Florida Community of Mindfulness upcoming events

2026 Summer Engaging Life with Wisdom and Compassion: The Study and Practice of Lojong, Part 2 (06 Jul 2026)

Mon, 06 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

With Fred Eppsteiner and assisted by Bryan Hindert and Dani Hall

Dates: July 6 - August 31
Registration Deadline: June 22
Suitability

This Intensive is open to FCM members who participated in the 2026 Winter/Spring Engaging Life with Wisdom and Compassion Part 1 Intensive. Members with previous Lojong experience at FCM may join with Fred’s approval.

Description

This eight-week Dharma Path/Wisdom Path Intensive for this summer continues the yearlong exploration of “The Seven Points of Mind Training,” (Lojong in Tibetan) begun in February 2026. Our aspiration in studying this text is for each of us to learn how to think and act as an altruistic being. We now understand why this is a much loved and deeply venerated text, as its slogans help us apply the full breadth of the Buddha’s Mahayana teachings to daily life.

These mind trainings focus on how an awakening mind can beneficially manifest to give rise to lovingkindness, compassion and understanding in all the activities of our lives. The slogans related to the transformation of adverse situations into becoming the basis for our path of awakening will be the focus the summer Intensive.

Fred with the assistance of Bryan and Dani, will continue to guide participants in understanding the slogans and how to practice them. They will regularly assign specific slogan(s) to work with, which will provide an opportunity for each participant to directly bring the text into the context of their life. The required books are the same as Part 1. Bi-weekly group mentoring video-conference calls on Zoom will provide individual guidance and support. Five Dharma talks will be offered to participants via Zoom and will be recorded.

Commitments

The commitments for this Intensive are listed below. Before registering for the Intensive please read the commitments and reflect carefully on whether you will be able to keep them.

Spend a minimum of one hour daily in formal meditative practice, study, and/or other practices related to this Intensive.
Read Dharma texts assigned for the Intensive
Regularly attend your local Sangha’s weekly meditation and days of mindfulness, as possible.
Participate in your assigned bi-weekly mentoring group (via Zoom)
Be present for bi-weekly Dharma Talks (via Zoom)

Specific readings, group assignments, and Zoom instructions will be announced once registration has been completed.

Fees

The fee for this Intensive is $75. This is a suggested amount and participants are free to offer more or less depending on their individual financial situation - we do not want financial considerations to be a deterrent to participation.

You may pay on-line or send your check made out to the Florida Community of Mindfulness (FCM) to Florida Community of Mindfulness, 6501 N. Nebraska Ave., Tampa, FL 33604.

Registration Procedures

Please read the information below before you click to register.

Mentor Groups

As of now, our offerings for mentor group times remain the same as the first session. If there is a change in the number of registrants, mentor groups may be consolidated. Therefore it is important that you indicate your first, second, third or cannot do, choices as requested on this registration form. Fred, Bryan, and Dani will lead all mentor groups.

Group-1 Tuesday mornings at 7:30 am
Group-2 Tuesday evenings at 6:30 pm
Group-3 Wednesday mornings at 7:30 am
Group-4 Wednesday noon at 12:00 pm
Group-5 Wednesday afternoon at 4:30 pm
Group-6 Thursday mornings at 7:30 am
Group-7 Thursday evenings at 6:30 pm

Contacts for More Information
If you have any questions about this Intensive program or whether it is appropriate for you, please contact Bryan Hindert at bbhindert@gmail.com. If you have any questions about the logistics of this Intensive, please contact Donna at intensivecoordinator@floridamindfulness.org.

2026 Summer Emotional Healing: Transforming Habitual Patterns, Part 2 (06 Jul 2026)

Mon, 06 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

With Brandy Kidd and Misti Oxford-Pickeral

Dates: July 6 - August 31
Registration Deadline: June 22
Suitability

This eight-week Mindful Living Path Intensive for this summer continues the yearlong exploration of emotional awareness and self-discovery. This intensive is open to FCM members who have participated in the 2026 Winter/Spring Emotional Awareness Self-discovery Intensive, Part 1 OR members who have taken Emotional Healing intensives in the past.

Description

In Part 1 of this year’s Emotional Awareness Intensive, we strengthened our foundations of mindfulness, as well as strengthened our capacity to be fully awake and aware with experiences as they unfold. In the second part of this Intensive, we will focus on healing habitual emotional patterns, be they intense emotional reactivity, emotional suppression, or engaging with the Inner Critic.

Our aspiration for Part 2 is to guide participants in recognizing their habitual emotional patterns and most especially, to empower participants to disarm those painful (or non-productive) patterns and begin to create new, more beneficial patterns, so that they can benefit from the important information that emotions provide, without being overwhelmed by them or suppressing them.

Commitments

The commitments for this Intensive are listed below. Before registering for the Intensive please read the commitments and reflect carefully on whether you will be able to keep them.

30 minutes daily in of formal meditative practice, study, reflection and/or other practices related to this Intensive
Complete Intensive assignments (included in bi-weekly instructions)
Be present for bi-weekly Dharma talks (via Zoom)
Participate in your assigned bi-weekly mentoring group (via Zoom)
Attend all the practice sessions of your Sangha during the Intensive, as possible
Daily sharing of a concrete Intensive-related intention with your Dharma Buddy via text or email is required. Please continue with the same Dharma Buddy from Emotional Awareness Intensive Part 1 whenever possible. If your previous buddy is unavailable or you would like a new buddy, please contact Evie at evelynhaseman@gmail.com. If you are continuing with the same buddy, it would also be helpful to let Evie know.

Specific readings, group assignments, and Zoom instructions will be announced once registration has been completed.
Fees

Registration Procedures

Please read the information below before you click to register.

Mentor Groups
When you register, you will also be asked to indicate your preferences for your bi-weekly Mentor Groups (small groups of 6-8 participants) offered through Zoom. You will be required to score each group as one of the following:

o my first choice

o my second choice

o could do but not preferred

o cannot do.

If there is more than one group that will work well for you, please mark all these as “my first choice.” This will provide us with added flexibility in making group assignments. Please have your calendar available when you register so that you can complete this part of the registration process accurately.

Mentor Group #1: Tuesdays at 7:30-8:30 am: 7/14, 7/28, 8/11, 8/25

Mentor Group #2: Tuesdays at 6:30-7:30 pm: 7/14, 7/28, 8/11, 8/25

Mentor Group #3: Wednesdays 12:00-1:00pm: 7/15, 7/29, 8/12, 8/26

Mentor Group #4:Thursdays at 7:30-8:30 am: 7/16, 7/30, 8/13, 8/27

Mentor Group #5:Thursdays at 6:30-7:30 pm: 7/16, 7/30, 8/13, 8/27

Contacts for More Information
If you have any questions about this Intensive program or whether it is appropriate for you, please contact Brandy at brandymkidd@gmail.com. If you have any questions about the logistics of this Intensive, please contact Donna at intensivecoordinator@floridamindfulness.org.

2026 Summer Living with Intention: Practicing with the Four Kinds of Nutriments | 8-Week Mindful Living Path Intensive (06 Jul 2026)

Mon, 06 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

With Bill MacMillen and John McHarris

Dates: July 6 - August 31
Registration Deadline: June 22
Suitability

This intensive is suitable for FCM members who have participated in a prior program (such as Grounding & Nourishing the Mind, Introduction to Mindfulness and Meditation, or a Miracle of Mindfulness Retreat) or have otherwise been introduced to the basic practices of mindfulness and meditation and are ready for the next step. (Learn more about becoming a member).

Path: Mindful Living Path/Grounding & Nourishing (Learn more about FCM's Three Paths)

Description

The Buddha taught that there are four kinds of nutriments that we consume, which feed not only our body, but our mind as well. These four nutriments include Edible Foods, Sensory Impressions, Intentions or Volition, and Mind States. He pointed out that the quality of these nutriments greatly impacts both our physical and our mental well-being, either positively or negatively. In our fast-paced, modern world, much of what we consume throughout the day is often unexamined, purely habitual, and may be having a negative impact on the health and wellbeing of our bodies, our minds, our society, and even our planet.

In this 8-Week Mindful Living Path Intensive, we will study, reflect on, and practice with the Buddha’s teachings on the Four Kinds of Nutriments. We will learn to bring intention to the daily choices we make on how and what we consume in order to support our well-being and the well being of the world. Participants will be supported with Dharma Talks, Q&A Sessions, Mentor Group Check-Ins, Practice Instructions, Guided Meditations, and Assigned Readings.

Commitments

The commitments for this Intensive are listed below. Before registering for the Intensive please read the commitments and reflect carefully on whether you will be able to keep them.

A minimum of 20 minutes of daily formal meditation and/or other practices related to this intensive.
Reading and reflecting on the assigned readings.
Be present for bi-weekly Dharma talks (via Zoom)
Participate in your assigned bi-weekly mentoring group (via Zoom
Attending all the practice periods of your Sangha during the Intensive, as possible.

Specific readings, group assignments, and Zoom instructions will be announced once registration has been completed.
Fees

Registration Procedures

Please read the information below before you click to register.

Mentor Groups

As of now, our offerings for mentor group times remain the same as the first session. If there is a change in the number of registrants, mentor groups may be consolidated. Therefore it is important that you indicate your first, second, could do but not preferred and cannot do as requested on this registration form. Bill and John will lead all mentor groups.

o my first choice

o my second choice

o could do but not preferred

o cannot do.

Mentor Group #1: Tuesdays at 7:30-8:30 am: 7/14, 7/28, 8/11, 8/25

Mentor Group #2: Tuesdays at 6:30-7:30 pm: 7/14, 7/28, 8/11, 8/25

Mentor Group #3: Wednesdays 4:30-5:30 pm: 7/15, 7/29, 8/12, 8/26

Mentor Group #4:Thursdays at 7:30-8:30 am: 7/16, 7/30, 8/13, 8/27

Mentor Group #5:Thursdays at 6:30-7:30 pm: 7/16, 7/30, 8/13, 8/27

Contacts for More Information
If you have any questions about this Intensive program or whether it is appropriate for you, please contact Bill Mac Millen at bmacm21@gmail.com. If you have any questions about the logistics of this Intensive, please contact Donna at intensivecoordinator@floridamindfulness.org.