term for the lower or

image mind, the simplest form of mental “picturing” using only images.

Stage 3 - Representational mind: the representational mind develops in two stages -- that

of symbols (2-4 years), and that of concepts (4-7 years). A symbol goes beyond a simple

image (from level 2) in this essential respect: an image represents an object pictorially,

while a symbol can represent it non-pictorially or verbally. A concept is a symbol that

represents, not just one object or act, but a class of objects or acts. Piaget would say the

rep-mind is still very ego centric.

Stage 4 - Rule/role mind: This is, for example, Piaget’s concrete operational thinking.

Unlike its rep-mind predecessor, it can begin to take the role of others. It is also the first

structure that can clearly perform rule operations, such as multiplication, division, class

inclusion, hierarchization, etc.

Stage 5 - Formal reflexive: This is essentially Piaget’s formal operational thinking. It is

the first structure that can not only think about the world, but think about thinking; hence

it is the first structure that is clearly self reflexive and introspective. It is also the first

structure capable of propositional reasoning (if A, then B), which allows it to take

genuinely pluralistic and universal views.

Stage 6 - Vision-logic: It appears that whereas the formal mind establishes relationships,

vision logic establishes networks of those relationships. Such vision or panoramic logic

apprehends a mass network of ideas, how they influence each other and interrelate. It is

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thus the beginning of truly higher order synthesizing capacity, of making connections,

relating truths, coordinating ideas and integrating concepts.

Stage 7 - Psychic: the psychic level may be thought of as the culmination of vision-logic

and visionary insight; it is perhaps best epitomized by the sixth chakra - the third eye -

which is said to mark the beginning or opening of transcendental, transpersonal, or

contemplative development. The individual’s cognitive and perceptual capacities

apparently become so pluralistic and universal that the begin to reach beyond any

narrowly personal or individual perspectives or concerns. This is the preliminary stages

of meditation in Buddhism.

Stage 8 - Subtle: the subtle level is said to be the seat of actual archetypes, of

transcendent insight and absorption. Some traditions claim that according to direct

phenomenological apprehension, this level is the home of personal deity-form. In

vipassana meditation, this sis the stage realm of pseudo-nirvana, the realm of illumination

and rapture and initial transcendent insight.

Stage 9 - Causal: the causal level is said to be the unmanifest source or transcendental

ground of all the lesser structures; the abyss, the void. It is realized in a state of

consciousness known variously as samadhi, the 8th of 10 ox herding pictures, the stage of

effortless insight culminating in nirvana. Alternatively, this stage is ascribed as a

universal and formless Self (atman).

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Stage 10 - No Boundary or Unity Consciousness, Wholeness and Buddha nature. This

level is considered separately because it is not one stage within a series of stages, but is

an asymptotic limit to the series. (Wilber, 1986, p. 69-73)

The notion of a developmental model may be universal in terms of there being dominant

stages, but the particular names for these stages are specific to Wilber. Equivalent terminologies

for conventional and contemplative stages formulated by other developmental psychologists is

set forth in the charts found on pages 29 and 30. Detailed explanation of the various theories and

stages are not provided. The two charts are simply for terminology comparisons among well

know researchers.

BEYOND THE SPECTRUM

Stage 10 of the Spectrum - No Boundary Consciousness

Examining the common thread running through cross-cultural philosophies, religions and

belief systems leads Wilber to say there is a reality beyond categories, divisions, or boundaries.

The territory where universal connections take place, is referred to by Wilber as no boundary

consciousness. Throughout his work, Wilber seems to use the terms No Boundary and Unity

Consciousness interchangeably as reference to the open space of consciousness beyond stages

1-9 of human development.

The Buddhist traditions refer to this reality as non-dualism or Buddha nature. Some refer to

this state of consciousness as God, some the Universe, and others the Source. When cultural

differences are put aside, it seems that everyone is referring to the same reality; Wholeness.

Wilber makes the same point in No Boundary when he writes:

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This type of awareness, this Unity Consciousness is the nature and condition of all

sentient beings; but we progressively limit our world and turn from our true nature in

order to embrace boundaries. Our originally pure and unitive consciousness then

functions on varied levels, with different identities and different boundaries (1979, p. 4).

Such wholeness, Unity Consciousness, or Buddha nature can only be discussed on a

theoretical level. If we are living beings on this earth, chances are we remain in the world of

boundaries, and therefore experience wholeness through moments when intentionally creating

peace. Those who have experienced a universal connectedness, whether for a fleeting moment

or as an altered state of mind, say that they cannot adequately speak of the experience. Wilber

would say that no existing language has the capacity to put words to the phenomena because

words would only result in placing further boundaries in the way of absolute understanding.

The obstacle of language has appeared in my experiences with teaching mindfulness

practices. As a result, I use “pause” as a gentle invitation to be mindful and I use descriptors

such as stillness, inner peace and a relaxed, yet alert state of mind to give reference to potential

experiences of wholeness that can arise from practice.

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Equivalent terminology for conventional stages of development

W I L B E R : S P E C T R U M

S T A G E S

M A S L O W : S E L F N E E D S

L O E V I N G E R : S E L F S E N S E

K O H L B E R G : M O R A L S E N S E

K O H L B E R G : M O R A L S E N S E

Sensoriphysical Autistic

(Physiological) Symbiotoc (Pre-moral)

Phantasmic-emotional

Beginning Impulsive

0. Magic Wish

Representational mind

Safety Impulsive I. Pre-conventional

1. Punishment/obedience

Self-protective 2. Naive Hedonism

Rule/role mind Belongingness Conformist II. Conventional 3. Approval of others

Conscientious conformist

4. Law & Order

Formal reflexive Self-esteem Conscientious III. Post conventional

5. Individual rights

Individualistic 6. Individual principles of conscience

Vision Logic Self-actualization Autonomous

Integrated

Psychic Self-transcendence

Subtle Self-transcendence

7. Universal/spiritual

Causal Self-transcendence

(Wilber, 1986, p. 77)

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Equivalent terminology for contemplative stages of development

W I L B E R : S P E C T R U M

S T A G E S

A U R O B I ND O

M A H A Y A N A Y O G I C C H A K R A S

K A B A L A H

Sensoriphsyical physical subconscient

Physical world & instincts; hunger/thirst

Malkuth

Phantasmic-emotional

vital-emotional 5 vijnanas (senses) Emotional-sexual level

Yesod

Representational mind

will-mind, lower concepts

Intentional mind; power

Rule/role mind sense-mind; concrete based

Manovijnana (gross or reflecting mind)

Community mind; love

Formal reflexive Reasoning mind (formal operations)

Hod/Netzach

Vision-logic higher mind (network/vision)

Manas (higher mind; conveyer b/w individual mind & alaya vijnana mind)

Rational-verbal; communication

Tipareth

Psychic Illumined mind

Ajna; third eye; psychic cognition

Subtle Intuitive mind Tainted alayavijnana (collective archetypal mind; vasana seeds)

Sahasrara; crown; beginning of higher chakras

Geburah/Chesed

Causal Overmind Binah/ Chokmah

Pure Alaya Shiva/Paramatman

Kether

Ultimate Supermind

(Wilber, 1986, p. 70)

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CHAPTER 3: PATH

Potential risks from not creating moments of peace

Whether the approach is to get the “bad news” out of the way first, or to use negative

marketing tactics to capture attention, the discussion of creating moments of peace begins from a

risk management perspective. Many training participants have confessed that they hunger for

moments of peace, yet grasp for excuses not to pause or pursue a moment in their own life. One

can expect that information from an examination of potential risks is fairly common knowledge

to the general public, yet worthy of review. I will share findings regarding risks to emotional,

physical and neurological well-being when time to take pause and create moments of peace,

whether in a therapeutic setting or our own lives, is not made.

Let’s begin the examination with a humorous look at what potential risks can look like in our

lives:

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Cautious.... irritable behavior Edgy... could lose balance at any moment

Exhausted Stressed out

Lonely & Depressed

What life without pause or moments of peace can look like.

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Our mutual understanding of risks involved with not taking pause and creating moments of

peace comes from our own experience of stress, fatigue and burnout. The cartoon above

captures this sentiment and is funny, but only in a sad and familiar way.

Stress is real. It affects our physiological state, as well as our emotional, psychological and

spiritual states. Some stress is normal. It is was motivates us for change and growth. What

Wilber points to as a healthy growth process, de-identifying with a familiar stage and venturing

into the unfamiliar territories of a new stage of development, is quite stressful. It is healthy and

oriented toward wholeness, but is still experienced as stress to our system.

Laurie Leitch, Founder of the Trauma Resilience Institute, explains the impact stress has on

the nervous system in her work with trauma. Of course not all stress is trauma related, but the

physiological symptoms triggered by stress are the same, no matter the cause. Stress starts as a

physiological experience, which means it begins in the pre-thought portion of our brain; the

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reptilian portion. Pre-thought means instinctual. It is from here that we execute the fight or flight

response.

The reptilian portion of the brain is one of three parts of the triune brain. Leitch introduced a

simple over view of the triune brain at an initial trauma training held at Upaya (March 2009) and

again at a Level I training in Washington, DC (April 2009). From the base of the skull to the

forehead, the brain is divided into three regions. At the base, or stem, is the reptilian brain.

Along with fight or flight response, this region of the brain is responsible for our survival

instincts, which includes digestion, reproduction, circulation and breathing.

The mid-region of the brain is the limbic area, which is primarily focused on emotions. The

predominant function is the expression and mediation of feelings, including emotions linked to

attachment. The amygdala and hippocampus are key structures of the limbic area and are

receiving attention in the scientific world regarding research of neuroplasticity and emotional

recovery. The forehead region of the brain is the neo-cortex (also known as the prefrontal

cortex). This area is responsible for the executive functions of thinking, cognition, beliefs,

language and speech. This portion of the triune brain has the capacity to integrate input from all

three regions (Leitch, 2009, p.17).

As previously mentioned, the human nervous system is organized for survival and is based in

to the reptilian region of the brain. The physical responses that are triggered from this region

correlate to the level of stress we experience. We know that some stress is normal and an

expected part of life. However, the risk for many of us is the extended level of stress we live with

on a daily basis. It would be the equivalent of saying that we know water is good for us. What if

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we drank water all day long, long surpassing the recommended 64 ounce level, though? Over

time, internal organs would be over-taxed and we’d be at risk of a system failure. The risk of

extended stress can be like that.

Stress influences the sympathetic aspect of the nervous system. The human nervous system is

made up of two systems; the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system. The

central system is made up of the brain and spinal cord. The peripheral system is made up of the

autonomic nervous system and the somatic nervous system, which extends to the outer regions of

our body. It is within the autonomic nervous system that we find the two branches of

sympathetic and parasympathetic systems. The chart below takes information from Leitch’s

trauma training manual and identifies the difference between these two branches of the

autonomic nervous system:

S Y M P A T H E T I C P A R A S Y M P A T H E T I C

Prepares the body for ACTION Prepares the body for REST

Controls organs during times of stress: Controls the body during times of rest:

INCREASING: DECREASING:

breathing rate, heart rate, blood pressure, sweating, stress hormone release, and pupil

dilation.

breathing rate, heart rate, blood pressure, sweating, stress hormone release, and pupil

dilation.

DECREASING: INCREASING:

digestion, saliva & integrated thought digestion, saliva & integrated thought

(2009, p. 23)

The sympathetic nervous system is intended for temporary bursts of increased response. The

burst is to help us move quickly and preserve our survival. If we see a wild dog while out for a

run, what happens? We interpret the dog as danger and the sympathetic nervous system kicks in.

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Hormones for fight or flight are released, additional oxygen enters through increased breathing

and heart rate, and we respond. Soon after we are safe, our nervous system regulates back to a

normal state, and the parasympathetic system engages. Healthy rhythmic cycling between

systems allows a person to respond to constant input from the environment in an adaptive way,

maintaining a healthy balance within the overall system of our body.

What happens if the burst extends for longer periods than nature intended? More succinctly

put, what happens to US when we live with stress on a constant basis? Do we look and behave

like the images in the photos shown several pages back? YES. Extended periods of sympathetic

system arousal from stress is the opposite of moments of peace. These extended periods not only

tax the health of the body, but train us in extreme characteristic traits, literally laying

neurological pathways that interrupt natural cycling between systems. The pathways create

patterns in our body. The physical risks of this process have been outlined in the chart on the

previous page. A brief list of emotional risks associated with extended sympathetic arousal from

stress are: diminished inner stability to attend to stressful situations, susceptibility to substance

abuse, increased feelings of being overwhelmed, reduced interest in fun, reduced ability to

regulate emotions, increased irritability-depression-exhaustion, and a reduced sense of well-

being.

Laurie Leitch points to the same emotional risks in teaching that each of us has a natural pre-

disposition toward “fight,” “flight” or a third option, “freeze,” when stress is encountered. If we

are prone to an active “fight or flight” response to stress, then the symptom manifestation for

constant sympathetic system arousal can include increased: anger, panic & phobias, irritability,

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hyperactivity, frequent crying and temper tantrums, nightmares, regressive behaviors, increase in

clinging behavior, and running away (2009, p. 28).

The freeze response occurs when the experience of stress is so overwhelming that a person is

literally frozen, unable to adapt or respond. If we are prone to the “freeze” response to stress,

then the symptom manifestation for constant sympathetic arousal can include dissociative

responses like daydreaming, inability to bond with others, inattention and forgetfulness, shyness

and flat affect. Leitch reminds us that the symptoms for hypo-arousal look like calmness, but are

actually a state of high sympathetic nervous system arousal (2009, p. 28).

During the April 2009 Trauma Resiliency training, Leitch shared two resources that discuss

the severity of extended stress and the neurological imprinting that can result. Following are

points from these resources, but without page references. In Waking the Tiger, Peter Levine

writes of the risks associated with extended freeze response. However, I think it is fair to say

that his message is applicable to all three stress response options. “If the freeze response is not

discharged, the energy of the intense arousal associated with the overwhelming threat and

thwarted defensive responses remains in the body and brain, leading to symptoms of PTSD

(post-traumatic stress disorder) or DESNOS (disorders of extreme stress not otherwise

specified).” From The Body Bears the Burden, Robert Scaer writes of extended stress as if it

were the smoke detector of our internal system, always sounding the alarm: “until the act of fight

or self defense has been completed (or restored), the survival brain may continue to perceive that

the threat (stress) continues to exist.”

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How can taking pause and creating moments of peace help reduce the risks of these

symptoms? How can mindfulness practices address the risks of comprised emotional and

physical well-being? The next section will address these questions, bring attention to the body’s

ability to heal and restore itself along the spectrum of development, and discuss other benefits of

creating moments of peace in our stressful lives.

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Possible benefits from creating moments of peace

A fundamental benefit experienced from moments of peace is the attitude (or internal view)

brought to and cultivated by mindfulness practice. Jon Kabat-Zinn teaches seven attitudinal

factors through his pioneering work in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). Kabat-

Zinn reminds us that attitude is linked with practice in the same way view is linked with path and

action in The Full Catastrophe. He writes, “These attitudes are to be cultivated consciously

when practicing. They are not independent of each other. Each one relies on and influences the

degree to which you are able to cultivate the others” (1990, p.33).

The connection to stress reduction and building a positive emotional foundation can be seen

in the brief outline of Kabat-Zinn’s seven attitudinal factors shared below.

1. Non-judging: assuming the stance of an impartial witness to your own experience. To

do this requires that you become aware of the constant stream of judging and reacting

to inner and outer experiences that we are all normally caught up in, and learn to step

back from it.

2. Patience: is a form of wisdom that demonstrates we understand and accept the fact that

somethings things must unfold in their own time and way.

3. Beginner’s Mind: is a mind that is willing to see everything as if for the first time. Too

often we let our thinking and beliefs about what we “know” prevent us from seeing

things as they really are.

4. Trust: It is far better to trust in your own wisdom and voice, even if you make some

“mistakes” along the way, than always looking outside yourself for answers or

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guidance. Developing a basic trust in yourself and your feelings is an integral part of

cultivating inner resilience, intuition and your own sense of authority.

5. Non-striving: Almost everything we do we do for a purpose, to get something or

somewhere. This attitude is our cultural norm and is an obstacle to the simple

experience of just being, of non-doing, and of allowing you to be yourself.

6. Acceptance: seeing things as they actually are in the present. In the course of our daily

lives we often waste a lot of energy denying and resisting what is already fact. When

we do that, we are basically trying to force situations to be the way we would like them

to be, which only makes for more tension.

7. Letting go: non-attachment. When we start paying attention to our inner experience,

we rapidly discover that there are certain thoughts and feelings and situations that the

mind seems to want to hold on to. Similarly, there are many thoughts and feelings and

experiences that we try to get rid of or to prevent and protect ourselves from having.

Letting go is an act of intentionally putting aside the tendency to grasp onto some

aspects of our experience and to reject others. (1990, p. 33-40).

Inner Resilience Program as a case study

Linda Lantieri’s work in public schools provides powerful evidence of how mindfulness

practices can be brought into mainstream settings, reduce stress, and promote peace and well-

being. Lantieri began running a pilot project of her Inner Resilience program (IR) in the South

Burlington, Vermont school district in the spring of 2007. The overall philosophy of IR is to

raise awareness one’s inner world, cultivate emotional intelligence, and build inner resilience

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through mindfulness practices. In 2008, I joined her team as a mindfulness instructor, which

allowed access to trainings and research.

Lantieri’s work builds off of a 40 year career in education, peace advocacy work, and research

of prosocial and emotional (SEL) competencies having positive effects in school systems. One

such piece of pioneering research comes from The Prosocial Classroom: Teacher Social and

Emotional Competence in Relation to Student and Classroom Outcomes, a report coordinated by

Tish Jennings, of the Garrison Institute. The report reviews current research suggesting

relationship between social emotional competence and teacher burn out, and reviews intervention

efforts to support teacher’s social emotional competence through stress reduction and

mindfulness programs (Jennings, p. 2). From this report, we learn prosocial and emotional

competencies are comprised of four qualities: self awareness, self management, social awareness

and social (relationship) management. CASEL (Collaborative for Academic Social and

Emotional Learning) recently added responsible decision making to the competency quality list

(The Prosocial Classroom report, 2009, p. 5).

Remember the lesson of the triune brain in the previous section? We know that the brain’s

executive center holds circuits for both inhibiting disruptive emotional impulses and for paying

attention (skills developed from calming and focusing practices). Like many developmental

theorists, Lantieri agrees that the executive center of the brain is most shaped by experience in

childhood; corresponding with developmental stages 1-5 in Wilber’s spectrum model. Consider

the amount of time a westernized child spends in school. Doesn’t it seem ideal that Lantieri is

advocating for the development of healthy skills (like stress management, emotional intelligence,

and inner resilience) in the classroom? In Building Emotional Intelligence, Lantieri clearly

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makes this point, “When children do not have strategies for decreasing anxiety, less attention is

available for them to learn, solve problems, and grasp new ideas. Distress kills learning!” (2008,

p. 3).

Lantieri believes that engagement in mindfulness practices that cultivate prosocial and

emotional competencies will lead to an increased sense of inner resilience. Increased inner

resilience allows us to regulate emotions and maintain a sense of inner calm, even in the midst of

challenges and stresses. Her work has been aimed toward the teachers and students, yet the

findings seem applicable across the board, benefitting anyone who takes pause and creates a

moment of peace.

Specific to the IR pilot project in Vermont, measurements of pre- and post-experiences of

mindfulness and inner resilience were tracked by participants during year 1. The report entitled

Research on the Effect of the Inner Resilience Program on Teacher and Student Wellness and

Classroom Climate is a collection of these findings and was released in February 2009. A few

highlights from the wellness results of the report are summarized below:

Teacher Wellness Results: Treatment teachers’ mean scores changed from pre to post in

the predicted direction on 13 of the 15 measured wellness qualities. Furthermore,

repeated measures analyses indicate that the program had a statistically significant and

meaningful impact on reducing treatment group teachers’ stress levels (as measured by

one scale), increasing their levels of attention and mindfulness, and strengthening their

relational trust with their colleagues (2009, p. iii).

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Classroom Climate Results: Treatment teachers’ mean scores changed from pre to post in

the predicted direction on both of the measured classroom climate aspects. Furthermore,

3rd- and 4th-grade students of treatment teachers perceived a statistically significant and

meaningfully greater increase in their levels of autonomy and influence from pre to post

than the 3rd- and 4th-grade students of control teachers (2009, p. iv).

Student Wellness Results: The mean scores of 3rd- and 4th- grade students of treatment

teachers changed from pre to post in the predicted direction on three of the six measured

wellness aspects, and mean scores of 5th-grade students of treatment teachers changed in

the predicted direction on four of the seven measured wellness aspects. Furthermore,

3rd- and 4th-grade students of treatment teachers experienced significant reductions in

their frustration levels from pre to post compared to the 3rd- and 4th-grade students of

control teachers, though this difference was not considered meaningful (2009, p. v).

As mentioned, the research report is specific to a school population. However, it is interesting

to note that the report’s executive summary points to risks associated with stress that are similar

to ones shared by Laurie Leitch regarding stress in the body.

Teachers face a variety of stresses, such as heavy workloads, relative isolation from their

colleagues, time constraints, emphasis on academic achievement testing, low decision-

making power, and frequent lack of support from their superiors and peers. Given the

stresses that they face and the little support that they receive to address these challenges,

it is not surprising that teachers respond with common physiological, emotional, and

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behavioral manifestations of stress, or by leaving the profession altogether. Those who

stay are at risk of developing another serious problem: teacher burnout, a multi-

dimensional construct that consists of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and

reduced personal accomplishment (Lantieri, 2009, p. i).

Sharing experiences from creating moments of peace:

In Full Catastrophe Living, Jon Kabat-Zinn offers individual stories and case studies from

participants at his Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction clinics. What is so helpful about this

information is that those who are newcomers or skeptics get to see that anyone, not just monks or

contemplatives, can learn to successfully engage in mindfulness practices. The “regular” folks at

the MBSR clinics share their discovery that “it can be quite exhilarating to meditate” (1990, p.

72). I found Kabat-Zinn’s summary of personal accounts and studies inspiring and have

provided an excerpt from his book below:

These are true moments of wholeness, accessible to all of us. Where do they come from?

Nowhere. They are here all the time. Each time you sit in an alert and dignified posture

and turn your attention to your breathing, for however long, you are returning to your

own wholeness, affirming your intrinsic balance of mind and body, independent of the

passing state of either your mind or your body in any moment. Sitting becomes a

relaxation into stillness and peace beneath the surface agitations of your mind. It’s as easy

as seeing and letting go, seeing and letting go, seeing and letting go (1990, p. 72).

I did not gather measurable evidence or utilize outcome based scales in the service delivery

offered in my field work. However, I did receive comments and feedback from participants. I

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have included a few personal testimonies that have been gathered, highlighting the benefits

experienced by the simple act of pausing and creating a moment of peace:

• “What a positive reason for community members to come together—anything to build a feeling of community—especially in South Burlington--is a plus.” ~Marcy Murray

• “I am grateful. I am grateful for our time together on Sunday, for the compassionate and gifted guidance of Kim, for the beautiful Dhatri space, for learning, and for taking the journey of this group together.” ~Susie Merrick

• “I LOVED my sessions with you and would prefer to keep doing them each week. I learned huge amounts about myself and my practice.” ~ Carrie Steele

• “The retreat time was just what I needed. Feeling more ready for the week ahead. Thanks.” ~Jane Michaud

Types of mindfulness practices for creating moments of peace:

Considering the broad definition of mindfulness being used in the FLP, it is fair to agree with

Jon Kabat-Zinn when he says that any activity done with attention will “dramatically amplify the

probability of an expansion in your perspective” (1990, p. 94). However, for the purpose of

structure within my fieldwork, the focus of mindfulness practices was placed upon more

traditional sitting practices such as shamatha and zazen.

My experience has taught that in groups that are unfamiliar or even skeptical of mindfulness

practices, it is important to neutralize stigmas and fears by offering instruction through user

friendly and scientific language. I have found it a more powerful to instruct on shamatha practice

by creating an environment of safety and promoting a direct experience of calmness, rather than

offering a definition or translation of the Sanskrit origins of the word. Often, I introduce

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shamatha practice as balloon breathing, bringing focus to the physical aspects of the experience

(ie. inhalation and belly expansion).

(introducing shamatha to educators, January 2009)

Another mindfulness practice that serves to create moments of peace is focused positive affect

training. Participants of this technique are invited to bring to mind messages of loving-kindness

for him/her self. Many practitioners express a sense of surprise when friendliness is offered in an

inward direction. Cultivating the thoughts and energy of positive messages serves two purposes.

The first is to begin replacing negative self thoughts with more friendly ones. The second is to

nourish oneself by absorbing the restorative energy of loving kindness.

The receptive mindfulness practice of open presencing also serves to create moments of

peace. During the Inner City Ministry program at Upaya, in August 2008, Glassman taught that

the simple act of just sitting, zazen, is the instruction for peace and inner stillness. When we add

the exclamation of “TA!” to the practice, we are engaged in shikantaza. In Zen, we practice just

sitting to have a direct experience of our intrinsic Buddha nature, the most open and receptive

space we can imagine.

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It is interesting to note that researchers are exploring how different mindfulness practices can

effect different regions of the brain, which of course have impact on the body and emotions.

During the Zen Brain program at Upaya (2009), Dr. Jim Austin introduced a similar point about

mindfulness practices and different regions of the brain. His view was based on the left and right

hemispheres of the brain, as opposed the triune regions. Highlights on Austin’s presentation

from my reflection paper of that program are shared below:

Where the brain comes into play with self and non-self has to do with right and left

hemispheres. The right side perceives in a way that is open and considers spacial

relations. It relates more to structures of our meaning making processes. The left

hemisphere perceives in a way that uses fine brain attention for contrasting tasks and

detail orientation.

We can see that the right hemisphere with it's open nature is more oriented to non-self

or allocentric perception. Engaging in contemplative practices like open monitoring can

train and strength not only this region of the brain but the characteristics associated with

it. The left hemisphere is more self or egocentric oriented (January 2009).

E G O C E N T R I C ( S E L F ) A L L O C E N T R I C ( N O N -S E L F )

type of mindfulness practice: concentration mode receptive mode

focused attention open presencing

positive affect training open monitoring

type of focusing: narrow attention & specific unfocused, inclusive & accommodates environment

effort: deliberate, voluntary effortless

neuro-pathway: top down way to process bottom up processing

brain hemisphere: LEFT RIGHT

(January 2009 Reflection Paper from Zen Brain Program, Upaya Zen Center)

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CHAPTER 4: ACTION

Taking Pause

On December 13, 2009, I was notified of a Facebook posting by Pema Chodron, famous

western Tibetan Buddhist teacher. Pema’s posting highlighted the need for taking pause. As you

may see from HER pause symbol beneath the posting title, my aspiration to serve others in

creating moments of peace is on track and in very good company. Below is an excerpt of the

posting. It is fair to say that her reference to creating a gap is similar to my reference of creating

of moments of peace.

Pema Chodron's NotesWaking Up

This teaching is based on a talk given to the monks and nuns at Gampo Abbey in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, where Pema Chödrön is resident acharya (senior teacher).

One of the most effective means for working with that moment when we see the

gathering storm of our habitual tendencies is the practice of pausing, or creating a gap.

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We can stop and take three conscious breaths, and the world has a chance to open up to us

in that gap. We can allow space into our state of mind.

As I said, our habits are strong, so a certain discipline is required to step outside our

cocoon and receive the magic of our surroundings. The pause practice—the practice of

taking three conscious breaths at any moment when we notice that we are stuck—is a

simple but powerful practice that each of us can do at any given moment.

Pause practice can transform each day of your life. It creates an open doorway to the

sacredness of the place in which you find yourself. The vastness, stillness, and magic of

the place will dawn upon you, if you let your mind relax and drop for just a few breaths

the story line you are working so hard to maintain. If you pause just long enough, you can

reconnect with exactly where you are, with the immediacy of your experience (Chodron,

2009, Facebook).

Chaplain training and field work

In this final section, an outline of fieldwork experiences that have allowed me to expand

conventional treatment modalities to include mindfulness practices in three ways is provided.

The first way has been as a compliment to traditional psychotherapy. In this capacity,

mindfulness can be seen as beneficial in creating a relaxed and alert state of mind before entering

into the interior work of therapy. I liken this approach to receiving a massage prior to a

chiropractic adjustment, preparing a person to receive the full extent of benefit from the

treatment.

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The second way has been as a supplement to traditional therapy. In this capacity, mindfulness

practices are engaged in to cultivate further stability and inner resilience during one’s journey of

self discovery. The additional strength and skills acquired through practice reduces stress and

fortifies the integration of change that arises from treatment.

The third way has been as a mentor for mindful living. In this capacity, my work highlights

mindfulness as a stand-alone approach to restoring a sense of well-being and making smooth

transitions along the spectrum of human development. One could argue that mentoring in this

capacity is similar to the aim of transpersonal psychotherapy. From a transpersonal model, a

person takes the view of there being “more” beyond the ego. The therapeutic work is to support

and encourage an experience of “more”; more spirit or more consciousness. The mentoring

stance points from the awakened view back toward the marketplace, if you will. Supporting the

integration of wakeful and peaceful moments into one’s daily life. Both views share the

intention of blending, or creating a middle way between relative and absolute perspectives. The

difference only being in the starting point, the ground or view.

Without losing sight of my own hypothesis, it seems appropriate to point to potential

obstacles or negative impacts associated with mindfulness practices in one’s developmental

process. Mark Epstein asks in Transformations of Consciousness “what is the range of side

effects of meditative practices that may present to the clinician as psychological

disturbance?” (Wilber, 1986, p. 54). Epstein goes on to site a list of potential negative side

effects reported by various researchers. Symptoms noted range from depersonalization and

derealization experiences, to anxiety, tension, and agitation, to exacerbations of depressive affect.

The need for well trained mindfulness instructors involved in therapy and treatment of others is

50

apparent. Epstein reminds us that “just as in psychoanalysis, beginning stages involve regression,

but higher stages are progressive and only accessible when the practitioner’s ego is sufficiently

intact to withstand the regressive upsurge” (Wilber, 1986, p. 56). Therefore, I make a general

warning that any work related to emotional and psychological well-being should not be done in

isolation. Supervision and support for those providing care is necessary on a constant and on-

going basis.

Mindfulness as Complimentary to other Treatments

Laurie Leitch’s work with intense trauma teaches us that the neo-cortex can close down

during times of high stress. Remember, the neo-cortex is responsible for thinking and integration.

If these executive functions are not accessible, then talk therapy, based on cognitive models and

problem solving alone, will not be effective in restoring balance to the nervous system or

regulating emotional states. This is the primary reason for my stance that mental health

professionals consider expanding traditional treatment modalities to include the grounding and

calming effects of mindfulness practice. I agree with Leitch and other trauma experts, such as

Dr. Bruce Perry and Dr. Bessel Van Der Kolk, that allowing the body to restore parasympathetic

functions compliments therapy by calming and opening the client to the full benefit of treatment.

My fieldwork experience:

A) Facilitating self care workshops & retreats - adding mindfulness practices to

compliment already existing personal self care plans (like exercise, nutrition, proper

sleep) and providing deeply nourishing environments for restoration of one’s reserves.

51

A sample marketing brochure for one of my restorative retreats, which focused on self

care, can be found in the attached addendum of the FLP.

B) Undergraduate level course instruction for students preparing to enter the field of

human service. The primary learning objectives are to academically and

experientially teach the risk and benefit of mindfulness practices (as self care) from a

preventive point of view. Course syllabi can be found in the attached addendum of the

FLP.

Mindfulness as Supplementary to other Treatments

My fieldwork experience:

A) Inner Resilience Instructor - providing mindfulness practices for self care and the

cultivation of skills for the inner work that promotes prosocial and emotional

competency development. Details on Linda Lantieri’s Inner Resilience (IR) program

are found in the previous section of the FLP.

B) Keynote speaker at PATH to Wellness Conference - asking Vermont educators to

consider adding mindfulness practices into their wellness routine, further enhancing

their overall sense of wholeness and wellness, as they face system, classroom and

colleague challenges.

C) Co-facilitating a parent mindfulness group with a local mental health agency. All

participants were parents of children with severe mental health diagnosis. The need

for self care is important for all parents. Particular to this population, teaching the

therapeutic value of taking pause and caring for oneself was critical. The Clinical

52

Director of the agency continues to offer a similar parent mindfulness group as

supplementary to family therapy.

D)Facilitate a mindfulness sitting group for parents whose children are students in the

South Burlington, Vermont school district. The sitting group is a natural outgrowth of

the IR program, though not all parents or students are affiliated with Lantieri’s

program.

Mindfulness as a Mentor for Mindful Living

I have recently added my name to the Vermont roster of non-licensed mental health

practitioners (copy of license in the attached addendum of FLP). Contained within the roster is a

letter to be shared with each client. Below is an excerpt from the letter that clearly identifies my

scope of work as a mentor for mindful living:

Fundamental to the work I do is the belief that each of us must cultivate peace within our

self if we are to heal, maintain well-being and experience happiness. Equally true is the

belief that each person has the strength and ability to cultivate this sense of peace, as it

inherently resides within every one of us.

My work as a mentor for mindful living happens along a continuum, with progressive

stages of development experienced over time. Starting with individual need(s) of the

person, the work focuses on stress reduction, cultivating pro-social and emotional

competencies, and attention to one’s inner life. Developing these fundamental life skills

enhances the ability to make smooth transitions, create positive change and experience a

sense of inner peace in one’s daily life.

53

It is recognized that trauma, arrested development and mental illness are experienced

by many. I do not claim expertise in trauma work or other treatment modalities for severe

diagnosis. My work is broader in scope and aims to build the space of one’s interior life to

better accommodate the on-going stressors and traumas of daily living and life challenges.

The skillful means acquired from mindful living can enhance one’s well-being, as well as

naturally support efforts made in other treatment settings.

In our rushed culture, we often give to others without caring for our selves. Mindful

living advocates for taking pause to replenish one’s self, while expanding our view of

giving to include self care. A mindful approach to living will ultimately allow us to

cultivate a sense of inner peace and provide better care to others.

My field work experience:

A) Meeting 1:1 to counsel and offer mindfulness instruction as a method of providing

safe space for individuals to create moments of peace during times of transition, change

and challenge along the spectrum of one’s life.

B) Teaching Living Mindfully class at a local healing center. The marketing brochure for

this class is attached to the addendum of the FLP.

C)Collaborating with the non-profit Between 4 Eyes to bring Mindfulness Ambassador

Council curriculum to peer resource and leadership groups in American high schools.

What action will follow after chaplain training?

Kim Nolan as Buddhist Chaplain in the world....

54

1. Keep the Dignity Foundation alive as a vehicle for spiritually engaged service

delivery such as workshops, trainings and retreats.

2. Continue daily sitting practice and keep exploring the questions that arise along the

spectrum of my own life.

3. Leading sitting groups in community.

4. Work with colleagues in cohort 1 to develop vision of Chaplains Beyond Borders.

5. Join Trauma Resiliency Institute as intern in Kenya August 2010.

6. Possibly commence studies in the Antioch PhD program in Leadership & Change --

further exploring of themes on self care, awakened leadership and creating moments

of peace in our self and our world.

7. Accept role as Director of Transpersonal Psychology department at Burlington

College in Burlington, Vermont. The intention is it bring the program more current

and rename it: Integral Psychology and Wellness Studies with a required course in

self care, contemplation and inner resilience.

8. Remain open to what Dan Seigel refers to as the Infinite Field of Possibility!

55

56

REFERENCES

Adyashanti. (2000). The Impact of Awakening. Los Gatos: Open Gate Publishing.

Almaas, A. H. (2004). The Inner Journey Home. Boston: Shambhala.

Austin, James. (1998). Zen and the Brain. Cambridge: The MIT Press.

Austin, James. (January 2009). Zen Brain Program, Santa Fe: Upaya Zen Center.

Chodron, Pema. (December 2009). Waking Up. Facebook posting.

Gimian, James. (2008). The Rules of Victory: How to Transform Chaos and Conflict. Boston: Shambhal.

Glassman, Bernard. (1996). Instructions to the Cook: A Zen Master’s Lessons in Living a Life That Matters. New York: Bell Tower.

Glassman, Bernie. (1998). Bearing Witness: A Zen Master’s Lessons in Making Peace. New York: Bell Tower.

Glassman, Bernie. (2003). Infinite Circle: Teachings on Zen. Boston: Shambhala.

Glassman, Bernie. (August 2008). Inner City Ministry Program, Santa Fe: Upaya Zen Center.

Goleman, Daniel. (2003). Destructive Emotions. New York: Bantam Dell.

Greenleaf, Robert. (1975). Servant Leadership. New York: Paulist Press, 1977.

Hillman, James. (1975). Re-visioning Psychology. New York: Harper & Row.

Jennings, Patricia. (no publishing date). Prosocial Classroom: Teacher Social and Emotional Competence in Relation to Student and Classroom Outcomes. Garrison Institute.

Jung, Carl. (1969). The Archetypes and the Co&ective Unconscious. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

Kabat-Zinn, Jon. (1990). Fu& Catastrophe Living. New York: Bantam Dell.

Lantieri, Linda. (2008). Building Emotional Inte&igence. Boulder: Sounds True.

Lantieri, Linda. (February 2009). Research on the Effect of the Inner Resilience Program on Teacher and Student We&ness and Classroom Climate: Final Report. South Burlington, Vermont.

Leitch, Laurie. (2009). Trauma Resiliency Model training manual. Santa Fe: Trauma Resiliency Institute.

Leitch, Laurie. (April 2009). Trauma Resilience training. Washington, DC: Trauma Resiliency and Sex Trafficking.

Levine, Peter. (1997). Waking the Tiger - Healing Trauma. Berkeley: North Atlantic Books.

Maslow, Abraham. (1968). On the Psychology of Being. New York: Van Nostrand Company.

Rinpoche, Dzogchen Ponlop. (2003). Wild Awakening. Boston: Shambhala.

Rinpoche, Sakyong Mipham.(2003). Turning the Mind Into An A&y. New York: Penguin Putnam.

57

Rinpoche, Tulku Urgyen. (2000). As It Is (volume II). Boudhanath: Rangjung Yeshe.

Scaer, Robert. (2001). The Body Bears the Burden. New York: Haworth Medical Press.

Siegel, Daniel. (2007). The Mindful Brain: Reflection and Attunement in the Cultivation of We&-Being. New York: W. W. Norton & Company.

Suzuki, Shunryu. (2003). Not Always So. New York: Harper Collins.

Theise, Neil. (January 2009). Zen Brain Program. Santa Fe: Upaya Zen Center.

Trungpa, Chogyam. (1975). Glimpses of Abhidharma. Boston: Shambhala.

Wallace, B. Alan. (2001). Buddhism With An Attitude: The Tibetan Seven-point Mind Training. New York: Snow Lion Publications.

Wilber, Ken. (1979). No Boundary. Boulder: Shambhala.

Wilber, Ken. (1980). The Atman Project. London: Theosophical Publishing House,.

Wilber, Ken. (1977). The Spectrum of Consciousness. London: Theosophical Publishing House.

Wilber, Ken. (1986). Transformation of Consciousness. Boston: Shambhala.

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ADDENDUM & ATTACHMENTSRetreats, Course, Workshops and Classes offered through chaplain fieldwork

To find out more information or register for the retreat weekend, please contact Kim Nolan at 802.999.9355 or The Dignity Foundation at

info@thedignityfoundation.com.

Thank you.

† SEPTEMBER 26-28, 2008 ¢

! “ Breathing in makes me calm. ! ! Breathing out brings me ease.”

! “ Breathing in, I am aware ! of my heart. Breathing ! out, I smile to my heart.” !

! ~Thich Nhat Hahn

RESTORATIONA MINDFULNESS WEEKEND

Directions to Camp Common Ground

The restorative weekend will be held on Camp Common Grounds, in the gentle foothills of Hogback Mountain in Starksboro, Vermont.

From Burlington and points EastFrom Interstate 89 get o! at Williston Exit 12 From Burlington "North#: Turn Right onto Rt. 2A From Montpelier "South#: Turn Left onto Rt. 2A. Take 2A to end of road, turn left at intersection onto Rt. 116. Stay on Rt. 116$ about 11 miles to town of Starksboro. After you pass the Starksboro Elementary School, go .6 miles further.$ Take a right on Tatro Rd. "Starksboro Daycare on corner#. Go past sawmill on left. First house on left after you pass over Lewis Creek. You're there!

Get Directions From MapQuest.com

Camp Common Ground 473 Tatro Road, Starksboro, Vermont 05487

1-800-430-2667

Daily Flow

Friday Saturday Sunday

4-6pm

arrival &

settle in

6-8am

silence &

breakfast

6-8:30am

Silence &

Breakfast

6pm

dinner

8:30-10am

Mindful

Awareness

8:30-10am

Mindful

Awareness

7-9pm

Welcome

10am-12pm

Dream

Work

10am-12pm

Council

Opening

Council

12-3pm

lunch &

movement

12-2pm

lunch &

Pack

Questions 3-5pm

Restorative

Activities

2pm Depart

10pm

Lights

out

5-6pm

solitary

time

6pm Dinner

7-9pm

star gaze,

camp fire &

Dream work

10pm

Lights Out

FROM THE DIGNITY FOUNDATION

Eat Local

In the spirit of restoration and taking good care of ourselves, we have arranged for the folks at Camp Common Ground to prepare 3 healthy, vegetarian meals per day. Snacks and drinks will also be provided during our stay.

If you have any special dietary needs, please let us know when you register for the retreat weekend. Thank you.

Restorative Mindful AwarenessRestoration

We already know that stress is unhealthy for our body and spirit. We know that we move at the fastest pace recorded in the history of humans. We know that we haven’t attended to our own needs in a long time. We keep plugging along and postponing our own care for a later date.

You are invited to schedule that date for September 26-28th and join us in taking time out of your busy lives to breathe deeply, walk slowly and restore your sense of wholeness.

Through the efforts of The Dignity Foundation, Kathy Costello, MSW and Kim Nolan, M.Ed. are coordinating a weekend retreat for women, by women. Together, they bring to you years of meditation practice, retreat participation, and a passion to restore the inherent dignity of every human being.

As the title suggest, the foundation of the weekend is based in restoration. During the weekend, our exploration of relaxation and restoration will take forms such as mindful awareness practice, dream work, nature walks, movement, shared meals, sky gazing, solitary time, and conversation.

Dream Work

“Dreaming is the inner language of the soul through which wisdom is transmitted to our

conscious minds.” -Arthur Bernard

Group dream work offers the dreamer a pathway to insight that can be elusive without external reflection. Being mindful of the wisdom inherent in our night stories and enlisting our collective wisdom, we will use a small group narrative approach to explore our dreams.

Mindfulness

Whether you are following your breath or following a guided meditation, whether you are taking a walk in nature or doing walking meditation, whether you are doing yoga or doing nothing, you will be invited to step into the ancient traditions of mindfulness and experience the gentle relaxation of a calm body and settled mind.

There are many different ideas of what mindful awareness practice is, how to do it, and what the difference is between meditation and mindfulness. During the retreat, we will deconstruct the myths and mysteries behind mindfulness.

You will receive accessible instruction and opportunities to engage in various mindfulness practices throughout the weekend. Together, we will develop an understanding that mindfulness is simply paying attention, on purpose, to the present moment, without judgement. Nothing more, and you can do it.

The intention is to provide a safe, creative and grounding environment for each of us to retreat into. In the shelter of each other, we will explore the possibility of change and restore the energy we need to live full and brilliant lives.

Consider joining us for this memorable weekend.

www.thedignityfoundation.com

59

Healing Disease: A Spiritual & Compassionate Approach to ServiceInstructor: Kim Nolan, M.Ed.

Johnson State College Summer 2009Johnson, Vermont

Learning Goals:1. Explore self care as a path of discovery, healing and restoration for service providers.2. Explore the tension point between compassion and compassion fatigue in service

providers.3. Examine self care through experiential exercises and self care project.4. Deepen appreciation of spirituality and compassion in relation to service of others.5. Appreciate spiritual diversity.

Learning Activities:1. Complete assignments (see below) and presentation of self care project2. Class participation.3. Class discussions of readings and experiential exercises - small group in class and

on-line discussions.

Reading Assignments: (excerpts assigned)1. “Helping, Fixing, Serving” by Rachel Remen2. Manʼs Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl3. Instructions to the Cook by Bernie Glassman4. Full Catastrophe Living by Jon Kabbat-Zinn5. A Heart as Wide as the World by Sharon Salzberg6. Neurological studies... articles distributed by instructor

Writing Assignments:1. five on-line class discussions addressing specific questions.2. one 3-5 page paper on your perception and experience of a spiritual and

compassionate approach to service (handed in 1 week after final class meeting).3. Self care project summary and presentation (last class meeting).

Grounds of Evaluation:Adequate progress toward the Learning Goals listed above.

Means of Evaluation:1. Final written course evaluation.2. Attendance, participation in class and participation in on-line class discussions.3. Writing assignments4. Final presentation of self care project.

* Full class curriculum available by request

60

Spirituality of ServiceInstructor: Kim Nolan, M.Ed.

Burlington College, Spring 2009Burlington, Vermont

Learning Goals:1. To teach the fundamental skills of spiritual study related to the field of service.2. To bring the language of spirituality to the professional world.3. To deepen our own knowledge of spirituality related to the human experience.4. To appreciate spiritual diversity.

Learning Activities:1. Completion of assignments (see writing below) and presentation of final project.2. Class participation.3. Small group discussion around readings.

Readings:“Helping, Fixing, Serving” (Remen), Going on Being (excerpts by Epstein), Manʼs Search for Meaning (Frankl), selected scriptures from Old Testament (Prophets), Simple Abundance (Breathnach), The Mystic Heart (excerpts by Teasdale), No Boundary (Wilber), The Art of Listening (Nichols), Compassion in Action (Dass), and other readings to be determined by instructor.

Writing:ten 1-2 page response papers addressing specific questions.one 3-5 page paper on your perception of life and meaning you make.Creation of inspirational/motivational reminder for 7 day period (self care project).

Grounds of Evaluation:Adequate progress toward the Learning Goals listed above.

Means of Evaluation:1. Final written course evaluation (credit will not be awarded without this).2. Weekly self reflection (journal entries, writing assignments).3. Attendance and participation in class.4. Final presentation.

* Full class curriculum available by request

61

Teaching Mindfulness

At PATH to Wellness Annual Conference, January 2009

At Inner Resilience Self Care Retreat, April 2009

62

Northeastern Family InstituteParent Mindfulness Group

6 weeks beginning May 14th, 20085:00 – 6:30pm

Words like balance and calm certainly have a nice ring to them – but how to embrace them in the midst of our hectic lives can certainly be a challenge.    And for parents,

especially when a child requires ‘super-parenting’, this goal can be even more elusive.   Still we know that ultimately the better care we take of ourselves, the better we can care for others.   Like the airline steward instructs before the plane takes off, “In the event of

an emergency, put the oxygen mask on your self before assisting others.”

With this understanding, NFI is offering a group that will provide a safe and fun environment in which parents can share and learn strategies that reduce stress and

promote a clear mind and aware body.  During the group, we will listen and support each other, learn and experience mindfulness practices, and help coordinate a practical self-

care plan to integrate into everyday life during the 6 weeks of the group.

Group facilitators:Cara Capparelli, M.A. is a Licensed Psychologist-Master and the Clinical Director for

NFI.  She has been working in the mental health field for over 20 years and has a personal interest in yoga and other wellness practices.

Kim Nolan, M.Ed.  is currently working in commercial finance business while volunteering as a hospice worker. She also facilitates mindfulness workshops & retreats through the Dignity Foundation. Kim is in the process of becoming a Buddhist Chaplain. She has worked in community based service delivery for 10+ years; including NFI’s CBS program.

Group will meet a 30 Airport Road, South Burlington. For more information, please contact Cara Capparelli at caracapparelli@nafi.com or 658.3924 ext 1002.

63

Experiential learning exercise during Self Care workshops. From Roshi Joan’s presentation during

Compassion & Resiliency workshop at Upaya, November 2008.

64

65

!

A Buddhist Approach

to Mindful LivingKIM NOLAN, M.ED AND

BUDDHIST CHAPLAIN

September 23-November 4thWednesdays, 6:00-7:30pm

$190 for 6 week course

The purpose of the course is

more than using mindfulness

as an antidote to stress.

Mindful Living begins with

exploring stress reduction

through meditations.

However, it progressively

moves toward improving well-

being, cultivating your “inner

center of gravity,” and

restoring the inherent

balance of your daily life.

www.thedignityfoundation.com

Principles of Ayurvedic

Daily LivingSCOTT MARION, AYURVEDIC

PRACTITIONER

September 17-October 22ndThursdays, 6:00-8:00pm$190 for 6 week course

During this six week course,

we will explore the core

principles that form the basis

and views of Ayurveda. We

will learn to identify and work

with the various conditions

that either support health or

sow the seeds of disharmony.

See Scott’s Bio at:

www.ayurvedavermont.com

Yoga Classes

CARRIE STEELE, YOGA &

PANCHAKARMA PRACTITIONER

September 21-November 17thMondays, 5:45-7:00pmTuesdays, 8:15-9:30am

$126 per 9 week session

Join Carrie for an experience

that will uplift, rejuvenate and

relax. These classes are open

to all levels and beginners are

welcome. Carrie will use

breath work, meditation and

asana “postures” to

transition you through Fall

and into Winter. Her teaching

is clear and heartfelt. Carrie

completed her Yoga training

in Thailand and bodywork

certification at Kripalu.

www.CarrieSteele.com

Register for classes at: 802.872.8878

ayurvedavt@comcast.net

The Ayurvedic Center of Vermont34 Oak Hill Road

Williston, Vermont 05495

Fall Classes at

66

contributors Gary Diggins

Soren Gordhamer Kim Nolan

Theo Koffler Patrick Iregura

Emery Rutagonya managing editor

Theo Koffler editorial assistant

Jasmin Zeger advisors

Emmanuel Ande Ivorgba Raphael Ogar Oko

design & production Hooplah Inc.

This Mindfulness Ambassador Council Guidebook is dedicated to the students, educators, healthcare providers and community leaders who are working diligently to bring

social and emotional learning practices into their daily and professional lives, and, as ambassadors, are expanding

mindfulness into their communities.

67

Vermont Roster of Non-licensed Mental Health Practitioners for being aMentor for Mindful Living

68

The Dignity FoundationVermont State Registration

69

70