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SUMMARY:Inner Transformation for Social Changemakers: Clarity\, Resilience & Purpose\, Cohort IV
DESCRIPTION:GARRISON INSTITUTE & TIANREN CULTURE\nVIRTUAL COURSE\nOctober 20 – November 21\, 2025 \n  \nIn a time of profound global change\, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. This 5-week online course series offers a space to pause\, reflect\, and reconnect with what truly matters—so you can lead with clarity\, resilience\, and purpose. \n\nWHAT YOU WILL LEARN\n  \n\nClarity in Vision: Strengthen your planning and decision-making through contemplative practices \nResilience for Changemakers: Develop inner stability to navigate challenges with confidence \nPurpose-driven Social Action: Align your work with deeper purpose for lasting impact \nToolkit for Inner Strength: Gain research-backed contemplative practices to build and sustain adaptability in your daily work \n\n \nJoin a global community of social impact leaders\, nonprofit professionals\, and changemakers as we engage in live conversations with expert speakers\, explore practical\, effective tools\, and cultivate sustainable leadership practices. The contemplative practices that will be offered are suitable for those who are new to contemplative work and experienced practitioners. \n\n\nCOURSE FORMAT \n\nThe course series will be offered LIVE online via Zoom over a five-week period from October 20 to November 21. The livestream format will include experiential activities and a supportive online chat community. A tech team member will be available to provide support throughout the program. Recordings of the course sessions will also be available for enrollees. \n\n  \n\nCOURSE PARTICIPANT TESTIMONIALS\n  \n“This course helped me contemplate how healing it can be when we allow ourselves to step back from our daily routine and create space to just be with nature and with our own nature.” – Marwa Elgezery\, M.Ed.\, EdD.\, Head of School\, Sakura International School  \n“Becoming more aware of my body has significantly changed how I perceive my emotions and manage self-regulation during challenging times. Embodied presence during the days\, meetings\, etc. also helps me to better connect with people around me\, as I am more aware of how my body is responding to what is happening in the present moment.” – Geissy Araujo\, Neuroscientist and Psychologist  \n“When I heard the teacher’s words\, thoughts\, and reflections\, I felt like I was being understood by someone\, someone who doesn’t know me personally\, but they could tell how I was feeling.” – Junli Zhai  \n\nLIVE COURSE SESSIONS\n  \nSession 1: Foundations of Contemplation and Inner Transformation – Ancient Wisdom and New Science on the Practice of Meditation — Cortland Dahl\nThursday October 23 @ 9:00 -10:30 pm HKT / 9:00 -10:30 am EDT \nMeditation is often much easier than we think. With just a few minutes each day\, we can shift from a state of obsessive doing to one of effortless being\, tapping into a deep reservoir of awareness\, compassion\, and wisdom. Drawing on both timeless contemplative traditions and the latest scientific research\, this session will explore the foundations of contemplation and inner transformation. \nParticipants will be introduced to simple micro-practices that can be used anytime\, anywhere—even in stressful moments—as opportunities for inner exploration and self-discovery. Through guided practices and reflection\, we will examine how meditative awareness helps us transform challenges into opportunities for growth\, and how intentional inner work strengthens integrity\, well-being\, and impact in the wider world. \nSession 2: Contemplating Nature\, the Divine Feminine\, and the Universe as Sound – Connecting to Ourselves and Our World as an Interdependent Web — Chandra Easton\nThursday October 30 @ 9:00 -10:30 pm HKT/ 9:00 – 10:30 am EDT \nAcross contemplative traditions\, the feminine is seen as a generative force—embodying compassion\, creativity\, and the deep wisdom of interconnection. In this session\, we will explore practices rooted in Tibetan Buddhist teachings on Tara\, the goddess of compassion\, and the principle of sound as a doorway into presence and belonging. \nThrough chanting\, sound practices\, and seated meditation\, participants will discover how these timeless methods can open the heart\, deepen resilience\, and expand perspective. By attuning to the interdependent web of life\, we cultivate compassion\, insight\, and a felt sense of connection with one another and the world around us. \nSession 3: The Power of the Heart and the Breath – Restoring Balance\, Coherence\, and Emotional Resilience — Motoko Kimura\nThursday November 6 @ 9:00 – 10:30pm HKT/ 8:00 – 9:30am EST \nModern research shows that the heart is more than a physical organ—it plays a vital role in emotional regulation\, resilience\, and our sense of inner balance. In this session\, we explore the practice of heart-focused breathing and meditation\, drawing on insights from the HeartMath system\, which combines heart–brain science with practical tools for well-being. \nParticipants will learn simple breathwork and meditation techniques that help restore balance in moments of stress\, activate positive emotions\, and cultivate a state of heart coherence—an alignment of body\, mind\, and emotions that supports both clarity and compassion. By attuning to the heart and breath\, we open a pathway to greater resilience\, emotional stability\, and a renewed sense of purpose. \nSession 4: Exploring the Wisdom of the Body: Contemplation in Motion — Arawana Hayashi\nThursday November 13 @ 9:00 – 10:30pm HKT/ Thursday November 13 @ 8:00 – 9:30 am EST \nThe body holds an innate wisdom that can guide us toward greater resilience\, clarity\, and responsive leadership. In this session\, we explore how mindful movement and embodied practices can deepen self-understanding and strengthen our capacity to lead with presence. \nDrawing from traditions such as Tai Chi\, Qi Gong\, yoga\, breathwork\, and somatics\, participants will engage in practices that cultivate awareness of the body in motion. These contemplative methods offer a way to shift from reactivity to responsiveness\, helping us embody resilience\, expand perspective\, and lead with greater integrity and balance. \nSession 5: Becoming an Integrated Leader: From Personal Practice to Social Impact — Yuki Imoto\nThursday November 20 @ 9:00 – 10:30 pm HKT/  8:00-9:30am EST \nThis closing session weaves together the insights and practices of the course\, focusing on how contemplative methods can be integrated into daily life and leadership. By grounding leadership in inner practice\, we strengthen the foundation for resilience\, collaboration\, and meaningful change. \nThrough group practice\, reflection\, and action commitments\, participants will identify the tools and approaches that best support their clarity and well-being. We will also explore practical strategies for weaving breathwork\, nature connection\, and somatic practices into the work of social impact—highlighting how inner transformation fuels collective wisdom and leadership for the greater good. \n  \n*** \nTEACHERS\n\n Cortland Dahl\, Ph.D. is a scientist\, translator\, and meditation teacher. His eclectic background includes eight years spent living in Tibetan refugee settlements in India and Nepal and cutting-edge research at the Center for Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is the author of A Meditator’s Guide to Buddhism\, the Dharma Lab Substack and the forthcoming Born to Flourish\, both with Dr. Richard Davidson. He is also the creator of the award-winning Healthy Minds Program\, a free mobile app. He has published numerous scientific articles\, released twelve books of translations of ancient Tibetan meditation manuals\, and is the cofounder of Tergar International\, which oversees a global network of meditation groups and centers. Learn more at https://cortlanddahl.com/. \n Dorje Lopön Chandra Easton is a Dharma teacher\, author\, and translator of Tibetan Buddhist texts\, empowered as Dorje Lopön (Vajra Teacher) of Tara Mandala by Lama Tsultrim Allione and Tulku Sang‑ngag Rinpoche. Rooted in Vajrayana\, Dzogchen\, and the feminine wisdom traditions\, she offers retreats\, courses\, and music that make ancient teachings accessible and alive for today’s world. She is the author of Embodying Tara: Twenty‑One Manifestations to Awaken Your Innate Wisdom (Shambhala\, 2023). Learn more at www.chandraeaston.com. \n Motoko Kimura is a space holder devoted to awakening harmony within people’s hearts. She founded WaNavi Japan and Healing Connections LLC to nurture personal and collective transformation through cultural wisdom and healing practices. As a teacher of Japanese culture\, she offers The Way of Tea and traditional practices as doorways into presence and connection. As a healing guide\, she weaves HeartMath®\, Cranial-Sacral Bio-Dynamics\, and The Connection Practice to support people experience a state of inner harmony and invite gentle transformation. Through these two pillars\, Motoko invites others into a field of compassion and coherence\, in deep resonance with the rhythms of nature. Learn more at https://www.wanavi.org/motoko-kimura. \n  \n \n  \n  \nArawana Hayashi heads the creation of Social Presencing Theater (SPT) for the Presencing Institute\, where she serves as a core faculty. Working with Otto Scharmer\, Peter Senge\, and colleagues\, she brings her background in the arts\, meditation\, and social justice to creating “social presencing” that makes visible both current reality and emerging future possibilities for individuals and groups. Arawana is both an improvisational dancer and a lineage holder of the Japanese traditional dance of Bugaku. She is also a longtime practitioner and senior teacher in the Shambhala tradition of meditation. Arawana delivers workshops on SPT throughout the world. Learn more at www.arawanahayashi.com.   \n  \n \n  \n  \nYuki Imoto is an anthropologist\, educator\, and an associate professor of liberal arts at Keio University\, Japan. She gained her doctorate in anthropology from the University of Oxford\, and her research interests lie in embodied and transformative learning\, and the anthropology of Japanese education and healing practices. Yuki has been leading communities in Japan to bring holistic ways of being into education and research. She is a Mind & Life Fellow\, director of the Centre for Contemplative Studies at Keio University\, as well as director of SEE Learning Japan. https://ccs.keio.ac.jp/home/en  \n  \nFor inquiries please contact us at:  nicholchase@garrisoninstitute.org. \n\nPRICING\n  \n\n$49 USD: 9/12 – 9/22\n$99 USD: 9/23 – 10/3\n$199 USD: 10/4 – 10/20\nRegistration Extended to November 2!\nGroup Discount: To inquire about special group rates for your organization\, please contact Nichol Chase at nicholchase@garrisoninstitute.org.\n\n  \nGENEROUSLY SPONSORED BY COLLABORATING PARTNER TIANREN CULTURE \n \n\n\n\n\n\n \n\nIf you are experiencing issues with our check-out cart loading\, please click here to complete your transaction. We apologize for the inconvenience.
URL:https://www.garrisoninstitute.org/event/inner-transformation-for-social-changemakers-clarity-resilience-purpose-iv/
LOCATION:Virtual
CATEGORIES:Virtual
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DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20251121
DTSTAMP:20260405T173633
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SUMMARY:Refuge in the Ark: A Jewish Mindfulness Retreat
DESCRIPTION:PLEASE CLICK HERE TO REGISTER\n  \n\n\nWhen the seas of our lives are especially chaotic\, it can be healthy to take temporary refuge in a sheltered place — like Noah did in the biblical ark. Once removed from the storm\, we can connect deeply with our life force\, reduce reactivity\, and restore and strengthen ourselves. After this respite\, we’re able to return to our lives with greater clarity and wisdom to respond to the chaos all around us. \n\nThe IJS community will create our own ark of calm this fall\, and we hope you will join us.\n  \n\n\nWe are thrilled to be returning to the beautiful\, serene Garrison Institute in Garrison\, NY\, for a Jewish mindfulness meditation retreat led by IJS faculty and other experienced\, beloved instructors. Over five days\, we will focus on deepening our practice through silent meditation enhanced with Jewish teachings\, meditation instructions\, mindful prayer\, and yoga/embodied practice. We will use silence as a tool to deepen our sense of calm\, safety\, and spiritual development\, following Rav Shimon Ben Gamliel’s teaching that “I have found nothing better for a person than silence” (Pirkei Avot 1:17). \n\n\n\n\nOur days will include time for smaller sessions in two tracks — one for those newer to Jewish mindfulness meditation (including those who are new to retreats) and one for those with more experience. These tracks will offer different length meditation periods and tailored instructions. There will also be opportunities to mindfully explore the beautiful grounds and forested trails of the Garrison Institute. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n TEACHERS\n  \nOur instructors will include Rabbi Nancy Flam\, co-founding IJS teacher; Senior Core Faculty\, Rabbi Miriam Margles; Core Faculty\, Rebecca Schisler; and Senior Faculty Fellow\, Rabbi Jordan Bendat-Appell. \n  \nRabbi Nancy Flam Co-founding IJS Teacher\, is a pioneer in the field of Jewish healing and contemporary spirituality. She co-founded the Jewish Healing Center in 1991\, serving as its West Coast Director\, also co-founded and was the Institute for Jewish Spirituality’s first Executive Director. Rabbi Flam teaches and writes widely about Judaism\, healing\, spirituality and mindfulness\, and served as Series Editor for LifeLights\, a Jewish series on challenges in the emotional and spiritual life. She currently works as a consultant and spiritual director. \n  \nRabbi Miriam Margles Senior Core Faculty\, has a long and rich association with IJS\, having taught on various retreats and programs over the years. She joined the Institute as a Senior Core Faculty after over a decade as the rabbi of the Danforth Jewish Circle in Toronto. Her career has included service as a founding faculty member at the Romemu Yeshiva\, serving as a fellow with the Rising Song Institute\, co-founding the award-winning educational program engaging with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict\, Encounter\, and recording her original Jewish music with the Hadar Rising Song ensemble. \n  \nRabbi Jordan Bendat-Appell is a teacher of Jewish mindfulness and text and has spent years leading retreats and immersive experiences for adults in various settings through the National Ramah Commission\, Orot: Center for New Jewish Learning\, and the Institute for Jewish Spirituality. Jordan is returning to IJS as a Senior Faculty Fellow. In this role\, he will lead the planning of a new center for advanced study\, practice\, and teaching that we aim to develop over the coming years. He will also teach in online courses and on retreats. In addition to his work with IJS\, Jordan is part of the clergy team at Beth David in Toronto. Jordan was the founding Director of Ramah Beyond and was Director of Camp Ramah in Canada from 2019-2022. Previously\, he worked for the Institute for Jewish Spirituality (IJS) as a teacher of Jewish Mindfulness and as Director of the Jewish Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Training. Jordan also taught meditation to rabbis and cantors through IJS’ Clergy Leadership Program. After being ordained in 2008\, Jordan served as a congregational rabbi outside of Chicago and co-founded Orot: Center for New Jewish Learning. Jordan is a recipient of the 2014 Covenant Foundation Pomegranate Prize. He and his wife Yael live in Toronto and are the proud and grateful parents of three. \n  \n   Rebecca Schisler Core Faculty Member\, is a meditation teacher\, artist\, and Jewish educator. A devoted contemplative practitioner\, she has led groups and taught classes and retreats with Or HaLev\, Awakened Heart Project\, Orot\, Wilderness Torah\, Pardes\, and Stanford School of Medicine. She was previously the Director of Student Health & Well-being at Stanford University’s Hillel\, and co-authored the Mahloket Matters Schools Curriculum with the Pardes Center for Jewish Educators. A student rabbi at ALEPH\, Rebecca is passionate about integrating ancestral wisdom traditions with innovative approaches to personal and collective healing and liberation. She teaches Jewish spirituality as an embodied\, holistic\, and accessible path\, with relevant and timely wisdom for all. \n  \n  \n  \n_____\n  \n  \nACCOMMODATIONS \nThere are Single and Double rooms available. Please note\, there is no available guest elevator and all rooms are accessible by stairs—except for those reserved for the mobility-impaired on the first floor.  There are two communal bathrooms on each residential floor as well as a comfortable lounge with sofas and easy chairs\, where tea and instant coffee are available. The lounges also are equipped with wireless\, high-speed internet connection. There are several local hotels within driving distance from the Institute\, for those who wish to stay off-site\, as commuters. Onsite meals are included with commuter registrations.\n\n  \n\n Please Click here to REGISTER\n_____\n \n  \nCOVID-19\nThe health and safety of our guests and staff is a top priority for the Garrison Institute. To attend a retreat or event all guests\, teachers\, and staff are strongly encouraged to self-test (at home antigen test is acceptable) within the 48-hour window prior to arriving for a retreat on site\, and to bring a 2nd self-test kit when coming on site. We ask everyone to self-monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 and other illnesses before your visit. If you experience symptoms or have a positive diagnosis\, please notify us immediately at events@garrisoninstitute.org We will continue to follow any COVID-19 guidelines set forth by our local officials\, New York State and the CDC.
URL:https://www.garrisoninstitute.org/event/refuge-in-the-ark-a-jewish-mindfulness-retreat/
LOCATION:In-Person\, 14 Mary’s Way Route 9D\, Garrison\, NY\, 10524\, United States
CATEGORIES:In Person
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