Practices and Offerings
Engaged Mindfulness
“Engaged Buddhism is the kind of wisdom that responds to anything that happens in the here and the now — global warming, climate change, the destruction of the ecosystem, the lack of communication, war, conflict, suicide, divorce.”
- Thich Nhat Hanh, Dharma Talk: History of Engaged Budhism, The Mindfulness Bell, Parrallax Press here, Oct 2008.
what is engaged mindfulness?
Engaged Mindfulness comes from the definition of Engaged Buddhism offered above by Thich Nhat Hanh, a well-known Vietnamese monk who brought mindfulness into peacemaking, activism, and social justice. Read more about Thich Nhat Hanh here.
To us at The Being Human Foundation, Engaged Mindfulness is the way to bring about re-worlding; we bring mindfulness and community together, inviting us to contribute to community and thereby, re-worlding, at the same time. Together.
When you practice in our Engaged Mindfulness offerings, we invite you to bring your practice into community — either through your own initiatives, or by supporting others!
how it works
1) Join our Engaged Mindfulness Offerings.
We offer both regular sessions, drop-in sessions, and programs/intensives below.
Practices may leverage mindfulness (rooted in Engaged Buddhism), somatics, yoga, and breathwork.
We offer for individuals and families.
2) Donate to practice.
All practices and offerings are by donation.
All donations are pooled into our Re-Worlding Community Fund.
Please be welcome to note: Donations are NOT mandatory or required to practice in our community.
3) Engage in YOUR Community.
Get involved in your community, through advocacy, social justice, policy reform, donations, or volunteering! The sky is the limit!
If you discover a need in your communities, apply for funding from our Re-Worlding Community Fund!
Please be welcome to note:
All Community Initiatives must align with our Re-Worlding Themes here.
We do not fund events/conferences, political causes, or organizations.
We only support individual applications running their own community project.
4) Vote!
If you’re not launching your own initiative, vote on the projects of your fellow mindfulness practitioners are launching in their communities!
Please be welcome to note: you do not need to donate in order to vote! Even if you are practicing with us, you are still invited to vote and support your fellow mindfulness practitioners!
our offerings
DROP-IN: MINDFULNESS FOR HUMANTIY
A DROP-IN weekly mindfulness practice to enhancing connection to humanity. For individuals and families.
Practices: Mindfulness, meditation
Start Date: Ongoing/Open Enrolment
When: Sundays at 11am to 12pm EST (Bell rings every 15 minutes for early exit)
Where: Online | Virtual
Recommended Donation (if possible): $20-25 per session
Be welcome to practice with us if donation is not in your means.
INTENSIVE:
Mindful Living and Gathas
Mindful Living and Gathas
A 4-week intensive exploring gathas (“mindfulness verses”) that promote healing, transformation, and community engagement.
Practices: Mindfulness, Gathas, Journal
Start Date: COMING SOON!
Length: 4 weeks
When: Sundays 2-4pm EST *2 HOURS*
Where: Online | Virtual
Recommended Donation (if possible): $175 for 4 weeks
Please be welcome to practice with us if donation is not in your means.
INTENSIVE:Engaged Mindfulness for Families
A 4-week intensive for families interested in incorporating Engaged Mindfulness practices into their lives. Best for individuals who are new to Engaged Mindfulness.
Practices: Engaged mindfulness activities
Dates: COMING SOON!
Length: 4 weeks
When: Wednesdays at 7-8pm EST
Where: Online | Virtual
Recommended Donation (if possible): $125 (4 hours)
Please be welcome to practice with us if donation is not in your means.
DROP-IN: Engaged Mindfulness for Families
A drop-in biweekly practice for families who have taken our INTENSIVE and seeking accountable for their continued commitment. Each week, we explore a new practice.
Practices: Engaged mindfulness activities
Start Date: COMING SOON!
When: Wednesdays at 6-7pm EST
Where: Online | Virtual
Recommended Donation (if possible): $30-35 per session
Please be welcome to practice with us if donation is not in your means.
INTENSIVE: A Space to Breathe for Climate Activists
A 6-week intensive for climate activists and movers. Engage in mindfulness for restorative purposes and to deepen your connection to Earth.
Practices: Mindfulness, yoga, breathwork
Start Date: COMING SOON!
Length: 6 weeks
When: Wednesdays at 8-9pm EST
Location: Online | Virtual
Recommended Donation (if possible): $150 for 6 weeks
Be welcome to practice with us if donation is not in your means.
INTENSIVE: A Space to Breathe from Colonial Violence
A 6-week intensive for anyone, especially activists, impacted by colonial violence globally, including Palestine, Sudan, Syria, and Congo.
Practices: Mindfulness, yoga, breathwork.
Start Date: COMING SOON!
Length: 6 weeks
When: Thursdays at 8-9pm EST
Where: Online | Virtual
Recommended Donation (if possible): $150 for 6 weeks
Be welcome to practice with us if donation is not in your means.
INTENSIVE: Intro to Engaged Mindfulness
A 4-week introductory level intensive for individuals interested in learning about Engaged (Eng.) Mindfulness and incorporating into your life. Best for anyone new to Engaged Mindfulness.
Practice: Eng. mindfulness + historical context
Start Date: COMING SOON!
Length: 4 weeks
When: Tuesdays 7-8pm EST
Where: Online | Virtual
Recommended Donation (if possible): $125
Please be welcome to practice with us if donation is not in your means.
INTENSIVE:
The Art of Forgiveness & Letting Go
The Art of Forgiveness & Letting Go
A 6-week intensive using mindfulness techniques to safely explore inner suffering that no longer serves you and equips you to move it through the body.
Practices: Mindfulness, breathwork, journalling
Start Date: COMING SOON!
Length: 6 weeks
When: Mondays at 8-9pm EST
Where: Online | Virtual
Recommended Donation (if possible): $150 for 6 weeks
Be welcome to practice with us if donation is not in your means.
Your Instructor: Vanessa Ferlaino
Vanessa Ferlaino holds a 200-hr Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification, professional designation (CMT-P), from The Lab of Meditation, recognized by The International Mindfulness Teacher's Association. This training is grounded in Buddhism and specialized in trauma-informed offerings and social justice. Vanessa has also received somatics training by completing Staci Haines' “Politics of Trauma” course, focused on social justice and building collective soma. As founder of The Being Human Foundation, she leads all of our offerings, as a way to give back to community and co-create community with all of us.
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Q: What is the connection between your Engaged Mindfulness offerings and The Re-Worlding Community Fund?
A: Our Engaged Mindfulness offerings are open to anyone interested in applying mindfulness practices to community work. Our offerings may also integrate yoga, breathwork, somatics, and other complimentary mindfulness techniques. You have the opportunity to donate to practice with us, if within your means.
All donations from our practices go to our Re-Worlding Community Fund, which supports individuals practicing Engaged Mindfulness in our offerings in starting their own Community Project, as long as it aligns with 1 of our 5 Re-Worlding Themes. Therefore, whether you donate to practice in our Engaged Mindfulness offerings, you are still contributing to community and participating in our Re-Worlding Community Fund.
Q: Can I still participate practice in your Engaged Mindfulness offerings even if I don’t donate?
A: Y E S !!!!! Yes, of course. Our practices are open to anyone who would like to participate. We do not want to limit anyone from practicing with us. You can even vote for community projects of your fellow Engaged Mindfulness practitioners if you’d like the Re-Worlding Community Fund to support them!
Q: Are all ages welcome?
A: Yes, anyone over age 13 is able to join our mindfulness practices. If you are under age 13, we invite you to join us with a parent/guardian through our family offerings. For youth already engaged in our programs, we uphold to online safety for youth and our community guidelines; we invite youth to connect with us at namaste@thebeinghumanfoundation.org if there are are any questions, comments, concerns, feedback, or interactions within our community that we need to know about or impact your continued interest in our offerings and practices.
Q: What if an INTENSIVE offering has already begun? Can I still participate?
A: Yes! As our practices are offered by donation, be welcome to join us if an offering is underway! Just donate what you have believe the rest of the offering is worth, or pro-rate it based on how many weeks have gone by. We're honured to advise on this as well, just be welcome to get in touch with us at namaste@thebeinghumanfoundation.org. We are inclusive in all meanings of the word, including opening offerings up to people even if they've already started!
Q: What if an INTENSIVE offering has already begun? Can I still participate?
A: Yes! As our practices are offered by donation, be welcome to join us if an offering is underway! Just donate what you have believe the rest of the offering is worth, or pro-rate it based on how many weeks have gone by. We're honured to advise on this as well, just be welcome to get in touch with us at namaste@thebeinghumanfoundation.org. We are inclusive in all meanings of the word, including opening offerings up to people even if they've already started!
bring diversity & culture to our instruction
Want to help us celebrate diversity in our Instructor Facilitators?
DONATE to our Cultural Facilitator Fund to bring diverse instructors to our offerings, who are diverse in ethnicities but also in practices! This is a very important part of our offerings, ensuring we bring quality and truth to our practices.
Resources
Want to learn more about Engaged Mindfulness?
Check out our resources here:
Plum Village: Mindfulness and Engaged Buddhism articles
The Plum Village App: Offers many mindfulness and engaged mindfulness practices for adults and adults
The Lion’s Roar: The Fourteen Precepts of Engaged Buddhism article
Harvard University: Buddhism and Social Action: Engaged Buddhism article
Socially Engaged Buddhism: Book by Sallie B. King here
Mountain Rain Zen Community: Engaged Buddhist Practices here
Don’t forget to learn about how we put Engaged Mindfulness into practice in communities, especially for youth, below!
be invited to connect with us
namaste@thebeinghumanfoundation.org
6111 S Gramercy Place Suite 4A
Los Angeles CA 90047
Sault Ste Marie, ON, Canada
We humbly acknowledge that we occupy land originally and still inhabited and cared for by the Tongva, Tataviam, Serrano, Kizh, and Chumash Peoples; and that we are also located on Robinson-Huron Treaty territory, the traditional lands of the Anishnaabeg, specifically Garden River First Nation and Batchewana First Nation, as well as the Métis People. We acknowledge, honour, and offer deep gratitude and reverence to the people, plant, animal, and land spirits who knew this land we call home long before us, and who will continue to long after. May we be further invited to extend our land acknowledgements into land engagements; may we find ways to support and restore these lands through responsible citizenship, partnership, and advocacy, including the support of landback motions.
