Movement Therapy

By Mina Arakawa

I'm currently studying in a 2-year program in movement therapy and offering sessions to Gravity sangha members at a sliding scale. 

Movement therapy awakens the body and helps you see the connection between the physical and emotional holding patterns, and unravel those patterns. It provides a way into the body, another way to study the self, and is a good complement to the meditation practice and studies we do at Gravity. I'm drawn to the practice because it honours our agency to heal and take care of ourselves. You may want to give it a try if the following are your concerns:

• reducing and managing pain, stiffness and tension
• building strength and flexibility
• improving posture
• increasing ease and freedom of movement
• recovery from injury, injury prevention
• reducing stress
• managing auto-immune and neurological conditions

The beauty of this practice is that it is available to people of all levels of mobility and experience. All you need is an open curiosity to learn about the body, and a desire for increased wellness and ease.

Price for 1-hr session: $35-60 (sliding scale) 

Location: 283 Spadina Ave. 34d Fl. (home visit may be available depending on location)

For further information contact: mina@willowmovement.org

SITTING WITH SPRING

The practice of Spring is awakening. We can sit with Spring, allowing the seeds of awareness to germinate and expand our capacity to wake up to our lives, to each other and to the natural world. Take the time during this weekend retreat to slow down in a supportive environment with sitting and walking meditation, on the cushion and in the woods. The charming, off grid centre, Harmony Dawn, is located near Rice Lake, Ontario. You will be nourished by Nicola's fantastic yinyang balanced vegetarian cooking, while rooting in silent community, with yourself, the birds, the changing light and the fertile earth. 

Early Bird rate $350+HST before Feb 15th  

Regular rate $375+HST after Feb 15th 

For more information and to register please contact Grant Hutchinson at grantgrant.hutchinson@gmail.com

Mindfulness Challenge - The Centre for Mindfulness Studies

The Centre for Mindfulness Studies is holding a Mindfulness Challenge.  This is a 4-hour series of mindfulness activities, including gentle yoga and mindful eating, designed for everyone from beginners to zen masters, and guided by some great teachers, including Scott from Octopus Garden and Jeff from Consciousness Explorers Club, as well as The Centre's own Pat Rockman.

“If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.
If you want to be happy, practice compassion.”

— Dalai Lama

Mindfulness Challenge 2016 isn't your average fundraising event. It's a feast of fitness-for-the-mind activities—from meditation to yoga to mindful lunch and back again, all designed get your compassion juices flowing.

Guided by some of Toronto's best mindfulness and yoga teachers, it's a great way for beginners to dive in, and for experienced meditators to ride the wave of so many people practising together. Come and unplug, breathe and connect with yourself and others, and discover a more compassionate world.

When:  Sunday, October 30
           11:00 am - 3:00 pm

Where: Daniels Spectrum, 585 Dundas St E, Toronto
            (satellite event - Sugar Ridge in Midland)

Cost:    $50 to register
            $40 for team captains

Minimum Fundraising Goal:  $200
All funds raised will help bring mindfulness for mental health programs to marginalized people who live with depression, anxiety and other mental health challenges. Our goal is to raise $75,000, enough to help 1,000 people.

For more information and to register, visit their website:  

MindfulnessChallenge.ca

Retreat with Peter Levitt

Peter Levitt, founder and guiding teacher of the Salt Spring Zen Circle, will be our teacher for this retreat. Known for the warmth, humour, clarity and depth of his teachings, Peter is also the author of 14 books of poetry and prose. In 1989, Peter received the prestigious Lannan Foundation Award in Poetry. He collaborated as Associate Editor, with editor Kazuaki Tanahashi, on the translation of Dogen's lifework, Treasury of the True Dharma Eye: Zen Master Dogen's Shobo Genzo, and he and Tanahashi coedited, The Essential Dogen: Writings of the Great Zen Master.

The retreat includes periods of seated meditation, walking meditation, dharma talks and discussion. Together, we will explore some of the exciting and challenging themes found in the work of Eihei Dogen, a 13th century Zen Master, and discover how these may be applied to our lives.

October 28 - October 30

Click for more information and to register for this retreat.

Embodied Astrology

Robert Kingsbury is offering a two hour session each Tuesday in Kensington Market
(though sometimes the time changes - best to contact him on fb)
Spiritwind Centre - 64 Oxford St
https://www.facebook.com/events/575605135921786/
it's pwyc

Robert is also fulfilling practicum hours for a course in Biodynamic Craniosacral and looking for people to practice with, contact himfor info. The sessions are really great, Robert knows so much!

Robert Kingsbury

robertkingsbury@gmail.com

437 333 1605

Open Arms for Syria Needs Your Help

Open Arms for Syria is a group of Toronto friends, co-workers and neighbours sponsoring a family of 5 Syrian refugees, in partnership with Humanity First. They will house and support this family for their first year in Canada.  They are in need of standard household items, please let us know if you can donate any of the following by contacting Leslie at: leslie.kirsh@gmail.com

Big dining room table - (6 seats)

Living room side tables

1 Queen Duvet

3 single duvets

3 sets of single sheets

3 single duvets

New(ish) set of pots/pans

Serving dishes / bowls

Coffee table

little milk server

Big Roasting Pan

Lamps

bathmat x1

5 pillows 

Non-residential Meditation Retreat

“An opportunity to deepen your practice without having to leave the city. ”

NON-RESIDENTIAL MEDITATION RETREAT. 

An opportunity to deepen your practice without having to leave the city. 

Where: Grant's house (near Brock Ave and Dundas St., Toronto)
When: August 21, 22, 23
friday evening 7-9pm
saturday 9-12pm lunch 1:30pm- 4:15pm
sunday 9-12pm lunch 1:30pm - 2:30pm
bring lunch; alternatively, there are plenty of places on dundas or queen to buy a lunch.
zafus (meditation cushions), benches, and zabutons provided.

What: schedule will consist of 40 minute sits separated by 20 minute periods walking meditation either inside or outside, with a talk by Grant on Saturday afternoon.

Cost: attendance by donation (sliding scale suggested $40-$120)
We will be offering scholarship spots for those who would benefit from financial assistance.

Registration: 
Please complete the following questions and copy them into an email to granthut@hotmail.com. It is possible to attend only part (e.g. one day) but if the retreat fills up those who commit to the whole weekend will have first dibs . 

The Questions: 
Can you attend the full retreat?
Do you have a regular sitting practice?
How long have you practiced?
Do you have any physical or psychological conditions that would affect your participation in this retreat?
Please email granthut@hotmail.com to register.