Recognizing a theme among our conference proposals this year of spirituality's significance in navigating extreme states, ISPS-US is pleased to announce we are hosting a free virtual meditation group to take place every Monday in October, from 8:30-9am (Eastern) leading up to our Annual Conference.
The group will be open to ISPS-US members and Conference Attendees. Our host is Pastor Bob Bergner, a presenter on our conference Spirituality Plenary Panel, and principal character in Daniel Bergner's incredible book The Mind & The Moon: My Brother's Story, the Science of Our Brains, and the Search for Our Psyches.
About the group, from Bob:
I have been practicing meditation for almost three decades. Over those years, I have tried many different approaches--walking meditation, mantra meditation, guided imagery meditation, etc.--but I keep returning to what seems like meditation in its most basic form: sitting in silence, observing our breath with self-compassion and patience, and allowing our mind to settle. So, that is what we will be doing together for four Monday mornings in October. We will gather via zoom and briefly introduce ourselves. I will then remind everyone of the simple parameters of our breath practice and we will sit together in silence for about fifteen minutes. To conclude, I will invite us back into "the world” and we will offer a closing gesture and a very simple chant. Those who wish to can remain on zoom for a few m inutes of reflection and conversation. I look forward to seeing you there.
“Breath well attended to is the life secret before which all other life secrets bow in homage.”
About the Presenter
Bob Bergner is the pastor of Grace and St John’s Episcopal Church in Hamden, Connecticut, a parish known for its generous hospitality and innovative outreach programs, including the Dinner for a Dollar community supper and an ecumenical community garden project. Bob is a co-founder of Swords To Plowshares Northeast, an organization that transforms bought-back guns into garden tools and jewelry. He is also an active member of the greater New Haven performing arts community as a musician and dancer, sharing his talents in a variety of venues, including Choate Rosemary Hall, New Haven Ballet, Educational Center for the Arts and Yale New Haven Hospital. Bob will be one of the presenters on the Spirituality Panel at the upcoming ISPS-US annual conference and is one of the principal characters in Daniel Bergner’s recent book The Mind and the Moon: My Brother’s Story, the Science of Our Brains and the Search for Our Psyches. Bob holds degrees from Harvard University, McGill University, the Montreal Diocesan Theological College and Middlebury College.
To register, visit the ISPS-US event calendar by visiting the link below and click on the session you wish to attend. Sessions spaces are limited.
We hope you will take advantage of this opportunity to prioritize your wellbeing, build connections and forge relationships prior to our conference event!
