- Hello Meditation Friends!
March is shaping up to be yet another ‘very full’ month!
NEWS
I’ve been busy-as! With both media work (finishing off my Berlinale media coverage, Top Ten films list and article in Guardian Australia), and of course, meditation work: teaching mindfulness workshops in Berlin, planning further meditation programs for May, and preparing for a trip back to Australia where I will give more mindfulness workshops at The School of Life. I’ll also undertake teacher training in Mindful Self-Compassion. Phew!
If you’re curious about MSC – and what it means exactly – the video below explains. It’s a Ted Talk by by one of the pathway’s founders, Dr. Kristin Neff. I never tire of watching this; I think MSC is a revolution waiting to happen. Her book ‘Self-Compassion‘ is also a ‘game-changer. Kindness is everything!
The first Express Yourself one-day creativity workshop in Berlin for 2017 was a very special day: five warmhearted, courageous creative folk took part. The feedback was very positive, with Hanna and I very inspired to present it again on May 13, in Berlin.
My half-day mindfulness workshop at The School Of Life Berlin – the first time I have taught it there – was also an excellent experience. People even traveled from outside Berlin to take part! The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, so much so that TSOL Berlin have invited me to present it again on Saturday July 22 (tickets TBA soon.) TSOL is an incredibly rewarding place to teach! I encourage you to check out the programs. Plus it’s founder, Alain De Botton will be talking at the Berlin School in May.
Oh – last issue I mentioned that I’m presenting the same workshop at TSOL Melbourne. Due to the Easter break, it has been rescheduled to the Wednesday after the long weekend. Details follow in the ‘Events’ section. I’ve also been busy finishing off a veritable ‘pod’ of podcasts:
- The second episode of Auspicious Plastic is now online (the emphasis is on mindful conversations about ‘objects’ that bring meaning and happiness to our lives). It is quite a personal project for me.
- I also made a podcast with some film critic friends I met during Berlinale, (and wrote an essay about the significance of finding this community.)
- And if “natural” wine brings you great happiness (!!) this might be of interest too: my husband Oliver (a sommelier) spoke with one of Germany’s most gifted wine makers about his foray into orange wine, for the pilot episode of his new podcast, ‘Gut Feeling’. It’s a rich, informative and fascinating chat.
EVENTS
> BERLIN ~ 8-WEEK MBSR PROGRAM ANNOUNCED!
Colleague Signe Glahn and I are excited to announce the upcoming 8-week MBSR program through our teaching collaboration, Open Your Heart Meditation. This is an opportunity to get serious about mindfulness, meditating and taking care of yourself! The classes will take place on Sunday afternoons, from May 7 – July 9, with a full Practice Day on Saturday June 24. Earlybird prices are also open for this program (until 18:00 Sunday 9 April.) Pre-registration and orientation are required.
All of the dates and details are here. Places are limited to 8. Registrations close by 18:00 on May 1st 2017. Bookings by email: signeglahn@hotmail.com or hello@themeganspencer.com. Join the Open Your Heart Facebook community.
> BERLIN ~ EXPRESS YOURSELF MAY 13
Registrations for this one-day creativity and self-expression workshop on Saturday May 13 are open, with earlybird prices available until 18:00 Sunday April 9. This is a great way to get in touch not only with your creativity, but with what really matters, to you. Details are here. Places are limited to 8. Bookings by email at hannanordqvist@yahoo.co.uk or hello@themeganspencer.com. Registrations close 18:00 Monday May 8). Join the Express Yourself Facebook community.
> MELBOURNE ~ THE SCHOOL OF LIFE
DATE CHANGE! Due to the Easter Break, my ‘Mindfulness And Meditation At Work’ workshop at The School of Life Melbourne has been moved to Wednesday 19 April at 6pm (formerly Sat 15 April). Tickets are on sale now. Full details here, Facebook event here.
> SYDNEY ~ THE SCHOOL OF LIFE.
ALMOST SOLD OUT! Not many places left to attend ‘Mindfulness And Meditation At Work’ workshop at TSOL Sydney. It’s at 6pm, Wednesday 12 April. Tickets and full details here. Facebook event here.
> MELBOURNE ~ LEATHER POISONING
This has nothing to do with meditation and everything to do with football! In a ‘previous life’ I was a documentary make. My first ever doco Heathens (a 30-minute observational film about six diehard “Saints” supporters, shot in the 90s) will screen at Counihan Gallery in Melbourne on March 29.
It is included in Leather Poisoning, an exhibition to celebrate “footy”, the new AFL season and the fundamental role women play (and have always played) in the game and culture. If you’re in town and haven’t see in it (or want to see it again!) come on down. I’ll be doing a Q&A afterwards. Details are here.
Believe it or not, I’m writing this newsletter 35,000 feet in the air, somewhere over Mumbai, en route to Melbourne, my ‘place of origin’. I can’t wait to see the sea again, the place I call home..
Please feel free to get in touch if you have any queries about about anything mentioned here. I’m grateful if you feel so inclined to share any of these events with your community!
I’ll leave you with a guided practice from one of the great modern-day mindfulness teachers, Tara Brach. It’s called “A Sky Like Mind: Listening To Sounds“. I thoroughly recommend it as a ‘grounding’ practice – especially if you’ve had a stressful day!
Until next time, thank you again for your interest, and kind attention.
