Church to hold mindfulness classes

ROXBURY — A 6-session mindfulness class will be held on consecutive Saturdays, Oct. 6-Nov. 10, 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Roxbury Congregational Church Hall, 24 Church Street, Route 317, Roxbury. The proram is free, and will focus on the central practice of sitting meditation along with mindful eating, mindful walking, and mindfulness of emotions and thoughts.

Mindfulness, according to Jon Kabat-Zinn, is “Paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment and nonjudgmentally.”

Mindfulness meditation helps people deal with the stress of work or family, or simply the anxiety of living in these troubled times. Some people come to mindfulness practice to help with mental clarity and focus or to improve their sleep. It has been shown to be effective in preventing and treating depression, increasing body satisfaction, and reducing implicit age and race bias.

The facilitator is Cheryl Anderson, who has been practicing a variety of types of meditation since 1972, and has taught meditation and other contemplative practices for over 20 years. Cheryl is the Pastor of First Congregational Church in Washington and trained at the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation in Washington DC in leading contemplative practice groups and retreats.

For further information, contact Ray Fitch at 203-586-9599 or Charlie Stauffacher at 860-3541274, before 8 pm. All are welcome to this non-denominational Community program.