Lost in thought or busyness, many of us lead lives of profound distraction, unable to fully notice, experience, or appreciate our lives. As Carrie Fisher humorously put it, “Having a wonderful time, wish I were here.” Yet chronically neglecting (or actively avoiding) our moment-by-moment experience can result in a pervasive sense of dissatisfaction, anxiety, and disconnection that seriously undermines our capacity for happiness. As the Vietnamese Buddhist monk, poet, and peace activist Thich Nhat Hanh wrote, “Love is paying attention.” It is indeed difficult to truly love ourselves, each other, or this world if we cannot be present.

Love Is Presence, our Meditation and Mindful Living Program, invites us back home to the present moment using the transformational practices of Insight (Vipassana) meditation and mindfulness training. Created and led by Abra Fortune Chernik, Love Is Presence emphasizes applying these practices to daily life, using engaged mindfulness to reduce stress, free ourselves from compulsive and addictive behaviors, deepen our relationships, manifest our potential, and touch an inner joy and vitality we may have forgotten even existed. Teachings and discussions are based not only on traditional Buddhist philosophy, but also on a range of wisdom traditions, Western psychology, inspired world literature, and the creative process.

The program is offered year-round as six-week workshops. Held on Monday evenings, each workshop session focuses on a new topic. Students who cannot attend a full six-week session are welcome to drop in for individual classes. Each class includes a dharma talk, meditation instruction, meditation practice, and plenty of time for questions and discussion.

For more information, visit Abra’s teacher page. Or better yet, drop in to a Love Is Presence class or join us for a series.

To preview this week’s dharma talk and participate in our online sangha, visit Love Is Presence’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/loveispresence.

Happiness is available. Help yourself to it.
—Thich Nhat Hahn

Session Topics

January 23–February 27, 2012: Awakening from the Trance of Habit, Compulsion, and Addiction

From Our Love Is Presence Students

Abra is a masterful teacher of the mindfulness practice. She has a unique ability to simplify the principles of everyday mindfulness, showing her students how to develop their own abilities in becoming more present in their own lives. Her teachings are made strong by her rich knowledge of literature, religion, psychology, meditation and the mindfulness practice. My mindfulness practice has changed my life. I strongly encourage everyone to study with Abra—whether you are completely new to the practice, or a seasoned practitioner. —Natalie

Only an extraordinarily talented teacher and compassionate person could bring a meditation skeptic to practice and mindfulness. I am so very grateful you did that for me. —Karl

My experience with this teacher and sangha was tremendous. Abra emanates a calming effect. I love that she draws and shares inspiration from many different sources. The weekly talks each had their own message while still relating back to the series topic. Attending class regularly was just what I needed to start establishing a sitting practice and applying a more mindful approach to my everyday life. I look forward to continuing to practice with Abra and would recommend her as a teacher to anyone. —Erin

I use what I've been learning here in every part of my life. I'm kinder to myself, which makes me kinder to others. The effects of the practice were immediate for me, though ongoing because there is always something else for me to learn. The practice has educational, therapeutic, and spiritual elements that have helped stir me out of a general feeling of malaise. Abra's guidance is gentle, open, and encouraging. —April

Attending Love Is Presence has shifted the course of my mindfulness practice in such a positive way. It has been so moving to be amongst others and come to understand how much my experience really is the human experience. Abra does a beautiful job of being both a guide in the process of mindfulness and an open ear as she invites students to share, comment, and question along the way. My understanding of how to integrate mindfulness into my life as a whole rather than just my time on the cushion has grown so much as a result of Love Is Presence. I would recommend this experience to anyone that is looking for an existence with more ease, patience, compassion, and connection. —Anita