Help Me Teach Mindfulness

My name is Jessica and meditation saved my life. 

Although I have practiced meditation on and off since the mid 1990s I became a dedicated practitioner in 2010. My marriage was on the rocks, I had two small children, and my mom was dying. I was looking for something to help me stay present to what was going on around - and inside - me. 

Meditation was my anchor. 

I searched for local groups and meditation centers and found a group that met at a time I could attend. I wasn't sure if it would be the answer, but I felt called to give it a try. When I walked in the door I instantly felt at home. 

I attended that weekly sit for several years. It was my space to breathe, to experience the stillness I needed so desperately in the whirlwind that was my life at that time. 

Mindful meditation helped me open myself to the impending death of my mom - I wanted to be open to the experience,  not hide or avoid the pain of losing her.  I am deeply grateful to have been with her as she took her last breath. 

Mindful meditation helped me sit with - and fully experience - the painful and complex emotions the demise of my marriage brought up for me. I wanted to be sure that before I made such a major change in the lives of my children I was doing it from a place of calm and stillness, not anger, fear, or resentment. My practice sustained me during that challenging time. 

Eventually, I began to deepen my understanding of meditation and mindfulness. I attended trainings at Mindful Schools , both their  Mindfulness Fundamantals and K-5 Curriculum trainings. I began to incorporate mindfulness into my 4th-6th grade physical education classes and eventually volunteered to bring mindfulness into the 1st-3rd grade classrooms as well. 

I was awarded a scholarship to the UC-Berkeley based Greater Good Science Center's inaugural Summer Institute for Educators  where I was immersed in the culture of social-emotional learning and furthered my understanding of the science behind mindfulness. 

Mindfulness and meditation are now interwoven into the tapestry of my life. When I look back on the last five years I know without a doubt that mindfulness saved me.  I believe the work I have done to bring mindfulness into the lives of my students is some of the most meaningful work I have done. 

Be. Here. Now.

So, why am I launching a gofundme campaign now? 

Because I have had the idea to offer a mindfulness class in my home since we moved into this space over two years ago. And it's time to do it. 

The funds you donate will go to: (in order of priority)
1) outiftting the space with meditation cushions and benches (inexpensive cushions run $40 each, benches are $100 each)
2) purchasing yoga mats so I can include a basic hatha sequence in my class (inexpensive mats are around $10-15/each)
3) tuition for a 3-month long online mindfulness certification course  (997 British Pounds which is about $1500USD). 

I hope to begin offering the class in February and would love to have some of the essentials by then. 

I want to thank you in advance for reading this far and considering donating to my fundraiser. It is difficult to ask for help, but I believe that when we put our good intentions out into the world miracles happen and pieces fall into place in surprising ways. 

I look forward to sharing the merits of mindfulness and meditation with others and offering my deepest gratitude and appreciation of your generosity.