An all-star line up of mindfulness teachers and practitioners will gather at the Broad Stage on Nov.15, celebrating birthdays and the mindfulness movement itself. “Living with a Joyful Spirit and Wise Heart” is hosted by, and will benefit, Insight L.A., a Santa Monica-based non-profit organization.
It's a meeting of the mindful, including some of the pioneers of mindfulness and meditation in the U.S., the teachers who brought these practices from Asia in the late 60s and 70s and communicated them to the masses.
They make up some of the top bestselling authors and individuals who have established retreat centers, where people from all walks of life practice in either a secular or Buddhist environment.
Among those sharing their wisdom are Jon Kabat-Zinn who created the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program now used by clinicians and people all over the world; Ram Dass, an influential American spiritual leader whose “Be Here Now” brought mindfulness and meditation into popular culture; and mindfulness practitioner Congressman Tim Ryan, who wrote “A Mindful Nation” and sent it to every member of Congress in hopes of improving their performance in service to the nation.
The day will feature insightful teachings, compelling personal stories, practices and a special celebration honoring the 70th birthdays of Trudy Goodman, who founded Insight LA 13 years ago, and Jack Kornfield, a renowned Buddhist teacher and best-selling author, who have actively shared their knowledge, teachings and practices with the world.
In addition to others still to be announced, confirmed participants include Tara Brach, a clinical psychologist and found founder of the Insight Meditation Community of Washington, who leads professional workshops and retreats, and is the author of “True Refuge” and “Radical Acceptance.”
Also participating is Joseph Goldstein, who's been leading Insight and Loving-Kindness retreats worldwide since 1974. He is co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society where he is one of the organization's guiding teachers, and an author of numerous books.
“Living with a Joyful Spirit and Wise Heart” takes place from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 15 at the Broad Stage, 1310 11th St., Santa Monica. Details and reservations at https://www.insightla.org or call (310) 450-1821.
The original version of this article incorrectly identified Jack Kornfield as the author of “Full Catastrophe Living” and “Wherever You Go, There You Are.” The author of these books is Jon Kabat-Zinn.
