Members and non-members are invited to join the FCM community in selfless service and work meditation Saturday, February 1 by participating in this Saturday's workday!

We will begin the day together meeting under the pergola located between the Education Building and Great Cloud in preparation for our mindful work, with an orientation by work day leaders. There will be both indoor and outdoor tasks in need of our joyful attention. Please wear old clothes, sturdy closed-toe shoes and bring work gloves if you have them. Snacks and water will be provided.

We encourage everyone to experience the richness of practicing together, in-person on our campus. Our safety protocols are based on CDC recommendations. Please familiarize yourself with our FCM Health Protocols.

With metta,

Bill

Join Hogen Bays in person or online for an engaging talk on the topic of Liberation through Karma. For those joining online, we’ll be on the Sangha Line, with links as follows:

• Video Link https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3296243465?pwd=bUo1aFVQblhhbUFpZmZTci9EK0daZz09
• Dial-In # 1-646-558-8656
• Meeting ID# 329-624-3465
• If needed the Passcode is metta

Join Chozen Bays in person or online for an engaging talk on the topic of Aligning with the Truth of Impermanence. For those joining online, we’ll be on the Sangha Line, with links as follows:

• Video Link https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3296243465?pwd=bUo1aFVQblhhbUFpZmZTci9EK0daZz09
• Dial-In # 1-646-558-8656
• Meeting ID# 329-624-3465
• If needed the Passcode is metta

with Roshis Chozen and Hogen Bays

Cultivating a truly quiet mind is a main prerequisite or Dharma gate for transformative or awakening insight experiences. In giving instructions for meditation, the Japanese Zen master Dogen wrote: “Think about non-thinking. How to think about non-thinking? Non-thinking.”

What is one to make of this injunction? How can one understand and practice with these instructions? In this four-day silent retreat, drawing upon their many decades of Zen practice and teaching, Roshis Chozen and Hogen Bays will share practical and effective methods for quieting our busy minds in order to cultivate a mind of calm alertness, both on and off the cushion.

A silent Zen meditation retreat can be rigorous and, at times, challenging for some, and is not recommended for beginners. In order to attend in person, it is recommended that you have first attended one of our silent weekend or longer retreats or a four-to-seven day silent retreat at another Buddhist Center.

Registration will close on December 31.

Retreat Logistics

This retreat is in-person only participation at FCM ’s Tampa Center. The retreat will begin with orientation at 5:00 pm on Wednesday, February 5 and ends after lunch on Sunday, February 9. Participation is open to both FCM members and non-members.

The fee for in-person participation is $360 for overnighters and $280 for commuters, with a $50 deposit required to apply. 

If you are not familiar with our campus, you may enjoy this short video tour.

Please note: 

Retreat Scholarships are available; please click here to see FCM’s Retreat Scholarship Policy and for an Application, which needs to be submitted prior to the registration deadline for this retreat.

The Bay’s teachings will be offered in the Buddhist tradition of Dana, wherein the teachers freely give of themselves to the students out of gratitude for what they ’ve received from their teachers and a desire to be of service. As their teachings are offered freely, the student ’s response should also be based on Dana, i.e. generosity that naturally flows from a sense of appreciation of the value of Dharma and gratitude to the living lineage. All dana collected at the end of retreat will go towards supporting the retreat teachers.

The retreat registrar will be sending additional information to accepted registrants once registration is closed.

Retreat Leaders

Roshi Chozen Bays has been the teacher for Zen Community of Oregon since 1985. In 2002 she helped to found Great Vow Zen Monastery and is co-abbot. In 2011 she also helped found Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple in Portland, Oregon. She has written books on mindfulness and mindful eating, and written articles published in Buddhadharma and Shambhala Sun.

Roshi Hogen Bays began practicing Zen in 1968 with Philip Kapleau, Roshi doing residential training at Zen Center of Rochester and eventually at Zen Center of Los Angeles with Taizan Maezumi Roshi. He continued his Zen studies with Shodo Harada Roshi in Japan and on Whidbey Island from 1990 – 2015. He ’s a psychologist and Naturopathic Doctor (ND). He is co-abbot of Great Vow Zen Monastery.

Questions?
For more information, please contact Angie at parrish26@gmail.com.

Please note: FCM Members can access the Death Cafe web page and the Zoom links by clicking here.

At FCM we celebrate the full moon each month with an evening devoted to meditations that help us develop and cultivate the mind of kindness, friendship and compassion towards all beings. During the guided meditation, we will practice embracing ourselves and others with thoughts of unconditional kindness, compassion, and support, and then to extend those feelings with well wishes for peace, happiness and an end to suffering for everyone in the world.

It has long been part of Buddhist tradition to honor and celebrate the arrival of the full moon. Legend has it that Shakyamuni Buddha was born under a full moon, arrived at his enlightenment under a full moon, and passed into paranirvana under a full moon. In Zen the full moon reminds us of our Buddha nature or our essential wholeness and completeness.

Our Full Moon Loving Kindness and Compassion evening will be from 7:30 – 8:45 pm. The evening will include guided loving kindness and compassion meditations, a short talk, and recitation of the Metta (Lovingkindness) Sutra and/or other music and altruistic readings. 

We encourage everyone in the Tampa Bay vicinity to experience the richness of practicing together, in-person in our Meditation Hall. There is no need to register ahead of time. Please familiarize yourself with our FCM Health Protocols and plan to arrive by 7:15 pm.

 

If joining us online, the link to Zoom is below. The event is suitable for both beginners and experienced meditators. There is no formal advance registration; simply join us online on the Sangha Line shortly before 7:30 pm. 

Zoom Links for FCM Sangha Line
Video Link https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3296243465?pwd=bUo1aFVQblhhbUFpZmZTci9EK0daZz09

Dial-In # 1-646-558-8656
Meeting ID# 329 624 3465

Dates

Class is Feb 16, 12:30 to 2:00 pm, in person only in Tampa Meditation Hall
Ceremony is March 23, 9:30 to 11:30 am, in person only in Tampa Meditation Hall
Registration Deadline:  February 9
Suitability

FCM members who are interested in learning more about making a formal commitment to follow the Buddhist path of practice.

Description

Since the time of the Buddha, people have expressed their commitment to follow the Buddhist path of practice by taking refuge in the Three Jewels and by receiving transmission of the five Buddhist Precepts or Trainings. Our teacher, Fred, was formally authorized by Thich Nhat Hanh to transmit the Refuges and Trainings.

Fred will be conducting a Transmission Ceremony at the Tampa Practice Center on Sunday morning, March 23, for any FCM members, including teenagers 13 years and older, who wish to formally Take Refuge and receive the Five Mindfulness Trainings. He will also be transmitting the Two Promises for younger children. As Fred believes this is an important step in one’s spiritual development, you must be present in person at the Center in order to take Transmission.

Taking Refuge

Taking Refuge means to take refuge in the Three Jewels—the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. By taking refuge we express our trust in our own capacity to awaken, in the path of practice and mindful living, and in the sangha community to provide a refuge of safety, guidance, and support.

In the Thich Nhat Hanh tradition, this is expressed as:

I take refuge in the Buddha, the one who shows me the way in this life.

I take refuge in the Dharma, the path of understanding and love.

I take refuge in the Sangha, the community that lives in harmony and awareness.

Further information on Taking Refuge can be found on the FCM website under Formally Entering the Path.

The Five Mindfulness Trainings or Precepts

Thich Nhat Hanh has formulated the traditional five Buddhist precepts as The Five Mindfulness Trainings. They provide the basis for living in ways that create happiness and relieve suffering for ourselves and for others. They are not authoritative rules imposed from the outside but rather guidelines for reflecting on our own actions and their consequences in order to live a more consciously aware life. The Five Mindfulness Trainings can be found on the FCM website under Resources.

The Two Promises for Children
The Two Promises are the mindfulness trainings developed by Thich Nhat Hanh for children. Children of FCM members who are in elementary school (grades 1-5) and middle school (grades 6-8) are eligible to receive Transmission of the Two Promises on March 23. If you are interested please contact Karuna by February 7 at Karunaee@gmail.com. The preparation session for Transmission of the Two Promises will take place during the Family Program, and on zoom, if needed. You will find the Two Promises under the Family and Teen Program on our website.

The preparatory class will provide further explanation of the Three Refuges and the Five Mindfulness Trainings, explore ways they can be manifested in our daily lives and offer opportunities for questions and answers. Registering and attending the class does not obligate you to Take Refuge or Transmission.  You are welcome to attend if you are just interested in learning more about these two practices and traditions that are integral to the Buddhist path.

Fees

There is no fee for this class or Ceremony.

Registration Notes

You must register and attend one of the two classes in order to participate in the Transmission Ceremony on March 23.

The ceremony on March 23 will be the only time the Transmission Ceremony will be offered. To receive transmission, you must be present in person at the Tampa Practice Center or on zoom for the ceremony.

Teenagers 13 and older who are children of FCM members are eligible to take the Five Mindfulness Trainings at the same time as the adults. Parents, pleaser register for one of the preparatory classes and put your teen’s name and age in the indicated box in the registration form.

Contacts for More Information

If you have any questions about this Intensive program or whether it is appropriate for you, please contact Diane Powell at diane.powell2010@gmail.com.

Dates

Class is Feb 17, 6:00 to 7:30 pm, online only on Zoom
Ceremony is March 23, 9:30 to 11:30 am, in person only in Tampa Meditation Hall
Registration Deadline:  February 9
Suitability

FCM members who are interested in learning more about making a formal commitment to follow the Buddhist path of practice.

Description

Since the time of the Buddha, people have expressed their commitment to follow the Buddhist path of practice by taking refuge in the Three Jewels and by receiving transmission of the five Buddhist Precepts or Trainings. Our teacher, Fred, was formally authorized by Thich Nhat Hanh to transmit the Refuges and Trainings.

Fred will be conducting a Transmission Ceremony at the Tampa Practice Center on Sunday morning, March 23, for any FCM members, including teenagers 13 years and older, who wish to formally Take Refuge and receive the Five Mindfulness Trainings. He will also be transmitting the Two Promises for younger children. As Fred believes this is an important step in one’s spiritual development, you must be present in person at the Center in order to take Transmission.

Taking Refuge

Taking Refuge means to take refuge in the Three Jewels—the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. By taking refuge we express our trust in our own capacity to awaken, in the path of practice and mindful living, and in the sangha community to provide a refuge of safety, guidance, and support.

In the Thich Nhat Hanh tradition, this is expressed as:

I take refuge in the Buddha, the one who shows me the way in this life.

I take refuge in the Dharma, the path of understanding and love.

I take refuge in the Sangha, the community that lives in harmony and awareness.

Further information on Taking Refuge can be found on the FCM website under Formally Entering the Path.

The Five Mindfulness Trainings or Precepts

Thich Nhat Hanh has formulated the traditional five Buddhist precepts as The Five Mindfulness Trainings. They provide the basis for living in ways that create happiness and relieve suffering for ourselves and for others. They are not authoritative rules imposed from the outside but rather guidelines for reflecting on our own actions and their consequences in order to live a more consciously aware life. The Five Mindfulness Trainings can be found on the FCM website under Resources.

The Two Promises for Children
The Two Promises are the mindfulness trainings developed by Thich Nhat Hanh for children. Children of FCM members who are in elementary school (grades 1-5) and middle school (grades 6-8) are eligible to receive Transmission of the Two Promises on March 23. If you are interested please contact Karuna by February 7 at Karunaee@gmail.com. The preparation session for Transmission of the Two Promises will take place during the Family Program, and on zoom, if needed. You will find the Two Promises under the Family and Teen Program on our website.

The preparatory class will provide further explanation of the Three Refuges and the Five Mindfulness Trainings, explore ways they can be manifested in our daily lives and offer opportunities for questions and answers. Registering and attending the class does not obligate you to Take Refuge or Transmission.  You are welcome to attend if you are just interested in learning more about these two practices and traditions that are integral to the Buddhist path.

Fees

There is no fee for this class or Ceremony.

Registration Notes

You must register and attend one of the two classes in order to participate in the Transmission Ceremony on March 23.

The ceremony on March 23 will be the only time the Transmission Ceremony will be offered. To receive transmission, you must be present in person at the Tampa Practice Center or on zoom for the ceremony.

Teenagers 13 and older who are children of FCM members are eligible to take the Five Mindfulness Trainings at the same time as the adults. Parents, pleaser register for one of the preparatory classes and put your teen’s name and age in the indicated box in the registration form.

Contacts for More Information

If you have any questions about this Intensive program or whether it is appropriate for you, please contact Diane Powell at diane.powell2010@gmail.com.

FCM's Days of Mindfulness are offered both In-Person at the Tampa Practice Center and Online. Whether you are a new or experienced meditator, our Days of Mindfulness are an opportunity to support and deepen the practice of mindfulness and meditation, and nourish the seeds of well being, inner peace and openness in our lives.

 

The day will be a chance for all of us to put down the busyness of our lives and to relax, refresh, and renew with the healing energy of mindfulness. The day is an opportunity to experiment with letting go of our stories and dramas about our lives and the world. Instead we will practice simply be present to, and nourished by, our actual experience in the present moment. The theme of this Day of Mindfulness with Fred will be Emotional Healing and Transformation.

We encourage everyone in the Tampa Bay vicinity to experience the richness of practicing together, in-person in our Meditation Hall. Please familiarize yourself with our FCM Health Protocols and plan to arrive by 8:30 am. Please bring your own vegetarian lunch. Water and tea will be provided.

If joining us online, the link to Zoom information will be provided once you register. We provide guidance to help you make the experience at home as close as possible to an experience in the Meditation Hall.

When you register indicate your choice of participation In-Person or Online.  While there is no fee for participation, the traditional practice of Dana (generosity) is appreciated. Please register to receive important information about your In-Person or Online Zoom attendance.  

If you have any questions please contact Rita Cathey at ritaanna727@gmail.com.

February 24 – May 19, 2025

We are starting our winter/spring session for the Dharma Buddies Program February 24 - May 19. FCM members have found this program a great support system for keeping their aspirations at the forefront in their minds. Dharma Buddies are asked to share their aspirations. and then determine daily how they will practice putting them into their lives. Each buddy sends a daily intention or plan via text or email of how they will support their aspiration that day. Buddies support each other by being present to read and respond to the written intention with a short response, perhaps just a thumbs up.   

An aspiration is a core heartfelt wish of how we want to live our lives. It is our north star, the underlying force that guides us to do what we do. An aspiration brings clarity and that helps us make decisions that bring us a happier life. We want to look deeply into our hearts to find our aspiration. Take time to reflect on your aspiration. An example of an aspiration is to be more mindful and aware in my daily life.

Daily intentions water our aspiration. Visualize how your specific intention will materialize in your life each day. You want to decide where, when and how you will practice your intention. An intention to water an aspiration to be more mindful might be – During our family gathering today, I will be patient with the youngest attention seeking grandchild and respond with a calm understanding voice. Practicing your intention even for a short time each day is powerful. As your practice of intentions deepens, you will find yourself being aware of it in your thoughts, speech and actions more frequently. Remember intentions may change daily based on what is happening in your life but your aspiration stays constant.

Dharma Buddy Commitments:

You may request a specific buddy but if you are in an intensive class, please select someone in your intensive. When asking for a specific buddy, both buddies must send an email to Evie at evelynhaseman@gmail.com.

If you are registered for the 5-week class, Grounding and Nourishing the Mind, you will automatically be paired with a buddy in this class. You DO NOT need to register separately for the Dharma Buddies program if you are registered for this class. 

Please note that participation in the Dharma Buddies Program is open only to FCM members. There is no fee for this opportunity to “buddy up”. Registration will be open until February 14. 

If you have any questions, contact Evie Haseman evelynhaseman@gmail.com.

Members and non-members are invited to join the FCM community in selfless service and work meditation Saturday, March 1 by participating in this Saturday's workday!

We will begin the day together meeting under the pergola located between the Education Building and Great Cloud in preparation for our mindful work, with an orientation by work day leaders. There will be both indoor and outdoor tasks in need of our joyful attention. Please wear old clothes, sturdy closed-toe shoes and bring work gloves if you have them. Snacks and water will be provided.

We encourage everyone to experience the richness of practicing together, in-person on our campus. Our safety protocols are based on CDC recommendations. Please familiarize yourself with our FCM Health Protocols.

With metta,

Bill

Please join us in Naples for a Forum for FCM members and nonmembers on Saturday, March 1 from 9:00 am  – 4:00 pm at Unity of Naples, 2000 Unity Way, Naples FL 34112. 

Whether you are a new or experienced meditator, the event is an opportunity to support and deepen the practice of mindfulness and meditation, and to nourish the seeds of well being, inner peace and happiness in our lives.

The morning will include sitting and walking meditation, mindful movements and song. This will be a chance for all of us to put down the busyness of our lives and to relax, refresh, and renew with the healing energy of mindfulness. The day is an opportunity to experiment with letting go of our stories and dramas about our lives and the world. Instead we will practice simply be present to, and nourished by, our actual experience in the present moment.

The Forum will be held in-person only.

Please familiarize yourself with our FCM Health Protocols and plan to arrive between 8:30 and 8:45 am.

There is a $10.00 fee to cover the rental cost of the facility.

If you have any questions please contact Brandy Kidd (brandymkidd@gmail.com) or John McHarris (jmcharris2@gmail.com).

Please note: FCM Members can access the Death Cafe web page and the Zoom links by clicking here.

with Angie Parrish and David Braasch

The Brahmaviharas, also known as the Four Immeasurables, are four natural, beautiful qualities of heart that - when touched more deeply - open us to experiencing our interconnection with all of life: ourselves, others, and the world around us. These qualities, which include loving kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity, are naturally present in our minds but are often covered over by fear and other emotions that cause us to wall off our hearts. 

Our weekend retreat will focus on practices that will help us to rediscover these beautiful qualities, weaving together teachings on loving kindness with qigong, aligning body, breath, and movement with a loving and open heart. Using guided practices to bring mindfulness of body, heart and mind to both movement and stillness, we will explore how to meet life with equanimity, open-heartedness and compassion, and to work skillfully with obstacles that get in our way.

This will be a silent retreat. The silence affords us the opportunity to deepen our meditative experience while absorbing the experiential meaning of the teachings and practices presented.

Who is the retreat for?

This retreat will be beneficial for both newcomers to meditation and more experienced mindfulness practitioners with an interest in living with more ease in the present moment. 

Retreat Logistics

This retreat is in-person only (either staying overnight or as a commuter) participation at FCM’s Tampa Center. The retreat will begin with orientation at 5:00 pm on Friday, March 7 and ends after lunch on Sunday at 4:00 pm, March 9. Participation is open to both FCM members and non-members.

The fee for in-person participation is $180 for overnighters and $140 for commuters.

If you are not familiar with our campus, you may enjoy this short video tour.

Please note: 

• The deadline for application for this retreat will be February 6. Please understand that this application DOES NOT guarantee you a spot in the retreat; all acceptances are subject to approval. 
• We will notify all applicants by February 10 as to whether or not they have been accepted into the retreat. 
• For those accepted, the fee will then be due by February 14, otherwise the spot will be given to another applicant.
• Please click here to read FCM's Retreat Cancellation Policy.

Retreat Scholarships are available; please click here to see FCM’s Retreat Scholarship Policy and for an Application, which needs to be submitted prior to the registration deadline for this retreat.

New to retreating with FCM? Please visit our FAQs page.

The teachings are offered in the Buddhist tradition of Dana, wherein the teachers freely give of themselves to the students out of gratitude for what they’ve received from their teachers and a desire to be of service. The student’s response is also based on Dana, i.e. generosity that naturally flows from a sense of appreciation of the value of Dharma and gratitude to the living lineage. All retreat dana will go towards supporting the retreat teachers.

The retreat registrar will be sending additional information to accepted registrants once registration is closed. 

Retreat Leaders

Angie Parrish has been a student of Buddhism and mindfulness for over 20 years. After a 1999 retreat with Thich Nhat Hanh, she became a student of Fred Eppsteiner's and a member of the Florida Community of Mindfulness. Angie brought the fruits of her experience in mindfulness and meditation into her professional career as an employee benefits consultant for a wide variety of organizations, including many employee training programs.

Angie is a Dharma Instructor with FCM, having been given permission by FCM’s teacher Fred Eppsteiner to share the Buddha’s teachings with the sangha. She is also a Qualified Teacher of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and is a frequent teacher of classes and retreats at FCM.

David Braasch has been a student of mindfulness and meditation at the Florida Community of Mindfulness since 2015, where he has taught Introduction to Mindfulness and Meditation, Buddhism: The Basics, and Mindfulness for Educators. He has been a student of Tai Chi, Aikido, and is a certified Qigong teacher under Holden Qigong of Santa Cruz, CA.

Questions?

For more information, please contact Angie at parrish26@gmail.com

At FCM we celebrate the full moon each month with an evening devoted to meditations that help us develop and cultivate the mind of kindness, friendship and compassion towards all beings. During the guided meditation, we will practice embracing ourselves and others with thoughts of unconditional kindness, compassion, and support, and then to extend those feelings with well wishes for peace, happiness and an end to suffering for everyone in the world.

It has long been part of Buddhist tradition to honor and celebrate the arrival of the full moon. Legend has it that Shakyamuni Buddha was born under a full moon, arrived at his enlightenment under a full moon, and passed into paranirvana under a full moon. In Zen the full moon reminds us of our Buddha nature or our essential wholeness and completeness.

Our Full Moon Loving Kindness and Compassion evening will be from 7:30 – 8:45 pm. The evening will include guided loving kindness and compassion meditations, a short talk, and recitation of the Metta (Lovingkindness) Sutra and/or other music and altruistic readings. 

We encourage everyone in the Tampa Bay vicinity to experience the richness of practicing together, in-person in our Meditation Hall. There is no need to register ahead of time. Please familiarize yourself with our FCM Health Protocols and plan to arrive by 7:15 pm.

 

If joining us online, the link to Zoom is below. The event is suitable for both beginners and experienced meditators. There is no formal advance registration; simply join us online on the Sangha Line shortly before 7:30 pm. 

Zoom Links for FCM Sangha Line
Video Link https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3296243465?pwd=bUo1aFVQblhhbUFpZmZTci9EK0daZz09

Dial-In # 1-646-558-8656
Meeting ID# 329 624 3465

FCM's Days of Mindfulness are offered both In-Person at the Tampa Practice Center and Online. Whether you are a new or experienced meditator, our Days of Mindfulness are an opportunity to support and deepen the practice of mindfulness and meditation, and nourish the seeds of well being, inner peace and openness in our lives.

 

The day will be a chance for all of us to put down the busyness of our lives and to relax, refresh, and renew with the healing energy of mindfulness. The day is an opportunity to experiment with letting go of our stories and dramas about our lives and the world. Instead we will practice simply be present to, and nourished by, our actual experience in the present moment. 

We encourage everyone in the Tampa Bay vicinity to experience the richness of practicing together, in-person in our Meditation Hall. Please familiarize yourself with our FCM Health Protocols and plan to arrive by 8:30 am.

If joining us online, the link to Zoom information will be provided once you register. We provide guidance to help you make the experience at home as close as possible to an experience in the Meditation Hall.

When you register indicate your choice of participation In-Person or Online.  While there is no fee for participation, the traditional practice of Dana (generosity) is appreciated. Please register to receive important information about your In-Person or Online Zoom attendance.  

If you have any questions please contact Rita Cathey at ritaanna727@gmail.com

Members and non-members are invited to join the FCM community in selfless service and work meditation Saturday, March 29 by participating in this Saturday's workday!

We will begin the day together meeting under the pergola located between the Education Building and Great Cloud in preparation for our mindful work, with an orientation by work day leaders. There will be both indoor and outdoor tasks in need of our joyful attention. Please wear old clothes, sturdy closed-toe shoes and bring work gloves if you have them. Snacks and water will be provided.

We encourage everyone to experience the richness of practicing together, in-person on our campus. Our safety protocols are based on CDC recommendations. Please familiarize yourself with our FCM Health Protocols.

With metta,

Bill

Save the date

FCM's Days of Mindfulness are offered both In-Person at the Tampa Practice Center and Online. Whether you are a new or experienced meditator, our Days of Mindfulness are an opportunity to support and deepen the practice of mindfulness and meditation, and nourish the seeds of well being, inner peace and openness in our lives.

 

The day will be a chance for all of us to put down the busyness of our lives and to relax, refresh, and renew with the healing energy of mindfulness. The day is an opportunity to experiment with letting go of our stories and dramas about our lives and the world. Instead we will practice simply be present to, and nourished by, our actual experience in the present moment. The theme of this Day of Mindfulness with Fred will be Emotional Healing and Transformation.

We encourage everyone in the Tampa Bay vicinity to experience the richness of practicing together, in-person in our Meditation Hall. Please familiarize yourself with our FCM Health Protocols and plan to arrive by 8:30 am. Please bring your own vegetarian lunch. Water and tea will be provided.

If joining us online, the link to Zoom information will be provided once you register. We provide guidance to help you make the experience at home as close as possible to an experience in the Meditation Hall.

When you register indicate your choice of participation In-Person or Online.  While there is no fee for participation, the traditional practice of Dana (generosity) is appreciated. Please register to receive important information about your In-Person or Online Zoom attendance.  

If you have any questions please contact Rita Cathey at ritaanna727@gmail.com.

At FCM we celebrate the full moon each month with an evening devoted to meditations that help us develop and cultivate the mind of kindness, friendship and compassion towards all beings. During the guided meditation, we will practice embracing ourselves and others with thoughts of unconditional kindness, compassion, and support, and then to extend those feelings with well wishes for peace, happiness and an end to suffering for everyone in the world.

It has long been part of Buddhist tradition to honor and celebrate the arrival of the full moon. Legend has it that Shakyamuni Buddha was born under a full moon, arrived at his enlightenment under a full moon, and passed into paranirvana under a full moon. In Zen the full moon reminds us of our Buddha nature or our essential wholeness and completeness.

Our Full Moon Loving Kindness and Compassion evening will be from 7:30 – 8:45 pm. The evening will include guided loving kindness and compassion meditations, a short talk, and recitation of the Metta (Lovingkindness) Sutra and/or other music and altruistic readings. 

We encourage everyone in the Tampa Bay vicinity to experience the richness of practicing together, in-person in our Meditation Hall. There is no need to register ahead of time. Please familiarize yourself with our FCM Health Protocols and plan to arrive by 7:15 pm.

 

If joining us online, the link to Zoom is below. The event is suitable for both beginners and experienced meditators. There is no formal advance registration; simply join us online on the Sangha Line shortly before 7:30 pm. 

Zoom Links for FCM Sangha Line
Video Link https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3296243465?pwd=bUo1aFVQblhhbUFpZmZTci9EK0daZz09

Dial-In # 1-646-558-8656
Meeting ID# 329 624 3465

with Fred Eppsteiner (Save the date)

Description

Save the date for this opportunity to study and experience the wisdom of the Buddha's Dharma.

This retreat is appropriate for practitioners who have a regular meditation practice and have cultivated a stable mind through participation in FCM's Mindful Living Path programs or equivalent courses.