With Krista De Castella & David Perls
“You can't stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.”
― Jon Kabat-Zinn
Jikoji invites you to explore the connections between science and Zen in our Saturday MBSR Retreat
Schedule
9:00am Registration
9:30am Retreat Begins
5:30pm Retreat Ends
Whether you new to meditation or looking to deepen your practice, immersing yourself in nature is a wonderful way to reduce stress and reconnect with the things that are important in your life. Come join us for a daylong retreat at Jikoji.
Mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR) consists of a variety of simple meditation practices and yoga designed to cultivate presence and awareness in day-to-day life. The practice is about waking up, being fully alive, and present in the richness of each moment. Within this awakening, we gain access to our deepest inner resources for living, healing, and coping with stress. We also discover an ability to connect more fully with ourselves, our loved ones and the life we're living. MBSR has been extensively researched in many settings since it's introduction to Western medicine in 1979 by Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. Clinical studies have identified MBSR as a successful treatment for a variety of conditions and symptoms including: depression; stress, anxiety and panic disorders; heart disease; gastrointestinal distress; chronic pain; cancer; high blood pressure; headaches; sleep disturbances; chronic fatigue; skin disorders; addictions and eating disorders among others.
In our Saturday retreat, we will offer an introduction to some of these practices through simple meditations that focus on present moment awareness, deep relaxation, and gentle movement. With practice, one can learn to apply these skills to everyday situations, offering insight into the ways we get stuck in our habitual reactions to life's stressors. This silent daylong retreat co-led by Krista De Castella and David Perls will offer a gentle schedule suitable for people at all experience levels. You do not need to have completed an MBSR course to attend this retreat.
The day will consist of periods of guided and silent meditation practices including:
o Sitting meditation
o Guided body scan meditation
o Periods of gentle Hatha yoga
o Walking meditation on the trails of Jikoji
The retreat includes a vegetarian lunch for guests.
Space is limited.
As always, Jikoji is committed to making the teachings of the Buddha available to everyone regardless of their financial situation. To request financial assistance please email communications@jikoji.org.
KRISTA DE CASTELLA
Krista De Castella is a mindfulness teacher, Zen practitioner and full time student at the San Francisco Zen Center. She holds a Ph.B in psychology from the Australian National University and recently spent two years as a Fulbright visiting researcher in Stanford’s Clinically Applied Affective Neuroscience Lab (CAAN). Her current Ph.D research is examining the implications of mindfulness meditation for anxiety disorders and emotion regulation.
Before coming to the United States, Krista was introduced to Zen meditation while living and studying martial arts in Okinawa, Japan. She is passionate about intensive meditation practice and the association between meditation and the traditional Japanese arts.
Krista received training in mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR) through the OASIS institute and the UMass Medical Center. She also has co-taught classes with senior OASIS teacher, Bob Stahl, Ph.D.
DAVID PERLS
David is a mindfulness teacher, leadership coach and brand strategist. His business, shinebright, brings greater presence, leadership and creativity to fast paced, multi-tasking and "always-on" workplaces.
David began his meditation practice as a teenager when he was competing in national tennis tournaments and needed to find ways to increase his concentration on the court and use his breath to focus on playing one stroke at a time. He's passionate about yoga and has been working with Headstand, a non-profit that empowers at-risk youth (K-12).
David graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in Economics and Psychology. He is a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC) and received his Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) training from Jon Kabat-Zinn and the Center for Mindfulness at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Born in New York, David grew up in Connecticut, and now lives in San Francisco.