The Tallahassee Chan Center plans to host a series of single topic presentations in January and February on how Chan principles apply to various health-oriented activities of our lives: nutrition, exercise and different forms of spiritually nourishing self-expression. People often resolve, at the start of a new year, to pay greater attention to their physical, emotional and spiritual health and this series of presentations is intended to support sharing our experiences and knowledge with others.
Our bodies are the form through which we experience and operate in the world, the concrete functioning of our mind. We need to take responsibility for the body and maintain it in a reasonable state of health just as we take responsibility for the mind through the practice of Chan meditation and cultivation.
Please see our listing of events below, with free registration. Guo Gu will give the overall introduction to the program on January 18th.
Title: Mindfulness of Mind, Body and Breath
Instructor: Dewaine
When: Monday, Jan. 18, 7:30pm EST
Requisites:
Space required: An area about 5′ x 5′
Clothing: Loose
Equipment: No equipment needed.
Dewaine Rester, a long-time student of Guo Gu, will demonstrate the 8 form moving meditation, a traditional kata called San Chin, and sitting yoga.
Title: Meditation and Dance
Instructor: Sandra
When: Monday, Jan. 25, 7:30pm EST
Requisites: Access to good sound production (such as ear buds, wireless headphones, or at least good amplification on your Zoom device). Space to dance.
Sandra Fiegehen, Vice President of the Tallahassee Chan Center, will demonstrate the intersection of her Chan practice and the expression of dance.
Title: Gentle Yoga
Instructor: Shana
When: Monday, Feb. 1, 7:30pm EST
Requisites: Students need to make space for movement and have on hand a chair and a blanket.
Shana Anderson, licensed Yoga instructor, has previously taught classes for the Tallahassee Chan Center. She will lead an online Zoom session on a gentle hatha yoga flow.
Title: Mindful Eating and Dharma Practice
Instructor: Maria
When: Monday, Feb. 08, 7:30pm EST
Requisites:
You will be led through a short mindful eating exercise, so please have a fruit or vegetable on hand before the presentation.
Maria Williamson has been practicing with the Tallahassee Chan Center for nine years. Within her 38 year career, she spent four years as a clinical hospital dietitian and the remaining years she worked in the state government with federal child nutrition programs in policy and management.
Title: Mindful Vegetarian (and Vegan) Cooking
Instructor: Rikki
When: Saturday, Feb. 13, 12:00pm EST
Requisites:
An ingredient list to be supplied one week before the class starts.
Rikki Asher is an artist with many academic art degrees in painting and art education, and has been meditating for over 30 years. She has taught vegetarian cooking and just published an illustrated cookbook, soon to go into its 2nd edition: “The ART in Queens Cuisine: Global Vegetarian Recipes from Around the Block“.
Title: Flower Chan (Presentation to Ikebana)
Instructor: Hui
When: Sunday, Feb. 28, 12:00pm EST
Requisites:
Presentation Materials:
– 6 roses (or other flowers)
– Small vase/cup
– Thick paper
– Scissors
Hui Zhu has been practicing Chan for over 3 years and has integrated the practice of Ikebana (Japanese art of flower arranging) into her daily practice. She joins us from Frankfurt, Germany, where she lives and works with her family.