Theme: Healing Ourselves, Healing Our World
In the face of tragedy, self-care is not an indulgence, but a way to cope and prevent reaching mental and emotional limits. Mindfulness is an effective tool for managing stress, anxiety, and the overload of images on the news and social media. And by slowing our thoughts and actions, a mindfulness practice can help us examine our own implicit bias, grapple with profound difficulties, and take compassionate action for the health of our communities.
“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence. It is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.” -Audre Lorde
Image credit: Illuminated Manuscript depicting a Cosmic Man, Nepal, 18th century, Paper with ink and pigment, Closed: 7.25″ x 3.5″ x .5″ Opened: 122″ l. Collection of Arnold Lieberman.
Mindfulness Meditation Series
Himalayan practitioners have, for centuries, used meditation to quiet the mind, open the heart, calm the nervous system, and increase one’s ability to focus. Now, western scientists, business leaders, and the secular world have embraced meditation as a vital tool for brain health. Learn more
Presented in partnership with Sharon Salzberg and the Interdependence Project.
About the Speaker
Kate Johnson works at the intersections of spiritual practice, social action, and creative expression. She teaches mindful yoga in NYC public schools, teaches Buddhist meditation at the Interdependence Project, and facilitates an embodied approach to organizational and leadership development for social change agents and communities. Johnson holds a BFA in dance from the Alvin Ailey School/Fordham University and a MA in performance studies from NYU. She has trained at Spirit Rock Meditation Center, the Interdependence Project, Laughing Lotus Yoga, and the Presencing Institute.