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Poetry to Deepen Meditation and Contemplation

Poetry to Deepen Meditation and Contemplation

with Hugh Byrne

Join Hugh for this experiential workshop. Together you will incorporate poetry into your understanding and practice of meditation, helping you to drop out of conceptual thought and rest more fully and open-heartedly in the present moment. With short talks, poetry, and guided meditations, participants will cultivate skills in three key areas of practice: 1. Being present and opening to this moment as it is 2. Opening the heart and cultivating qualities of compassion, loving-kindness and equanimity 3. Meeting difficulties and challenges through seeing patterns of holding and resisting experience and letting go Hugh will provide you with with background materials, including poems particularly suited for meditation and contemplation.

Students will...

  • Understand and experience how poetry can support dropping out of conceptual mind, our thoughts and stories and into the present moment

  • Develop ways of listening to connect more fully with feelings and emotions to open the heart and deepen qualities that support well-being and freedom

  • Develop skills and attitudes to let go of an unwanted habit and develop a more beneficial one

  • Strengthen the qualities of mindfulness and compassion to work with habits in daily life

This learning experience includes:

  • 3hrs of live content including time to connect to other participants and ask questions

  • Short talks on cultivating and deepening the practice of mindfulness in meditation and daily life—and how we can incorporate poetry to deepen and sustain practice

  • Guided meditations, including poems linked to the three workshop themes outlined above

  • Opportunities for journaling, questions, and sharing on the impact of poetry on practice and ways it can support deepening awareness and presence

  • Access to a private group to continue the conversation and connection

  • A recording of the workshop which you can access up to 3 months after the event