Mindfulness Ottawa

Mindfulness Ottawa is a secular community of like-minded practitioners interested in gathering in fellowship while embodying the principles of mindfulness. Mindfulness Ottawa was officially launched in November 2012. The founding organization of Mindfulness Ottawa is Mindfulness Toronto which started in March, 2009. 

Our mission: 

1. Bringing professionals together to practice mindfulness, discuss mindfulness related topics and to socialize with like-minded individuals. We meet 9 times a year at The Royal on the last Monday of the month with the exception of June, July, and August.
2. Provide opportunities for professional training/development in Ottawa. Programs are organized in collaboration with The Royal and any proceeds generated will be used to finance our social program.
3. Through a social program provide mindfulness or compassion training and practice to individuals in the community who might otherwise not be able to access such opportunities.  
4. Provide information about mindfulness and compassion related events happening in Ottawa.

In addition, we are organizing a public meditation group at the Royal Spiritual Centre. The goal of this monthly hour long sitting group is provide a venue for anybody who would like to practice or who has recently graduated from a mindfulness program an opportunity to meditate with others. We are looking for experienced volunteers to lead these meditations. 

How to join us
Membership is open to all professionals who are either personally or professionally interested in mindfulness practice. We invite you to join our mindfulness community (Please set your spam filter to accept e-mails from this website). To be accepted you will need to answer three short questions about your personal and professional connection to mindfulness practice and be willing to pay $25 for our yearly membership fee. If you are not sure about joining us at this point, but would like to get more information email us or come to our next meeting.

Dear Mindfulness Ottawa Members! You Are Mindfulness Ottawa - We Appreciate You & Value Your Support. 

February is Membership Month! Please don’t delay in renewing your membership through PayPal or by sending a check to: Mindfulness Ottawa, 227 Claridge Drive, Ottawa, ON, K2J5V8.  For February- we are offering  20% discount - so Annual Membership is now only $20.00. We rely on memberships to be able to bring you excellent teachers, speakers and to cover the overhead for our programming. If you value the training programs and retreats we offer, and discussion opportunities please support Mindfulness Ottawa - supporting Mindful Professionals & Practitioners in Ottawa.

from: your Steering Committee at MO !

Benefits of Membership

• MindfulnessOttawa.ning.com is a social networking website where members can post events, create a blog, start a special interest group or join discussions.
• We send out monthly newsletters, which includes information about our meetings, professional development, mindfulness retreats, and other events. (By registering with MO you provide your consent to receive our newsletter).
• Attend our meetings free of charge. (If you are not a member and would like to attend a meeting we charge $10 per meeting at the door)

Cost of Membership
Annual membership cost $25, paid by PayPal Subscription, Interac Email Transfer, or Cheque. 

Scent Free Policy
Please be aware that the Royal Ottawa Hospital adapted a Scent Free Policy. Please do not wear perfumed products when coming to our meetings. Thank you. 

Mindfulness Ottawa Network Monthly Lecture Series
Special presentation: Meditation, Mindful Movement and the Art of Traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony

Date: Wednesday  September, 26, 2018
Location: The Royal Ottawa Hospital, RM 1425
Time: 7-9pm 

Because this is a special presentation with tasting, please RSVP for this event by responding to this email, mindfulnessottawa@gmail.com

There is a $5 donation request to cover costs for tea ceremony and tasting. 

Join Rebecca Cragg, Founder of Camellia Teas of Ottawa for an introduction to some of the arts of traditional Japan. Steeped in the practice of mindful action, Sado, or the Japanese Tea Ceremony, centers upon the experience of shared mindfulness or meditative practice. Rebecca has studied four schools of Tea Ceremony both in Japan and Canada and holds licenses in both Chanoyu (Tea Ceremony with Matcha) and Sencha Do. She will demonstrate a Tea Ceremony, explaining its aspects of meditative practice.

Solitary mindful practice can also include the Way of the Brush, Shodo (Calligraphy) which includes the Zen practice of the 'Enso' or 'Zen Circle'. Rebecca will guide participants through the technical aspect of creating an Enso, along with the meditative aspects or contemplative elements to consider when reflecting on the enso, or engaged in its creation. 

Both the Tea and Brush arts combine Meditation in Movement. Participants will gain a chance to understand this through observation as well as involvement. A 5 dollars donation fee for materials is appreciated. 

BIO
Rebecca Cragghas a passion for the wisdom that the traditional arts can bring to 21st Century contemporary living. Over the past 20 years, she has continued to train and explore nearly a dozen arts of Japan where she resided 1998 - 2005 and returns regularly to visit her many Senseis. Her primary training is in Sado (The Tao or 'Do' of Tea, Chanoyu and Sencha Do
with others), Suibokuga (The Way of Painting), Kado (ikebana/flowers), Kimono (dressing and competition), Kodo (incense) and more. Offering cultural experiences and skills-based art training, she has been teaching and facilitating workshops at all educational levels.