The more I learn about neurodivergence, the more people I meet who seem to fall within this category. Perhaps like attracts like.
Are you:
Creative
Hypersensitive to stimuli – light, sound, specific foods, touch, whether from others or from fabrics on your skin, scents…
Finding yourself on a different sleep schedule than the average person
Seeing yourself as atypical or “out of the box”
Diagnosed as neurodivergent in one or more of the following areas: ADHD, ADD, OCD, ASD
High anxiety
One who experiences that traditional gender roles don’t fit who you are
Experiencing high stress from the last two years in Jewish/United States/world events
Feeling fear or grief over growing climate issues
This course is designed with you in mind.
In the last year I have been guided to two books that have changed my life: Divergent Mind and Unmasking Autism. They have opened me up to understand patterns from my early childhood – all the way back to before I could walk. What is unfolding is an embracing of myself as a highly sensitive person who has had little guidance or support in understanding how to navigate a world that runs by a standard that does not make space for my way of processing and understanding.
Some of us…
express neurodivergence or increased sensitivity from our genetic code or due to ancestral trauma we carry. Some of us have experienced trauma in this life – emotional or physical – that has required a shift in the way we process and understand reality. Some of us are encountering increased sensitivity more recently as a result of the war in Israel-Gaza, rising anti-Semitism, divisiveness in our country and/or the increasing impacts of global warming. Regardless of where you fit in this continuum, Mindfulness Practice for Highly Sensitive / Neurodivergent People will address you where you are right now, and offer you tools to balance yourself and navigate your life with the added bonus of being in community with other highly sensitive individuals.
The Curriculum: Mindfulness Through the Chakras
In my eleven years as a meditator and ten years as a teacher of mindfulness and meditation, I have learned that people find different ways of accessing center. For some it is the breath. It is not uncommon that those who’ve been traumatized or feel highly sensitive may not find the breath a calming focus. For these individuals, another anchor may be needed to find balance.
In the 1980s I had the wonderful opportunity to study the chakras – energy centers in the body that are prominent in the ancient yogic and Hindu traditions. The chakras correspond to nerve plexes in our bodies, and affect our physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. With another highly sensitive facilitator, I co-designed a workshop using these energy centers for healing.
Mindfulness Practice for Highly Sensitive / Neurodivergent People will be an exploration into each of the seven chakras, creating a variety of entry points into balancing ourselves in mindfulness practice as well as in our lives.
We’ll explore:
The Root Chakra, or Muladhara
The Sacral Chakra, or Swadisthana
The Solar Plexus Chakra, or Manipura
The Heart Chakra, or Anihata
The Throat Chakra, or Vishuddha
The Third Eye Chakra, or Ajna
The Crown Chakra, or Sahasrara
Each chakra is associated with specific energies, colors, scents, sounds and tastes. The power of this for mindfulness practice is that you will have facility with a number of anchors that you can access for balance, healing, well being and growth. For example, if you are feeling ungrounded, a practice with the root chakra may bring you to center. If you are feeling a lack of clarity, connecting with your solar plexus chakra can bring you balance. Upon completion of this course you will have seven entry points from which to design mindfulness practice that suits your needs and sensitivities.
Registration
Dates/Times: Wednesdays, 6:00-7:15 PM Eastern, Jan 21, 28, Feb 11, 18, 25, Mar 4, 11
Fee: Choose from: $99 $126 $144
Zoom sessions will be recorded for easy reference.
New: Optional One-On-One Support
If you would like additional support in this course, you may register for a 45-minute session with me to talk about the specifics of your sensitivities and get guidance for your unique life journey.
Reduced Spiritual Direction Fee: $60.