Archives
Partial List of Past Events
SILENT SATURDAY HALF DAY RETREAT IN SPRING 2024
This half day retreat on Saturday, April 20th from 9:30am to 12 noon in the SBSB courtyard was an opportunity to pause, to reflect, to notice and to develop deep awareness. Our daily lives are so busy that we often forget to pay attention to our inner selves, to our environment and to each other.
This retreat provided guided meditations, movement, art and other ways to connect deeply with ourselves and the world around us.
MINDFUL MOMENTS WITH USU LIVE IN SPRING 2024
- WHEN: FEB. 22ND FROM 5PM TO 8PM
- WHERE: USU BALLROOM
- WHAT: Introduction to Wellness and Mindfulness Practices for Students
5:00-5:30 - CHECK IN/FOOD
5:30 - WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION TO MINDFULNESS
5:45-6:45PM - BREAK OUT WORKSHOPS INCLUDING MINDFUL LISTENING, MINDFUL MOVEMENT, BUILDING
COMMUNITY
7-7:30PM - BEGINNER’S YOGA SESSION HOSTED BY CAMPUS REC
7:30-8PM - CLOSING PRACTICE
Mindfulness for Men Series in Spring 2024
This series was held on Mondays from 4:00pm to 5:00 pm in SBSB 3219 for snacks and mindfulness in February, 2024. We held space for each other within a supportive community of men. We used mindful practices to pause and quieten so that we can have access to more clarity and compassion for all. Acknowledging and accepting our emotions as they arise without judgment and while at the same time being willing to let them go so we can have access to a wider range of responses. Reconnecting with our deepest aspiration for ourselves and the world we live in so we can navigate life with focus, resilience and confidence.
Procrastination and Mindfulness Workshop in Spring 2024
February 12th, 2024
Studies have shown that procrastination is a pervasive problem among students and among other adults (Steel, 2007; Harriott & Ferrari, 1996) which can lead to several negative outcomes such as stress, anxiety, low self-esteem, poor health and financial outcomes, and poor academic performance (Howell et al., 2006). The interest in mindfulness and other contemplative practices has spurred a great deal of research and discussion in recent years. Several studies (Gautam et al., 2019; Flett et al., 2016) have found that mindfulness practices reduce procrastination directly and indirectly by reducing anxiety. Join us for a 2-hour workshop on reducing procrastination with mindfulness. In this workshop, we will discuss a variety of evidence-based contemplative practices such as breath practices, mindfulness of emotions, self-compassion, and intention-setting practices designed to help reduce procrastination and anxiety.
Mindfulness in Nature Workshop in Fall 2023
- Wednesday, September 27, 2023
- 5:15pm to 7:15pm
This workshop will focus on bringing mindful awareness to our natural environment and feeling our connection to the changing seasons. This workshop will be held outdoors so please remember to dress accordingly so you are comfortable.
Mindful Body Acceptance Workshop in Fall 2023
- Wednesday, November 1st
- 5:30pm to 7:30pm
This workshop is an opportunity to use mindfulness practices to accept and make peace with our bodies just as they are. We will use compassion practices to give our bodies permission to be what they are without judging them and connecting them to self-worth. We invite you to join us in community as we explore and practice body acceptance. Bring a friend, a colleague, a family member as we embrace our differences and our common humanity.
Silent Saturday Half-Day Retreat in Fall 2023
This retreat will provide guided meditations, movement, art and other ways to connect deeply with ourselves and the world around us. You may be surprised by what you find!
Come join us for a healing inward journey.
Bringing Mindfulness To The Suffering In The Middle East And In Other Parts Of The World in Fall 2023
On Tuesday, Oct. 31st at noon in ARTS 101 we met to hold space for each other and use mindful practices to process our emotions in response to the suffering in the Middle East and other parts of the world. Pausing and quieting so that we can have access to more clarity and compassion for all. Acknowledging and accepting our emotions as they arise without judgment and while at the same time being willing to let them go. Reconnecting with our deepest aspiration for ourselves and the world we live in. Asking ourselves: What is that aspiration calling me to do at this time? We supported each other and held ourselves and others in compassion.
Power Of Compassion To Transform Our World: An Evening With Thupten Jinpa, Ph.D in Fall 2023
6pm To 7:30pm, October 11th 2023
Hosted By Arts And Lectures In The Ballroom, CSUSM
Our invited speaker Thupten Jinpa, Ph.D., one of the foremost experts on compassion, talked about the power of compassion to transform our world. He provided an understanding of how compassion can be a source of solace, strength and even happiness in these turbulent times. Dr. Thupten Jinpa provided concrete and practical actions that we can take to move us on the path to peace and justice. He also offered a compassion cultivation workshop.
Dr. Thupten Jinpa is the Founder of the Compassion Institute, and the principal author of Compassion Cultivation Training™ at Stanford University. Dr. Jinpa trained as a monk at Ganden Monastic University, India. He also holds a B.A. in philosophy and a Ph.D. in religious studies from Cambridge University. Dr. Thupten Jinpa has been the principal English translator to H.H. the Dalai Lama since 1985. His publications include A Fearless Heart: How the Courage to be Compassionate Can Transform Our Lives.
More than 200 people attended this event from the campus community and beyond.
SUMMER WORKSHOP IN MUMBAI, INDIA in Summer 2023
June 2023, Somaiya School, Mumbai
Procrastination and Mindfulness Workshop
We held held a half day workshop on procrastination and mindfulness. In this workshop, we discussed some of the recent research studies (Sirois, 2022). Participants were introduced to a variety of evidence based contemplative practices designed to help reduce procrastination and anxiety. We explored how participants can incorporate these practices in their own personal lives and with their colleagues and students.
This workshop was attended by almost 100 K-12 teachers as part of their professional development.
SUMMER RETREAT 2023
Wednesday, May 24th, 2023, Library Reading Room, CSUSM
After a long semester, this retreat was an opportunity to pause, reflect and re-connect
with our deepest intention. Our daily lives –
personal and professional – are filled with distractions and
uncertainties, as well as joys and successes. Negotiating the daily
ups and downs of life can be a tough proposition. This workshop
offered a mindfulness approach to daily life designed to
increase emotional equanimity, lower stress levels, increase
focused attention and feelings of connectedness. The sessions
addressed those who are “mindful curious” and want to know more
about mindfulness, as well as those who have an established
mindfulness practice and want to delve deeper. All CSUSM
community members, alumni, and retirees were welcome. More than 40 people attended
this retreat.
Deep gratitude to our sponsors Human Resources, College of Humanities, Arts, Behavioral and Social Sciences and Office of Undergraduate Studies.
Summer Retreat 2022
Wednesday, June 15, 2022
9:00am-3:00pm
KEL 5400 (Reading Room), CSUSM
DEEP GRATITUDE TO OUR SPONSORS: Faculty Center , Library, College of Humanities, Arts, Behavioral and Social Sciences, Office of Undergraduate Studies
After a very long semester, this retreat was an opportunity to re-ignite the joy that
brought us to higher education. In this workshop we introduced a variety of contemplative
practices such as mindfulness meditation, reflective reading and writing, deep listening,
contemplative movement, compassion and loving kindness. The benefits of these practices
include increased attention, reduced anxiety, enhanced resiliency, and heightened
self -reflection. At the conclusion of the workshop, participants had a variety of
techniques to apply to their interactions with students and colleagues. Staff, faculty,
students, and administrators were all welcome. This retreat was attended by 25 to
30 participants.
Facilitators include Ranjeeta Basu, Paul Stuhr, Jill Weigt, Marie Thomas, Jennifer
Jeffries, Jocelyn Ahlers and Pamela Redela
Summer Conference 2021 (online)
JUNE 17-18, 2021
Mindfulness curious? Wondering about contemplative practices in higher education settings? Faculty and educational professionals can increase the engagement of students by intentionally including practices that increase attention, reduce anxiety, support resiliency in the face of challenging situations, and help students engage in self-reflection. Participants joined us for two half-days of facilitated conversations about the principles of mindfulness and explorations of the use of contemplative practices in the classroom and the workplace. At the conclusion of the workshop, participants had a variety of techniques to apply to their work with students and colleagues. This conference was attended by over one hundred participants from around the world.
Non violence & Forgiveness Lecture by Azim Khamisa in Fall 2018 at CSUSM
Mindful CSUSM coordinates special guest speaker Azim Khamisa and author of “The Secrets of Bulletproof Spirit” to discuss non violence and forgiveness.
An estimated of 250 students and faculty signed up to attend this event.