Author: COA_User

2022 MINDFULNESS MEDITATION for SENIORS
This class includes gentle stretches done on or next to a chair, deep relaxation, discussions on the physiology of stress and instruction in several forms of meditation. It's based on Jon Kabat Zinn's Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction program, described in his book Full Catastrophe Living. The goal is to move away from habitual thought patterns and reactive habits. We can instead practice living in the present moment with acceptance, equanimity, and the ability to meet the stresses of everyday life effectively.
*Clinical studies of the Stress Reduction Program show benefits in addressing the following:
· difficulty coping effectively with short and long-term stressful situations
· chronic illness or chronic pain
· depression, grief, or anxiety
· hypertension or heart disease
· irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis
· dealing effectively with the treatment/effects of cancer
· diabetes, asthma, or other respiratory disorders
· sleep disturbances
· psoriasis
Course Details
The program consists of eight 2 hour classes Thursdays 3:00 to 5 pm from May 12 to June 30 at the Gill-Montague Senior Center, 62 5th St., Turners Falls, Ma., 01376. On Thursday, May 5, there will be a Free Intro Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction class from 3 - 4:30pm at the G-M Senior Center. Attending that class can give a good sense of what the Mindfulness Meditation Class for Seniors will offer.
For all classes: Masks may be required depending on current local mandates and what seems safe for all of us.
Home Practice: There are daily homework assignments including a minimum of 30 minutes per day of formal practice and 15 minutes of informal practice. This helps participants integrate the mindfulness practices into their daily life and to build new sustainable habits. This may sound hard, but it naturally flows from class participation and actually can be fun and nourishing.
Other class instruction: The classes include group discussions oriented around home assignments including an exploration of obstacles and difficulties. Some class time is devoted to communication skills with in-class practice sessions.
Course materials: Participants receive a meditation CD or download and handouts to support home practice.
Fees and payment:
The cost of the program is $100. (This low tuition is available because of a supporting grant from the Gill-Montague Council on Aging. This class usually costs somewhere between $400 – 700.) A $50 non-refundable deposit reserves a place in the class. Please send a check after May 1 to Jeanie Erlbaum, 56 Orchard St., Greenfield, MA 01301. The balance of $50 can be paid at the first class. For reservations and more information: 413-230-1518, jean.erlbaum@verizon.net.
TEACHER BIO: Jeanie Erlbaum, MS, has been studying yoga and meditation since 1965 and has been teaching since 1972. An experienced registered 500-Hour Yoga Alliance Teacher, she is certified as a teacher of several styles of yoga, meditation, and stress reduction. She was trained in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction at the Center for Mindfulness at University of Massachusetts Medical School. She has studied Zen for over forty years, and in 2012 was designated as a Senior Assistant Dharma teacher by Boundless Way Zen in Worcester, Ma. She has created several yoga and meditation CDs. Her book Sit with Less Pain: Gentle Yoga for Meditators was published by Wisdom Publications in 2014.
*More information about this class is available at www.umassmed.edu/cfm/research or https://www.mindfulleader.org/what-is-mbsr?gclid=Cj0KCQiAr5iQBhCsARIsAPcwRONaGkatGRJvtLt0la4NTlPADnfO0SN8MQJNMRECsXMQyv5qyDC0m1EaAvLQEALw_wcB