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Reading and Reflecting Book Club

1 hour 15 min per fortnight
Register Now

R & R (Reading & Reflecting) - Book Club

Stoke the fires of what interests you using contemporary texts from divergent views around the subject of awareness practices. Have a rich yarn with your peers. 
Typical session reflections:

What resonated with you?
What questions do you have that we can grapple with together?
What do you see as implications for your practice?

Structure: 

Sit, Explore, Reflect , Sit

Next book: 
Confidence: Holding your Seat Through Life’s Eight Worldly Winds By Ethan Nichtern
Beginning Monday 21 October 2024

Fortnightly, four sessions until Monday 2 December
6pm- 7.15pm (AEST)

Details below. 
  • 100% of the proceeds from the book club go to a scholarship fund.
  • Please note participants are responsible for obtaining their own copy of the book.

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Who is this for?

For people with an interest in mindfulness and those who have completed Level I or Level II training and beyond, even if you do not yet teach.

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Why?

To enhance our understanding of mindfulness, its gifts and complexities and to explore the implications for our practice.

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How?

Commit to one book at a time. One hour fifteen minute sessions via Zoom.

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Location

At your place

Register Now

FINDING YOUR COURSE

Confidence: Holding your Seat Through Life’s Eight Worldly Winds By Ethan Nichtern 

A funny, wise, and relatable exploration of how to stand firm amid the ups and downs of existence, from a renowned teacher and writer hailed as "the future of Buddhism".

In today's culture of intense polarization and constant change, how do we find the confidence to navigate life's challenges? Is now really the time for meditation, for looking inward? What do we do with mindfulness? Ethan Nichtern, tackles these questions head-on in Confidence. This provocative book takes contemporary considerations of power, identity, ethics, and confidence to new heights, offering readers an essential guide to self-discovery.

Nichtern examines the Buddhist concept of the Eight Worldly Winds, the four paired opposites of praise and blame, pleasure and pain, fame and insignificance, and success and failure. By delving into these dichotomies, listeners gain invaluable insights into their relationships with others (including teachers, friends, leaders, the disgraced, and the adored) and themselves. With four transformative meditation exercises, this book empowers listeners to cultivate and access their innate confidence and wisdom.

Dates and Chapters

21 Oct   Introduction through Chapter 2, up to page 54
04 Nov   Chapter 3 through Chapter 5, up to page 117
18 Nov   Chapter 6 through Chapter 7, up to page 170
02 Dec    Chapter 8 through Conclusion, up to page 220

Your Facilitators / Hosts

Steve Pozel

Steve has worked with hundreds of the world’s leading innovators and creative minds since the 1980’s. It has been the foundation to his research focusing on the convergence of innovation, creativity and the contemplative.

After a 3-decade career leading cultural institutions in Canada and Australia, Steve now divides his time between consulting within the creative sector and supporting social enterprises through his experience in leadership and innovation.

 Beginning with the Art Gallery of New South Wales in 2017, Steve has been presenting sessions of contemplative exploration (artofdeeplooking.com) at major arts organisations including Sydney Opera House; Botanic Gardens, Art Gallery of NSW; MCA; UTS; Brisbane Arts Festival and as a regular presenter at Sydney’s VIVID Ideas festival.

Steve and Timothea Goddard will be co-facilitating The Art of Deep Listening program for the VIVID Ideas Festival in 2024.

 Since 2023, Steve has been developing a prototype for a virtual platform to combine art and contemplation. ILLUME (artmindfully.com) is an audio-driven experience to connect people to art in a deeper, more mindful way and features a wide range of artworks from international galleries. 

Jan Haworth

Jan is a Certified Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction teacher whose journey into mindfulness began during her experience of cancer during her mid-30s. Introduced to mindfulness as a means to navigate the physical, emotional, and psychological challenges of illness, Jan soon discovered its transformative impact beyond mere coping mechanisms and was inspired to train as a teacher and share mindfulness with others.

Jan brings a wealth of experience, and her company, Mindfulness Aotearoa, has delivered courses to over 2,000 individuals across diverse organisations in both the public and private sectors with a particular dedication to supporting healthcare workers in District Health Boards. Jan also runs MBSR courses in Auckland for the general public, and is passionate about supporting individuals navigating health challenges.

Pamela Lovell

BSc, MSc, MA Counselling 

Pamela Lovell - mindfulness teacher - HobartPamela trained with the Center for Mindfulness and Openground and is a certified MBSR teacher with the Centre of Mindfulness, UMass.   She is an Organisational Development Consultant with 20 years of experience working with leaders, managers and staff to effectively handle change and improve communication and behaviours for a better workplace. Pamela’s interest in teaching MBSR came through her work with organisations where work/life balance seemed elusive and many people were finding the stress of everyday life overwhelming. Since 2007 Pamela has taught MBSR privately and in organisation settings. Pamela has 13 years of experience with mindfulness and has studied this work for 20 years.

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I don’t like to read books on meditation even though I know I should and I know they are helpful. So I forced myself (with kindness and compassion) to join the MTI book club to help break through.

And I read the book (all of it). And I sat with others and asked questions and had many of them answered. And I learnt a lot of helpful things about mindfulness that is helping my practice and helping me to help others.

So while I still don’t like reading books on meditation the book club helps.

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Refund Policy

There are no refunds for the Alumni Book Club