An Introduction to Mindfulness and Meditation for Older Adults
A path to living life with greater ease
My overarching objective is to help older adults live in greater ease and peace with whatever arises in daily life by offering mindfulness and meditation classes.
After studying and practicing meditation for over 20 years with preeminent teachers and taking a two-year training program, I became certified as a teacher of mindfulness and meditation. In offering classes, I discovered that I LOVE to teach, especially older adults like me. We start from a place of shared experience, enriching our connection from the outset.
The four-session class provides an understanding of and experience with basic mindfulness and meditation practices whether you’re new to mindfulness and meditation or would like a refresher. The topics are relevant to daily living and the content is both practical and thought-provoking.
Mindfulness and Meditation have given me a supportive framework to live my life by. I would love to do the same for you.
“Your warmth and enthusiasm for the subject matter came through, along with your desire to help each participant understand the material.”
—Barbara K.
Sessions/Registration
The session topics offer ways to think about yourself and to approach your life positively, with a focus on concerns that arise later in life.
There’s no pressure, no requirement to “get it right.” Applying the teachings to your life is the practice. The results? An enhanced ability to approach life’s ups and downs with less reactivity and greater spaciousness, ease, and resilience.
As wise teacher, scientist, and author Jon Kabat-Zinn states, “When unattended our thinking runs our lives without our even knowing it. Attended with mindful awareness, we have a chance not only to know ourselves better and what is on our minds, but also to hold our thoughts differently, so they no longer rule our lives. In this way we can taste some very real moments of freedom.”
Sample Topics & Format
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Characteristics of Mindfulness and Meditation including the breath and other anchors.
The background and benefits of mindfulness and meditation
How awareness of what’s happening in the here and now can be beneficial in our lives
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The significant connection between our thoughts and our emotions
How changing our attitude toward our thoughts can help quiet the mind, open our heart, and enable us to experience greater ease and well-being
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The body is a natural home for mindfulness when we learn to pay attention to it
How “listening to our body” can improve our health and the quality of our lives
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The meaning, differences, and similarities of compassion and lovingkindness
How compassion arises out of awareness of suffering, our own or others, and manifests lovingkindness in response to suffering
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The importance of forgiving ourselves and others
How to let go of our stories when we blame ourselves and others.
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The “I have” quality of gratitude as opposed to “I don’t have” and “enough” instead of “not enough”
How gratitude can sustain us in our lives and give rise to generosity and joy
The format of each session will generally consist of:
A brief check-in
A talk on the session’s topic
A guided meditation
Reflections
A closing meditation or poem or anecdote
Reference material will be provided after each session.
Because the sessions build on each other, there is an expectation that participants attend every session and stay for the whole session.
If you have questions about the class, please complete the Contact Form at the bottom of the website.
“You were very present, connected, and responsive—In tune with how the class was responding and made sure all who wanted to comment were included.”
—Marti E.
Dates/Times
2024 sessions and retreats TBD (each session will be 45 mins.)
All sessions are held on Zoom
Once I post the new class and retreat schedule, please use the registration form below. I will send my address to you once you’ve registered.
Dana
In lieu of charging a fee for my classes and retreats, I am following the practice of Dana, a Buddhist term that means generosity or “giving freely.” As a Mindfulness & Meditation teacher, one of my deepest aspirations is to teach those who are interested, regardless of ability to pay, in ways to incorporate the benefits of these lessons into their lives. Dana allows attendees to choose an amount that reflects their appreciation for what I offer and their financial situation.
Because some find a guideline helpful in this regard, the suggested donation for the four week class is $136., but the amount you choose is up to you.
The class is limited to about 15 participants. Early registration is encouraged.
Registration Form
Please include in the Message box, any prior experience with mindfulness & meditation. You might also include what you hope to get from the class.
“I was very happy with the program you presented. Many thanks for giving me this opportunity to stretch my mind, reflect and get in touch with my inner world.”
—Patti A.
About Isabelle
Learning about mindfulness and meditation practices
has been a gift in my life.
I’ve been studying and practicing meditation since 2001 with Tara Brach, founder of the Insight Meditation Community of Washington (IMCW), and have taken numerous workshops and retreats. One of the earliest week-long retreats I attended was led by the late, venerable Thich Nhat Hanh.
In addition to Tara Brach, my mentors have included authors and teachers Sebene Selassie, Hugh Byrne, and Jonathan Foust whose Year of Living Mindfully program I completed. I also completed an 8 week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program led by Hugh Byrne and Rebecca Hines.
I graduated from the two-year Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program led by internationally renowned senior teachers and authors, Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield.
My interest in serving older adults is long standing. Following a career in the federal government, I was a volunteer advocate for older adults, serving on Montgomery County MD’s Commission on Aging for six years, one year as Chair of the Commission. I co-founded my neighborhood “Village,” a grassroots intergenerational organization where neighbors provide free non-emergency assistance and social/educational/cultural activities for neighbors. I also co-founded the Diversity and Impact Committees of the DC metro area chapter of a national women’s organization, The Transition Network, whose membership is composed of women 50 years plus.
I have a deep appreciation for mindfulness and meditation teachings and their usefulness in aging which I want to share with you, so you can live with greater peace and ease. No matter what comes up in life, personal or societal, the teachings guide us to live in mindful awareness instead of reactivity—a deeply effective and valuable practice in our chaotic world!
“I am sorry the sessions ended. I will recommend the class to my friends.”
—Renee W.
