UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center

MARC.ucla.edu; Ananda (Dharma Buddhist Meditation), Jen, CC Liu (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Upcoming Events June 20: Office Closure in Observance of Juneteenth June 22: UCLA Psychiatry 175- Mindfulness Practice & Theory with Marvin G. Belzer (Non-Credit Option Available) June 25: Day of Mindfulness: Cultivating Self-Compassion with Diana Winston July: Live-Online and Pre-Recorded MAPs Classes, various start times and instructors July 6: MAPs II: Opening to Joy with Gloria Kamler July 8-10: Summer Online Mindfulness Meditation Retreat July 9: MAPs II: Turning Obstacles into Allies with Brian Shiers July 17: Day of Mindfulness: Radical Non-Doing with Cara Lai Community Corner Office Closure in Observance of Juneteenth Mindful Monday with Marv Drop-In to Continue On Monday, June 20, 2022, MARC offices will be closed in observance of Juneteenth. The Mindful Monday with Marv Drop-In at 12:30pm, PT will still be held as a way of holding space on this day of remembrance. For More Information & to Join UCLA Psychiatry 175 Mindfulness Practice & Theory (Non-Credit Option Available) with Marvin G. Belzer, PhD Join us online in this 6-week class to study the practice and theory of mindfulness, including sitting and moving meditation, ways to deepen positive emotions like gratitude or joy, relational mindfulness, and methods for integrating awareness and creativity into ordinary activities. We will examine the science of mindfulness for mental and physical health, including reduced stress, improved attention, and greater mind-body awareness. Taught by Marvin G. Belzer, Ph.D. Associate Director of the Mindful Awareness Research Center, Semel Institute for Neuroscience. Class Participation Includes: Class Meetings Mon & Wed 7- 9:30 pm, PST via Zoom (June 22- July 27, no class July 4) Small Group Discussions facilitated by an experienced mindfulness facilitator Three Days of Mindfulness: June 25, July 17, and July 23 Online Mindfulness Retreat July 8- July 10 PLUS Numerous other workshops and events outside of class during the month of July Mindfulness Practice and Theory (Psychiatry 175)  4 Credits Session A: June 22 – July 27, 2022  Non-Credit Option Available For More Information & to Register Day of Mindfulness: Cultivating Self-Compassion With Diana Winston Many of us struggle with issues of self-judgment and self-criticism. They can show up as challenging emotions and as painful thoughts such as, "I'm not good enough," "how could I be so stupid," and "I don't like what I look like." Although these thoughts and feelings may feel overwhelming and intractable, we can learn how to work with and lessen them, and develop more kindness for ourselves. Science has shown that you can actually change your brain through mindfulness and the cultivation of positive emotional states. In this daylong, we will explore mindfulness practices to work with self-critical thoughts, and self-compassion practices to nurture kindness and compassion for ourselves and others. The day will include sitting and walking mindfulness and kindness meditations, periods of silence, personal exploration, and discussion to help cultivate and encourage more self-compassion. Appropriate for beginners and experienced practitioners.   Date: Saturday, June 25 Time: 10:00 am-3:00pm,  PT Cost: $0-$75 For More Information & to Register Live-Online and Pre- Recorded MAPs Classes

MAPs I MAPs I- For Daily Living MAPs II MAPs II: Opening To Joy   MAPs II: Next Steps - Improve Your Meditation MAPs II: Working with Difficult Emotions MAPs II: Cultivating Positive Emotions MAPs II: Turning Obstacles into Allies MAPs III MAPs III: Continuing Group Practice

MAPs II: Opening to Joy with Gloria Kamler The latest science shows us that the practice of mindfulness leads to states of joy and well-being. Join us for a class where we focus on cultivating states of joy. We will explore what gets in the way of joy, how joy arises in meditation practice, and how to bring more happiness and well-being into our daily lives. We will also learn the practice of appreciative joy—taking delight in other’s good fortune. This practice is an excellent antidote to jealousy and covetousness. The class will include guided sitting and walking meditations, lectures and discussion, and relational practices, which all cultivate positive emotions and greater states of well-being.  Dates: Wednesdays, July 6 - Aug 10 Time: 12 Noon - 2:00 PM, PT Cost: $0-$200 For More Information & to Register Summer Mindfulness Meditation Weekend Retreat This online retreat will include periods of: guided mindfulness meditation instructions on integrating mindfulness into daily life small group periods for discussion and social connection workshops on art, creativity, dance, music, nature, and other topics You should let your family and friends know what you are doing, but this retreat will NOT require complete isolation from them as on normal silent meditation retreats. We encourage as much separation as possible from the use of technology other than for the purposes of the retreat. This retreat is open to anyone of ages 16+ Dates: Friday, July 8, 7:00pm PST - Sunday, July 10, 1:00pm PST Cost: $0-$350 For More Information & to Register MAPs II: Turning Obstacles into Allies with Brian Shiers In this follow up class to MAPs I, this class will offer tools for working with both outer and inner obstacles, helping us to learn to see difficulties, not as problems, but as situations and mind states that can actually help us more deeply understand ourselves and our practice. Dates: Saturdays, July 9 - Aug 20 No Class July 16 Time: 9:00 AM- 11:00 AM, PT Cost: $0-$200 For More Information & to Register Day of Mindfulness: Radical Non-Doing with Cara Lai Meditation is not meant to be another self-improvement project, but rather a chance to recognize that we're already good enough just as we are. This online day of mindfulness will be an opportunity to put down any other obligations, both outer and inner, and to see for ourselves that, quite often, simply existing is all that's needed to contribute something good to the world. Sitting, walking, and eating meditation practices will be offered, and participants will be asked to set aside other engagements and technologies. All experience levels are welcome. Date: Sunday, July 17 Time: 10:00 am-3pm,  PT Cost: $0-$75 For More Information & to Register Community Corner UCLA MED 185: Integrative East-West Medicine for Health and Wellness In this course, Ka-Kit Hui, MD, FACP, Wallis Annenberg Professor in Integrative East-West Medicine and Founder and Director of the Center for East-West Medicine at the UCLA Department of Medicine and David Geffen School of Medicine, and his colleagues, will share his 50 years’ experience in learning, practicing, educating and researching in health and wellness. You will learn evidence-based scientific solutions to help with common stress-related symptoms you may be experiencing like stress, fatigue, acne, eczema, eye strain, painful periods. Through learning these solutions to your personal health crises, you will also discover how integrative medicine can solve healthcare crises of larger scales. Where: Online Date: Wednesdays, June 22- July 29 Time: 5-6:30pm, PT For More Information & to Register Relational Mindfulness Panama Retreat with Tanzanite Msola, Anthony "T" Maes, Devon Sangster Rath, and Mark Wax  A Relational Mindfulness retreat which is an immersive exploration of the potently healing combination of relational mindfulness, silent meditation and somatic expression. This retreat moves between silent mindfulness  practice periods and relational mindfulness practice periods, interwoven with yoga, jungle walks, stand up paddle boarding, surfing, napping, hammocks and free time.  Led by a teaching team with a combined 30+ years of experience leading this particular retreat format at Harvard, UCLA, Spirit Rock, and other practice communities.    Where: Playa Grande, San Carlos, Panama  Date: Tuesday, August 2nd - Sunday, August 7th For More Information & to Register Mindfulness for Everyone: The Basics and Beyond with Diana Winston, Carol Cano, MA and Alex Haley Mindfulness offers us tools to develop our capacity to pay attention, to regulate emotions, and to cultivate states of lovingkindness, compassion,  and even-mindedness. Mindfulness can be practiced from focused attention to breath to wide open, spacious, natural awareness. Over time one can access states of profound well-being. In this retreat we will practice mindfulness through sitting and walking meditation, as well as in lectures and the opportunity to meet with teachers who will guide our practice. While rooted in the Buddhist practice of mindfulness, this retreat will focus on the practical applications of mindfulness and the range of ways to practice it. It is open to people of all backgrounds and experience, especially those interested in secular mindfulness. Meets requirements for TMF and IPP retreats. Where: Spirit Rock, Woodacre, CA Date: September 12-16, 2022 For More Information & to Register