Wise Speech:
The Foundations of Mindful Communication
A Live 6-Week Online Course
With Oren Jay Sofer
JUNE 15 - JULY 22, 2020
MONDAY & WEDNESDAY EVENINGS
7:30 – 8:30PM ET / 4:30 – 5:30PM PT
Freely Offered with Donations Gratefully Accepted for BCBS and Oren
Co-sponsored by
Barre Center for Buddhist Studies
and
Oren Jay Sofer
Communication is at the heart of our lives – personally, professionally, and spiritually. This freely-offered six-week online course with author and meditation teacher Oren Jay Sofer provides in-depth training in the foundations of an integrated approach to communication.
Drawing upon the Buddha’s teachings on the Noble Eightfold Path, mindfulness and Right Speech, plus the modern disciplines of Nonviolent Communication and trauma healing, the curriculum offers concrete tools to hold one’s own while still hearing others, and to engage effectively and efficiently in collaboration. You will learn to:
- Engage in effective dialogue
- Feel more confident in conversation
- Strengthen your capacities for empathy and resilience
- Identify and stay focused on what really matters in any interaction
Through a combination of mindfulness practices, guided reflections, and interactive exercises, participants will develop a stronger sense of presence, greater access to compassion, and more versatile, clearer communication. This class is appropriate for both experienced and newer students, therapists, school teachers, chaplains and other helping professionals.
EACH LIVE, 60-MINUTE CORE SESSION INCLUDES:
- Teachings on a key aspect of meditation and interpersonal communication
- Expert instruction on integrating meditative principles into conversation
- Guided meditations on cognitive, emotional and somatic aspects of communication
- Illustrative examples of the intersection between spiritual practice and relationship
- Meetings will be recorded and uploaded within 24-36 hours for those who cannot attend.
THE PROGRAM ALSO INCLUDES:
- Weekly, 60-minute live interactive Q&A with the teacher
- Weekly practice assignments and journal topics
- Optional weekly calls with a practice buddy
- Access to course recordings (audio and video)
Please visit this page for answers to Frequently Asked Questions regarding the course.
WHO’S IT FOR?
This course is appropriate for those newer to Buddhist meditation and/or Nonviolent Communication, as well as for experienced practitioners seeking to deepen their skills. Past students include: psychologists, therapists, doctors, nurses and healthcare practitioners, chaplains, teachers, writers, artists, life coaches, lawyers, police, engineers, civil servants, and many more.
We are honored to be able to offer this course free of charge. BCBS and our teachers depend on the donations to continue our work.
If you are able, please consider a tax-deductible donation to help sustain us during these challenging times.
Registration is now closed.
About the Teacher
Oren Jay Sofer is a nationally recognized teacher of meditation, mindfulness and Nonviolent Communication. A member of the Spirit Rock Teachers Council, he holds a degree in Comparative Religion from Columbia University, is the author of Say What You Mean: A Mindful Approach to Nonviolent Communication, and co-author of Teaching Mindfulness to Empower Adolescents. Oren is co-founder of Mindful Healthcare and the founder of Next Step Dharma, an innovative online program that helps meditators integrate their retreat experiences into daily life.
