Welcome to Indigo’s 16-Week Exploration of Science Informed Mindfulness for Diverse Communities
Every Monday: June 3rd through September 16th @ 7:00 pm via Zoom
This intensive study is a direct continuation of Thich Nhat Hanh’s life and teaching. Indigo friends will dive deep into the science behind Plum Village mindfulness practices (a topic that fascinated Thay). We’ll learn how human nervous systems work and why our mindfulness practices are so effective at calming and healing them. Further, we’ll study the Community Resilience Model as an enhancement to our current mindfulness practice and cultivate new skills to expand our capacity to transform suffering–individual, collective and inter-generational. With mindfulness skills honed, we will turn toward our community’s deep aspiration to heal personal and collective suffering around race.
Program Highlights
Guest Teachers
Once each month the sangha will be visited by one of four Plum Village Dharma Teachers.
June 10th–Jo-Ann Rosen, LMFT
Jo-Ann is an educator, psychotherapist, and lay Dharma teacher in Thich Nhat Hanh’s Plum Village Community of Engaged Buddhism, having joined the Order of Interbeing in 1996. She is one of the guiding teachers of EMBRACE (Embodying Mindfulness-Based Resilience to Awaken Community Empowerment). Jo-Ann is the author of Unshakeable: Trauma-Informed Mindfulness for Collective Awakening.
July 8th & August 12th–Viviane Ephraimson-Abt, MS, M.ED, LPC (she, her)
Viviane has practiced with the Plum Village Community of Engaged Buddhism since 1998. In 2002 she co-founded the Peaceful Hearts Sangha and the Colorado and Wyoming Order of Interbeing Sangha. Viviane, True Mountain of Peace, ordained into the Order of Interbeing in 2005. In 2015 she was one of the co-founders of the ARISE diversity abnd inclusion sangha. In 2018, Viviane received the lamp transmission and became a Dharma Teacher. She has served on the Dharma Teachers’ Nourishment and Life Committee of the North American Dharma Teachers’ Council since 2020. She teachers primarily in Colorado with the EMBRACE Sangha, the Lotus Institute, and has interests in neuro informed mindfulness practice, diversity and mindfulness, and Zen and creativity.
Viviane is the Manager of Wellbeing Initiatives at Colorado State University and is on the leadership team of CSU’s Center for Mindfulness. She enjoys developing health and education initiatives for students, faculty and staff. Since 2016 she has been developing Community Resilience Model resources for infusion into her university community. She now coordinates a team of 12 faculty and staff who teach the Community Resilience Model at Colorado State University.
September 9th–Dr.’s Larry Ward & Peggy Rowe Ward
Dr. Larry Ward is a senior Dharma Teacher in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh. He received his PHD in Buddhism and neuroscience and along with Peggy is co director of The Lotus Institute. He is the author of America’s Racial Karma and co-authored Love’s Garden with Peggy.
Dr. Peggy Rowe is also a senior Dharma Teacher in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh. She has her doctorate in adult education and counseling psychology, and is a co-author of Making Friends with Time.
Larry and Peggy were trained in the Community Resilience Model (CRM) by the Trauma Resource Institute and have been offering CRM tools in their teachings for the past 20 years. Thich Nhat Hanh married them at Plum Village in 1994 and they traveled with Thay to support retreats in Vietnam, China, Korea, India, Indonesia, Japan, Canada and the US. They currently live with their dog Tashi in Arden, North Carolina.
Book Study
In the weeks between Dharma Teacher visits, Indigo Sangha members will read and discuss chapters from these newly published books. Get your copies now.
Unshakeable by Jo-Ann Rosen
Unshakeable offers a holistic system for gaining and maintaining the stability of mind needed for personal and social transformation, even in the midst of trauma—with simple, body-based exercises.
America’s Racial Karma by Larry Ward PHD
Immediate, illuminating, and hopeful: this is the key set of talks given by leading Zen Buddhist teacher Larry Ward, PhD, on breaking America’s cycle of racial trauma.
Movement
To practice tuning into the complex relationship our bodies have with our brains, the program includes a monthly Yoga journey accessible to every-body. Gentle movement is led by Indigo’s Jessica Maier.
To prepare:
- Plan a little patch of blank wall space to allow you to prop your feet up without obstructions like windows, doors, etc.
- Bring a bolster pillow like a firm feather down pillow
- Ready a mat, towel, or blanket to lay upon
- Have an additional blanket to raise your seat as necessary.
How is this ‘Intensive Study’ Different?
- The teaching is sequential so consistent attendance is encouraged. (Do you need to miss a session? Please ‘make up’ by viewing the recorded presentation)
- Our teachers request each of us complete THIS GOOGLE FORM>>. Please take a minute to answer the questions because it will help our teachers tailor their talks to our needs.
- Reading along in the book study is highly encouraged because the chapters contain more than we can cover. In breakouts you’ll be invited to share what resonates in you. NOTE: If you would like to be supported by the sangha and to receive free copies of the books, please email Dave here: “Mann [at] ortho [dot] wisc [dot] edu”
- We’ll use expanded Dharma Sharing Guidelines in this program (more on this as we go)
- Teachers and facilitators will build a collection of resource materials for you to access throughout the program. In this growing collection you will find, for example, the program schedule of speakers with weekly reading assignments, relevant scientific studies, and the expanded Dharma Sharing Guidelines. You can access all resources in THIS GOOGLE DRIVE>>
Dana
Sangha facilitators invite the Indigo community to participate in the ancient practice Dana or “generosity.” Indigo gatherings are always free-of-charge to attend. And, because Indigo is the recipient of many months of time and teaching from four Dharma Teachers, we invite members of the Indigo community to practice generosity in return.
Sangha facilitators have established a goal to raise $1,000 from our community so that we can collectively express our gratitude to the teachers in a way that supports their continuing ability to offer these teachings to others.
Please know your sangha facilitators understand that not everyone is in a position to give or to give much. We also understand that some Indigo friends can give enough to support Dana offerings for 2-3 people. We ask everyone to look at what makes sense for you considering the special nature of this program and considering your situation. Gifts in all amounts are deeply appreciated. We trust the cells in the sangha body will work together harmoniously and manifest our abundance of gratitude beautifully.
Finally, we wish to be very clear that the practice of Dana is voluntary and not a precondition to participation in the series. This wonderful offering is for all Indigo members.
Please offer your gift of Dana through
- Personal Check–contact Heather
- Paypal–use Heather’s email address: “Heather [dot] Lyn [dot] Mann [at] gmail [dot] com”
- Venmo–use Heather’s user name: “[at] Heather [dash] Mann2”
- Zelle– use this QR code
EMBRACE Sangha
Indigo offers a deep bow of gratitude to EMBRACE Sangha (Embodying Mindfulness-Based Resilience to Awaken Community Empowerment). This affinity group within the Plum Village Tradition develops and shares trauma-informed practices and resources in order to help us offer a gentle and loving acceptance of all that is. With kindness and equanimity, EMBRACE gives these resources to us to nourish Interbeing and transform individual and collective suffering.