December 18, 2022

Hello Plum Village Sangha,

We hope this finds you well. In 2023, EMBRACE is offering programs to understand mindfulness practice from a trauma-informed perspective. Our offerings include introductory workshops, study groups, and facilitator trainings.

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We will continue our offerings in 2024.  We hope that one or more of these offerings will spark your interest and be of service to you as you continue your practice. Please share this with your sanghas as well. 

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Thank you,

EMBRACE CTC

 

 

November 1, 2022

 

Here we are in November, fully fall.  Yesterday I went out into the garden to discern if the cucumbers were still coming on and worthy of watering.  To my utter surprise, woven in among the dark green prickly baby cukes were two pale green fuzzy ones as well.  I did plant that variety as well, but it took them 5 months to get themselves to launch.

 

So too, it seems, with our fall phase of EMBRACE.  While we've been raring to go, finding just the right presenters has taken some time.  As you well know, engaged Buddhists are usually, just that, maximally engaged, so finding space to shoehorn in even juicy stuff can take more time than optimal.

 

Anyway, by way of all that, here's our current plan for unrolling the offerings:

 

The first EMBRACE orientation will roll out in late January the date to be arranged and announced.  This will be for folks unfamiliar with EMBRACE and the neuroscientific and trauma-informed lenses.  Kim offered the test run to 100 lay folks in PV  of the new intro earlier this month and it was very well received.  Kudos to the development group!  

 

Following this EMBRACE orientation, in February will offer a new, improved round of study groups open to those who have already attended the orientation.  The groups will meet from February through May.  We're in the process of integrating all your feedback into the format of these new groups.  

 

The first EMBRACE facilitators' training will also roll out in February.  That training is available to anyone who has already gone through an EMBRACE study group.  The training will consist of a two-and-a-half-hour online workshop and a commitment to bring this back and integrate the EMBRACE work into your sangha.  For additional support, we will offer a monthly drop-in group for those of you continuing the work with your sanghas.  This way we'll all learn from each other as we go.  Pom poms for the facilitator training work group for their meticulous mining of the materials.  

It was thrilling to hear from the various workgroups how enriching their experiences have been, working together, learning together, and bonding together in their virtual clubhouses!

 

Future Fantasy:  Rather than say this is what is happening in the Fall of 2023, let's just say we hold lightly our "PLANS" for another Facilitator workshop and support group for those "graduating" from the spring study groups in September.  

 

Phew, it's a beehive of activity.  Continue to check out our website here. It seems to be growing daily.  The resource group continues to do a stellar job and you can keep the resources coming in, again by emailing us: at embracectc@gmail.com

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And yet again, thank you all for your continued support. Sending a warm and trauma-sensitive EMBRACE, 

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Anne, Eric, Jo-ann,  Kim and Soco

Caretaking Council

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