Category Archives: Workshops

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction – MBSR

Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR)

Orientation Class (Required): Wednesday, September 16 - 6:00pm
8 Weekly meetings beginning Wednesday, September 23 - 6:00 to 8:30pm
Full Day Retreat at The Meaningful Life Center: Saturday, October 31

MBSR is an 8-week evidence-based, experiential program designed to provide participants with intensive and systematic training in mindfulness meditation and movement practices, integrating into daily life what is discovered and learned through the process of participating in the program. For beginners and advanced meditators alike, this course offers practices that have consistent, research demonstrated, positive outcomes including increased self-awareness and growing capacity for present focused attention.

ESSENTIALS:
• No prior meditation experience needed.
• 8 weeks of instructor lead sessions
• Guided meditations & course materials include
  - Recorded and guided instruction in mindfulness meditation practices
  - Recording of the body scan, sitting meditation, and gentle mindful movement guided meditations
  - PDF Workbook provided
• Easy instructor access via email

“In Asian languages, the word for mind and the word for heart are same. So if you’re not hearing mindfulness in some deep way as heartfulness, you’re not really understanding it. Compassion and kindness towards oneself are intrinsically woven into it. You could think of mindfulness as wise and affectionate attention.”
– Jon Kabat-Zinn –

First created in 1979, by Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D., MBSR now has 40 years of outcomes research highlighting statistically significant reductions in symptoms for various physical and behavioral health conditions including anxiety, depression and chronic pain, along with positive changes in risk factors that may lead to more serious chronic ailments. The 8-week MBSR course integrates a range of meditation practices including body awareness and gentle yoga with the intention to aid participants in enhancing self-care and improved emotional and physical adaptations for healthier living. Participants will learn experientially and conceptually how and why this public health intervention that is “secular, scientific, evidence-based practice …has become an accepted part of mainstream medicine” 1 and behavioral health. Drawing on the recent update to the MBSR curriculum, this fall’s course will more explicitly address the domains of trauma, cross-cultural intersections and universality, inclusion and diversity as they might be raised and explored in the class.

Workshop Leader: David Patterson, Ph.D.

David is a professor emeritus of the University of Tennessee College of Social Work. He is a certified MBSR Teacher through the Brown University Mindfulness Center and has had a daily sitting practice for over three decades. He has trained a wide array of individuals and groups in mindfulness practices. He taught the MBSR 8-week course to UT graduate students in social work, counseling, and psychology for five years. He has been teaching the MBSR course and other mindfulness practices courses through the Meaningful Life Center since 2020.

The Living Tao: Timeless Principles for Everyday Enlightenment by Ilchi Lee – book discussion group

Photo of a woman's silhouette looking out over a scenic sunrise. The workshop title and the tao calligraphy are included on the right

Registration Closed
The Living Tao: Timeless Principles for Everyday Enlightenment by Ilchi Lee
- A book discussion group

Monday evenings 6:30 to 8:00, August 4 to September 22
Limited to 15 participants. (No meeting Labor Day September 1)

Together we'll comment, question, investigate and offer our own experiences and insights from this wonderful book. We'll hold space to explore ways laid out in the book that can help us find peace and truth in our lives.

“Tao can only be felt and experienced.  It is something you live, day by day, moment by moment.  It’s the omnipresent oneness beyond ephemeral phenomena that expresses itself in everything. "

Ilchi Lee, an enlightened Tao master from S.Korea and New York Times author of  40+ books, has laid out a path to living Tao every day.  Along this path he guides you to an understanding of the meaning of birth, death, and everything in between, building a foundation for living a complete and whole life.

 

Key to productive discussions -
Before the group begins please get a copy of the book. We will read two chapters before each meeting. Each week's gathering will focus on the chapters we've read ahead of the meeting. The first meeting will cover the introduction. Each meeting after will cover 2 of the 12 chapters of the book.

You can order a new or used copy HERE at abebooks.com or choose your favorite bookseller.

The Tao is the ultimate truth & substance of life.  It is what all of humanity’s spiritual seekers have been pursing, and it is complete oneness.  It is the principle of life energy flowing behind all things in the cosmos, and it is the ultimate wholeness to which all things, on becoming one, return.  Although it is all things in existence, the Tao is also the source and background that causes them to exist.
~ Ilchi Lee

a calligraphy of the word tao

Joyce Richman

Joyce has attended many sessions at MLC over the years, including meditation retreats and classes with Jerry Askew and David Patterson. She’s been a lifelong seeker, reader, thinker and meditator and finds discovering various spiritual paths to be a fascinating and enriching pursuit. This book, “The Living Tao: Timeless Principles For Everyday Enlightenment” has been especially resonant and she’d enjoy sharing thoughts with others.

Now retired, Joyce used to create and manage local, regional and national TV programs and broadcast/cable departments for all genres of non-fiction shows around the country, culminating here in Knoxville for HGTV as their first Director of Programming & later VP, and finishing her career with a few creative and executive roles at Jewelry Television.

Classes – Knoxville Community of Mindfulness

Current Class Offering

Beginning Mindfulness Meditation

Waking up to the present moment

Sundays, January 4-26, 2026 - 2:00- 3:30pm 
Hybrid class: In-person at the Meaningful Life Center & on Zoom
There is no fee for this class, but registration is required.
This class will be taught by Alan Clingan & Milo Stanojevich, members of The Knoxville Community of Mindfulness and senior meditation students of John Blackburn's.

 

Many of us live with chronic stress and dissatisfaction, finding it difficult to experience peace and ease on a daily basis.  Mindfulness meditation is a practice for reducing stress and increasing one's sense of well being. These and many other benefits, experienced by millions over the centuries, are now confirmed by modern science.

This course is designed for beginners.  It is also appropriate for anyone wanting to establish or re-establish a meditation practice.   If you have had trouble being consistent in meditation, taking a class can be a good way to energize and re-dedicate yourself. After the classes end, students are encouraged to attend a weekly meeting, offered at no cost, where they can ask questions and find support for maintaining their meditation practice.

Beginning Mindfulness Meditation meets once a week for four weeks.  Each meeting lasts 90 minutes and includes instruction, meditation practice, and time for Q & A.  Currently classes are hybrid, i.e. they are simultaneously taught in-person and on Zoom.

You will receive a confirmation email of registration.  Prior to the first class, you will receive class information and materials.

General Class Information

Classes are offered by Knoxville Community of Mindfulness - Registration for these classes is through Knoxville Community of Mindfulness. The Registration link will take you to their website.
There is no cost for these classes. Please see Knoxville Community of Mindfulness website for details and to register.
Classes meet for 90 minutes once a week. Currently, classes are hybrid -- simultaneously on Zoom and  in-person at the Meaningful Life Center.
Most classes run for four weeks. Each class includes instruction, meditation practice, and time for Q&A.

Leonardo DaVinci: Documentary and Discussion

Da Vinci: Documentary and Discussion

Revered as one of the greatest painters in Western Art, for his technological ingenuity, and his unbridled curiosity and study of the natural world, Leonardo serves as a inspiration to this day.

Join us as we present the Ken Burns documentary “Inside the mind of a genius – Leonardo da Vinci” followed by a discussion of the life, work and influence of one of history’s most creative minds. Over four evenings we’ll watch a portion of the recent Ken Burns documentary which tells the story of one of humankind’s most curious and innovative minds followed by a discussion. His ability to combine art and science led him on a remarkable journey to a fulfilled and meaningful life. Join us to explore his journey.

4 Wednesdays 6:30 to 8:30pm
beginning April 2

Knoxville Community of Mindfulness

Knoxville Community of Mindfulness

Sangha

"When you allow yourself to be in a sangha the way a drop of water allows itself to be in a river, then the energy of the sangha can penetrate you, and healing and transformation become possible."
   ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

Sangha is the traditional name for a gathering of spiritual friends who are practicing the path of awareness. Our Sangha meeting includes guided meditation, a period of teaching, and discussion. It is suitable for both experienced and new meditators.

Knoxville Community of Mindfulness
In Person at the Meaningful Life Center
on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month
Every week on Zoom
6:30 to 8:00pm

For more information and to access the Zoom link for all sessions visit Knoxville Community of Mindfulness' website - HERE
Scroll down a bit to find the Zoom link.


Workshop Leader: John Blackburn
John Blackburn, Ph.D., has practiced meditation for over forty years, practicing intensively with teachers in the Vipassana, Zen, and Dzogchen traditions. He leads a local meditation group, the Knoxville Community of Mindfulness.  Registration for this workshop is via the Knoxville Community of Mindfulness website.

Lovingkindness Meditation

Lovingkindness Meditation

Metta is a part of the Buddha’s heart teachings about lovingkindness, or the Brahma Viharas - compassion, sympathetic joy, equanimity, and “unbounded friendship” - often called as a group the “Heavenly Abodes.” This workshop will bring participants into experiences of lovingkindness and focus on how to bring about compassion, sympathetic joy, equanimity, and “unbounded friendship” in one’s daily life. We will look at sila (virtue), samadhi (concentration), and pañña (wisdom) as they relate to lovingkindness. Since our purpose is to cultivate lovingkindness and good will, the workshop will be of benefit to anyone who is interested in the topic, no matter what spiritual tradition you might be interested in, or for that matter, whether you are interested or involved in any spiritual tradition at all. The focus will simply be on how a person can cultivate a felt sense and attitude of lovingkindness toward oneself, others, and all beings everywhere.

Every Saturday Morning
10:00 to 12:00 noon

Workshop Leader: Fred Martinson
Fred is an art historian (Ph.D., U. Chicago) who taught at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville for 30 years.  Fred has a special interest in the iconology of Buddhist art (“meaning” as well as style and context).  After specializing in the meaning of Buddhist subjects in Asian art for years, one day about 25 years ago he suddenly realized that there is a reason why those Buddhist images sit the way they do. At that point he began a meditation practice of his own. Since that time, he has studied with a number of different teachers and participates in a half-dozen meditation and study groups including one on Lovingkindness based on the teachings of Andrew Olendzki.

Wednesday Morning Meditation

Wednesday Morning Meditation Group

If you have a meditation practice and would like to sit regularly with a group of practitioners, please consider joining us every Wednesday morning at the Meaningful Life Center. We sit in silence for a period of 45 minutes, beginning at 10 am.

We welcome all participants, whether you are accustomed to meditating by yourself at home or you sit with another group. Our purpose is simply to offer the opportunity to meditate regularly with an informal group. Many people find that sitting with others offers a strong support for their practice.

We began meeting in 2016 as the Friday Morning Meditation Group. The participants come from a variety of spiritual traditions and follow their own individual practices during the session. There are no formal instructions or requirements for participating. There is time afterwards for discussion if anyone would like to offer their thoughts or ask a question.

There are plenty of comfortable chairs at the Center, but if you prefer sitting on a cushion please feel free to bring your own. 

All are welcome. We welcome your participation.

Every Wednesday morning
10:00 to 11:00am

Workshop Leader: Barbara Roberts

Barbara Roberts has studied and practiced with various teachers in the Buddhist and nondual traditions over the past 30 years.

The Value of Surrender & Forgiveness

The Value of Surrender & Forgiveness

Both surrender and forgiveness are powerful tools with which we can change ourselves and change our lives. Their virtues have been recognized through the ages and all the religious traditions of the world have sung their praises. However, as with all powerful tools, they must be used skillfully if they are to be effective. In this workshop, therefore, we will explore the value of surrender, the value of forgiveness, and how they can best be applied in our day-to-day lives.

A major part of discovering how to use them effectively is discerning when each is appropriate and how to apply them in a healthy and balanced way. This will be the focus of our journey

5 Thursdays beginning March 20
6:30 to 8:30pm

Workshop Leader: John Berry

John worked in the Audiology Department of the University of Tennessee for 10 years, coordinating a number of programs. He left UT to found Blount Hearing and Speech Services, which has served over 20,000 patients in the past 35 years. John is also the co-founder and CEO of the Hearing and Speech Foundation, an institution that focuses on conducting research to provide a better understanding of human perception and in so doing to improve the field of audiology.

Reading Poetry Together

This season we'll be reading poems by Stanley Kunitz, Sara Teasdale, W.S. Merwin and Ursula K. Le Guin

Each week we'll read and discuss a selection of poems from a single poet. We'll talk about what images it brings up for us, what we think the poet was trying to say and what the poems mean to us. There is no wrong way to read a poem and discussing with others can help each of us find meaning for ourselves and new meanings we may have missed.

We will be reading one poet per meeting. If you have a favorite poem or have one you have written and would like to share, please bring it. If time allows, we can share at the end of each night. A PDF of the poems will be sent to you by email prior to the meeting. It is helpful to have the poems printed out or, if you prefer, available on a screen in front of you. It is also helpful to read the poems previous to their respective meeting. These meetings will be on ZOOM. The link for taking part on Zoom will be provided by email in advance of the first meeting.

4 Thursdays beginning October 1

Time: 6:00pm to 7:30pm
Location: This workshop will be offered online by the Meaningful Life Center.
The link for taking part on Zoom will be provided in advance of the first meeting.

Workshop Leader:  Sandy Cartwright

Sandy has been involved with the inner journey most of her adult life. She first became interested in poetry in high school. After 47 years in publishing and advertising, she spends much of her retirement time reading and pursuing her artistic endeavors of writing and stone sculpting.

Second Saturday Zazen

Monthly Second Saturday Zazen

The simple act of sitting in one place and not DOING something has been a gateway for liberation for millennia. There is a reason it “works”. Yet it is the willingness to show up and simply sit that transforms us. The reasons are not relevant. Neither is reading about it, thinking about it, or talking about it. To access this ancient avenue, one must experience it. In these morning meditation sessions, you will have an opportunity to experience an extended meditation in a supportive environment.

We will sit as a group and the day will be structured around periods of sitting meditation and walking meditation. There will be some guided meditation. It will be mostly silent sitting and walking meditation. This is a great opportunity for beginners who want to experience longer meditation periods, as well as experienced meditators. There will time before (and during) the session on sitting posture and comfort for those who would like instruction.  While all three leaders practice zen meditation, the structure will be somewhat modified.

If you have a meditation cushion or bench you like to use, please bring it. There will be chairs available but limited options if you want to sit on the floor.

Workshop Leader: Community Led
Each month may be facilitated by one of three similarly styled practitioners: Tammy Kaousias, Todd Steed, or Meghan Kogen Dieter.  Tammy Kaousias  seriously turned to meditation and yoga methods 15 years ago to help manage the stresses inherent in the legal profession and in caring for elderly parents at the same time.  She practices in the style of Pacific Zen Institute which is largely koan meditation. Todd Steed is a radio host, musician and so much more. He routinely sits with a group that is in the lineage of Soto Zen (Dew Drop Sangha under the umbrella of Hazy Moon) and he also practices koan meditation. Meghan is a newcomer to Knoxville, a mother to a 7 year old, and has an over 15 year zen practice in the Soto Zen style (Hazy Moon).