RESOURCES FOR LEARNING AND SELF-KINDNESS

Insight meditation, also known as mindful meditation, has so much to offer: embodiment, compassion for self and others, kind attention, loving awareness, and more. 

A good place to begin is www.soundstrue.com. Once you are there, create an account. There is a course called Mindfulness Daily with Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach. The course is free and takes only 15 minutes a day for 40 days. Both Jack and Tara are respected, well-known teachers in the mindfulness meditation tradition. 

Sounds True also offers a course with Jack and Tara called The Power of Awareness. There is a cost for this course. At first, I wondered whether I could afford this program. I’m glad I said “yes”. The teachings and support are priceless.

You can also listen to Jack and Tara’s talks and meditations on YouTube and their individual websites.

For trauma studies books by 

Peter Levine 

Bessel Van der Kolk

John Chitti

Gabor Matte

“The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy” by Deb Dana is excellent.

Self-Compassion: The Mindful Workbook for Self-Compassion by Kristen Neff and Christopher Germer.

Compassionate Communication: 

My favorite is Thom Bond's “The Compassion Book—Lessons from the Compassion Course.” 

Thom has created a one-year, worldwide online program in compassionate communication. This course has been offered for ten years worldwide (120 countries) and in 17 languages. Can you see how excited I am about the work and the possibilities it offers? Wow! The class starts each year in June and is affordable, with a sliding scale of $48.00 to $96.00. There are monthly webinars, practice classes, and online support. To learn more, go to: www.compassioncourse.org 

Janet Evergreen is my primary teacher in the polyvagal trauma work. She is a wise elder, steeped in the heart of this modality and related teachings, and brings a compassionate presence to her sessions and teachings. Taking Janet’s classes in the Poly Vagal modality is a wonderful way to learn and experience this beautiful body of work. Janet lives in Charlottesville, Virginia, and is offering classes in person and on Zoom. You can find her at:

www.janetevergreen.com