Ozarks Dharma Community

Dates:  Thursdays, August 25 through September 15, 2022 Time: 7 to 8 PM Where:  National Avenue Christian Church, 1515 S. National Ave, Springfield, MO Registration:  None Ozarks Dharma Community once again presents a free, four week training on mindfulness and meditation practice, taught by members of our community. It’s appropriate for all spiritual traditions, including secular and non-Buddhist. This course is ideal for those who have little or no experience with meditation, as well as those who have been unable to maintain a consistent sitting practice. Many people struggle with meditation because they haven't been trained in the proper technique. Over the course of these four weeks, participants will receive precise instruction on the fundamentals of meditation practice. Week 1: Introduction to Meditation and Correct Sitting Posture - Kevin McNerney Week 2: Using an Object for Meditation Practice - Kris Williams Week 3: Working with Obstacles in Medita

Date: Monday, July 11, 2022 Time: 2 to 6 PM Where: The Gallery @ National Avenue Christian Church What: Chance to donate blood or volunteer CBCO, NACC, and ODC have a goal of 20 blood donors... will one of them be you? Schedule your donation here . We also need volunteers for the post-donation snack table. If you're interested, email the NACC coordinator directly, Ashley Quinn at  justice@nationalavenuecc.com . Here at the Community Blood Center of the Ozarks, we know donating blood is a BIG DEAL. This June and July, blood donors have a chance to save lives in our community and make a big deal of their own! Give blood during our “Let’s Save A Life” promotion and you could win our MYSTERY GRAND PRIZE worth $5,000. Or, you could take home one of our weekly mystery prizes valued at approximately $200! Ask how when you make your donation. Schedule Your Donation Now Download Flyers to Share Online/In Person

Date: Sunday, August 7, 2022 Time: 9 AM to 4:30 PM Where: A large, beautiful, indoor retreat space located in the country near Fair Grove Registration: Required in advance; click here to register Cost: We joyfully offer this retreat at no cost. Donations are welcome, of course.  Please Note: All participants are expected to arrive on time, adhere to silence once the retreat begins, and remain for the entire duration of the retreat. When participants arrive late or leave early, it disrupts the retreat container. Out of respect for your fellow spiritual companions, if you cannot commit to attending the entire day, then please do not register for this retreat. This is a day-long retreat with scheduled group practice sessions and breaks in the shrine room. There will also be time for individual practice outdoors, either sitting or aimless wandering. It will be a silent retreat, to allow our minds to settle over the course of the day. This is an opportunity to set aside our everyda

What: An Introduction to Social Meditation Course  When: Thursday evenings, 7 PM  Dates: July 7 to August 4, 2022  Where: National Avenue Christian Church, parlor  Over the five weeks of this course I will introduce some of the techniques of social meditation. Social meditation was originally created by Kenneth Folk as a more effective way to teach noting practice. It has been further developed by Kenneth Folk, Vincent Horn and other teachers working with Vincent into a robust and effective means of teaching and of sharing practice.  Social meditation acknowledges and takes advantage of the fact that we, as humans, are deeply social beings. When we gather together to meditate we are already using a type of social meditation. The difference is that in the formal technique of social meditation we meditate aloud in a structured manner. In the words of Vincent Horn we make what is implicit in group meditation explicit, using a word or phrase to share our meditation aloud.  Together we

What:  Introduction to Mindfulness Meditation Course for women in midlife of all experience levels offered by Janet Rock, Mindfulness Meditation Teacher When: June 7, 14, 21, 28, 2022 Time: 6:30 to 7:30 AM CDT via Zoom Each class will include instruction on mindfulness meditation skills with a guided practice and chance to share and ask questions. Topics include breath and body meditation, mindfulness of emotion, cultivating compassion, joy, and equanimity, and bringing mindfulness into everyday life. Reserve your seat or reach out with any questions: Janet Rock tesolrocket@gmail.com All classes and materials are freely offered.

When: Sunday, May 22. 8:45 AM to 4:30 PM CDT Where: A large, beautiful retreat space located on a country property 30 minutes north of Springfield. Directions to the property and more details will be given when you RSVP via this form . We joyfully offer this retreat at no cost. Donations are welcome, of course, but not required. This retreat is suitable for all levels of practitioners. For those who haven’t experienced a group retreat, this is a gentle, yet potent introduction. There will be periods of group practice in the shrine room, and also space and time for individual practice and walking meditation outside. It will be a silent retreat, to allow our minds to settle deeper over the course of the day. Participants are expected to stay the entire time, since leaving early disrupts the retreat container. We recommend bringing your personal cushion and mat, since there will be several sessions of sitting. ODC will also provide cushions, mats, and blankets to use. Chairs are

The James River Basin Partnership will be hosting their annual Earth Day cleanup on Friday April 22, 2022, from 12:30-5:00 at Lake Springfield. Volunteers may come anytime in that time frame, or stay and help for all of it! This is a FREE event open to anyone who would like to get out and make a difference in their community. Our group will be doing shoreline cleanup. Pre-registration is required, as there is a required waiver, so please be sure to sign up by contacting Jean Parker at jeanlws@gmail.com by April 1st. Partners for this event include Springfield-Greene County Parks and Recreation , The City of Springfield’s Department of Environmental Services , Bass Pro Shops , and the Missouri Department of Conservation . Event Detail Summary When:  Friday, April 22, 2022, 12:30 to 5 PM Where:   Lake Springfield Registration: Required in advance to sign wavier. To volunteer with ODC, please email Jean Parker at jeanlws@gmail.com Photo credit: Springfield CVB

ODC invites you to join us in a free, 5-week introduction to somatic meditation Course Description Our body, or soma, offers direct access to our true nature, or higher self. The soma also holds our unresolved issues and traumas, which can block that access. These manifest as physical tension, emotional distress, and disease. Using the breath-work and visualization practices presented in this course, we develop an intimate and ever-deepening relationship with our soma, increasing our connection to our innate wisdom and creativity. This course is experiential in nature, using guided meditations. It is suitable for all levels of practitioners of any tradition, including secular and non-Buddhist. For novices, it provides a solid foundation on which to develop a meditation practice. Advanced practitioners will learn skillful methods to enhance their existing practice.  Participants are required to attend the first session. About the Facilitator Kevin McNerney has been exploring s