Watershed Partnership

We are planning for and will facilitate two day-long programs to introduce teachers and school staff to the practices of mindfulness, compassion, and kindness to help them personally and with their work with students and colleagues. The practices that we will be introducing have been shown by numerous peer reviewed studies to increase a sense of well-being, reduce stress and anxiety and to promote the development of compassion, kindness, and better control of unskillful emotions.

It is every more important to find ways of cultivating and promoting peace in our selves, our families, our nation and in the world. Good intentions are important but we also need a way we can practice peace in our everyday lives. This program will present practical tools for practicing peace - ways that can increase our mindfulness, our kindness, and our compassion - characteristics essential for peace. Guided practices for mindfulness, meditation, compassion and loving-kindness will be introduced. We will share poetry, mindful dialog and periods of silence. No experience necessary. This program is non-sectarian and free but preregistration is necessary

"A certain way of understanding human life and activity has gone awry to the serious detriment of the world around us. Should we not pause and consider this?" Pope Francis, Laudato Si. We are living in a time of momentous change. As never before, our common destiny calls us to see new ways of understanding, new ways of being together, and new ways of living on the earth. Join us as we pause for a day of exploration. It is our hope that participants will be inspired to continue their personal journeys and to engage intentionally in a mutually enhancing relationship with others and the earth. In a safe and relaxed atmosphere we will practice a variety of guided mindfulness practices. There will be poetry, reflections, dialog, guided kindness and compassion practices, periods of silence, and listening deeply to the wisdom in the room. No experience necessary.

When living in times of change there is often conflict and polarization that can lead to fear, anger, and reactivity. Our intent for this program is to encourage a mindful pause and introduce and explore practices, frameworks, and skills to help us see what really matters, and respond to personal, interpersonal, and community challenges with wisdom, compassion, and equanimity. Mindfulness practices bring clarity to our bodies and minds. We will practice and explore techniques to:1) Establish and build this personal balance.2) Maintain that balance while we engage with others in mindful listening and speaking that leads to better outcomes. We will introduce practices and practical skills to cultivate compassion, transform blame, anger, and resolve conflict. Through gaining a deeper understanding of ourselves and others we open to the possibility of creative and unexpected resolutions in our own lives, in our relationships, and in our communities.