The Center Now Offers the Lower Fairfield Community - A Monthly Workshop Series Focused on Self Care
New for 2010, The Center is excited to offer our community:
“Tuesdays at the Ferguson. . . Enriching Your Life through Self Care.”
The free workshops take place on the first Tuesday of each month in the main auditorium at The Ferguson Library (on the corner of Broad and Bedford Streets in Stamford). Each workshop, which begins at 6:00 PM, will offer a unique self care therapy, such as meditation, yoga, journaling, art therapy, music/dance therapy and scrapbooking.
“Recognizing the hectic and often stressful world we all live in, we have developed ‘Tuesdays at the Ferguson’ to encourage members of our community to set aside a couple of hours each month to focus on self care,” said Cathy Malloy, Executive Director of The Center.
The schedule is below. For more information on each program, and the very talented leaders we have for each session, just click on the link.
January 12: An Introduction to Meditation Workshop Leader – Jim Porter
Few in the auditorium at The Ferguson had practiced much meditation before this workshop, so this introduction into mediation was both educational -- and relaxing. A brief lecture on the history of meditation and some of the great founders of different techniques gave way to practice. Focused breathing was the common thread through all we tried.
To get a feel for many alternatives, Mr. Porter began by using a meditation tape to guide the group. He then led us through deep breathing exercises. Then we tried concentrative meditation, which focused the attention on the breath, an image, or a sound (mantra), in order to still the mind and allow a greater awareness and clarity to emerge.
Finally, Mr. Porter touched on mindfulness meditation. Here, we sat quietly and opened ourselves up to whatever flowed through our mind. The idea is to gain a more calm, clear, and non-reactive state of mind. As a whole, the group was very interested in this technique. The Center has asked Mr. Porter to lead a workshop just on this… in May. Join us!!!
February 9: Using Yoga to Soothe Stress Workshop Leader – Rita Shepard
Stamford’s Rita Shepard led a workshop on how hatha yoga techniques can be used to reduce stress and help people relax, renew, and celebrate life. Ms. Shepard has been a certified yoga instructor for 10 years and continues to study the traditions of hatha yoga through the beautifully heart-centered practice of anusara. She is also a nationally certified massage therapist specializing in thai yoga massage.
“My philosophy of healing stems form my love of the lotus and its transformative nature,” said Rita Shepard. “The lotus that grows through the muddy waters blooms into a most beautiful flower. I believe that we are all beings of endless possibility and that through our experiences, sweet or not, we all have the potential to blossom and transform into the lovely beings we are.”
To contact Ms. Shepard please email her at
ritende@aol.com
March 9: Self-Help Jin Shin Jyutsu Learning How to Restore Natural Harmony to Your Body
Workshop Leader – Beth Prins Leas, founding director of the Total Life Care Center in Norwalk.
If you would like to restore harmony to your body, mind and spirit and be more relaxed, then this is the workshop for you!
Jin Shin Jyutsu -- a combination of acupressure and energy work -- encourages relaxation and self-awareness, allows the body to move more freely, improves energy levels, increases stamina, releases tension and enhances mental alertness.
In this self-help experiential class, you will learn how to release disharmonies before they become major health issues, open pathways that rebuild health and address existing symptoms.
Jin Shin Jyutsu is an ancient art and reawakens one's awareness and understanding of Self.
The purpose of this workshop is to explore the basic principles and theory of Jin Shin Jyutsu while learning practical tools for helping oneself - to harmonize and balance ourselves physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually - deepening in the knowledge of restoration and revitalization through Jin Shin Jyutsu Self-Help,
Join us - it's FUN!
April 13: Diminish Those Winter Blues with Art Therapy Workshop Leader – TBD
May 11: Relaxing with Mindfulness Meditation Workshop Leader – James Porter
Join Mr. Porter as he introduces a technique of meditation called mindfulness meditation. In this form of meditation, distracting thoughts and feelings are not ignored but are rather acknowledged and observed non-judgmentally as they arise to create a detachment from them and gain insight and awareness. Breathe deeply and feel stress and tension dissolve.
Mindfulness practice is ideal for cultivating greater awareness of the unity of mind and body. It also cultivates the ways unconscious thoughts, feelings, and behaviors can undermine emotional, physical, and spiritual health. The mind is known to be a factor in stress and stress-related disorders, and meditation has been shown to positively affect a range of autonomic physiological processes, such as lowering blood pressure and reducing overall arousal and emotional reactivity. Join us for and evening of stress reduction.
June 8: Self Care Topic –TBD
For more information on “Tuesdays at the Ferguson,” or to pre-register, please call
The Center at 203-348-9346 and ask for Lynn Tusa or email at L.Tusa@TheCenter-ct.org.