Classes and Workshops
Listing of current and past classes and workshops. Feel free to contact me if you would like to attend the next workshop or have me create a customized offering for you.
Pathways to Mindfulness - Weeklong Retreat - Nosara Costa Rica, March 19-26 2022
An exploration into five unique pathways that help create more resilience through various mindful practices. The five mindful pathways we will transverse include: Meditation, Movement, Sound, Breath and Natures Medicine.
Introduction to Mindfulness How to be present in turbulent times
This course will introduce the basic practice of mindfulness meditation and beginning concepts of mindfulness of the breath, body, emotions and thoughts as well as the practice of loving kindness. These tools when practiced will allow the development of inner resources to help support ourselves during times of stress, anxiety and uncertainty.
The class will be a mixture of prepared talks, guided exercises and practices, group discussion and Q & A. The class is targeted for anyone who is new to mindfulness or might have an existing meditation practice but is interested being part of an active group to give your practice the support of being in practice with others.
Because most of us are social distancing – this class will be offered online. It is suggested that all attendees have a computer or device that is capable of video and audio, so you can interact and participate in the Q & A.
Class outline :
Week 1 – Introduction to mindfulness and discussion of working with the breath
Week 2 – Arriving in the present moment and mindfulness of the body
Week 3 – Mindful movement practice, discussion topic of mindfulness of our thoughts, practice with mindfulness of sound.
Week 4 – Emotions and techniques of working with emotions. Introduction to RAIN and practice.
Week 5 – Introduction to love and kindness, when love and kindness are present - fear, worry and anxiety will not show up and steal the show.
Week 6 – Exploring pleasant and unpleasant feelings and how to be present with those experiences. Self-compassion the super power to take with you on the road.
Mindfulness Based Relapse Prevention
8 Week Course Series - Contact to signup
MBRP practices are intended to foster increased awareness of triggers, destructive habitual patterns, and “automatic” reactions that seem to control many of our lives. Mindfulness practices in MBRP are designed to help us pause, observe present experience, and bring awareness to the range of choices before each of us in every moment. We learn to respond in ways that serve us, rather than react in ways that are detrimental to our health and happiness. Ultimately, we are working towards freedom from deeply ingrained and often catastrophic patterns.
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Similar to Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for depression, MBRP is designed as an aftercare program integrating mindfulness practices and principles with cognitive-behavioral relapse prevention skills. In our experience, MBRP is best suited to individuals who have undergone initial treatment and wish to maintain their treatment gains and develop a lifestyle that supports their well-being and recovery.
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The primary goals of MBRP are:
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1. Develop awareness of personal triggers and habitual reactions, and learn ways to create a pause in this seemingly automatic process.
2. Change our relationship to discomfort, learning to recognize challenging emotional and physical experiences and responding to them in skillful ways.
3. Foster a nonjudgmental, compassionate approach toward ourselves and our experiences.
4. Build a lifestyle that supports both mindfulness practice and recovery.
About Ron Nikel C-MMT
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I came to the mindfulness meditation practice in 2012 after confronting my own struggles with PTSD, stress and trauma. Looking for solutions, I enrolled in an 8-week workshop focusing on mindfulness meditation that help put me on the road to recovery and personal transformation. The remarkable changes that began to take shape in my life from this practice compelled me to continue my study and practice of mindfulness meditation as well as other meditation modalities. Since then I completed a 2-year Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program (MMTCP) with western meditation pioneers, Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach. I have also had the privilege to study under other talented well known teachers such as Vinny Ferarro, Sean Feit Oakes and Pamela Weiss in the San Francisco Bay Area.
My eagerness to learn more and be of service to others has led me to continue my education even further by enrolling in a 1-year teacher certification training program with Gabor Maté that focuses on using mindfulness to resolve PTSD and trauma called Compassionate Inquiry.
Additionally, I am also trained as a plant medicine facilitation using various plant based medicines to help others heal from PTSD, trauma and other mental health disorders.
Mindfulness a Path to Freedom
Meets weekly on Saturdays from 8:30a – 9:30a at Nalu, Nosara Costa Rica, Starting February 5th 2022
The practice of mindfulness meditation has been practiced for centuries to help end suffering and bring relief to those who practice it. Mindfulness means maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment, through a gentle, nurturing lens. Mindfulness also involves acceptance, meaning that we pay attention to what is happening in the present moment without judgement. When we practice mindfulness, we can tune into what we’re sensing in the present moment rather than rehashing the past or imagining the future.
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Each week there will be a mindfulness topic and some instructions and guidance offered for a meditation practice. The group will be led by the facilitator in a meditation. After which a short talk or discussion on the topic will be held. At the end of each session attendees are encouraged to ask questions about the topic or any part of their ongoing practice.
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The class will be led by Ron Nikel and Jane Fryer with additional guest speakers from time to time.
About Ron Nikel C-MMT
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I came to the mindfulness meditation practice in 2012 after confronting my own struggles with PTSD, stress and trauma. Looking for solutions, I enrolled in an 8-week workshop focusing on mindfulness meditation that help put me on the road to recovery and personal transformation. The remarkable changes that began to take shape in my life from this practice compelled me to continue my study and practice of mindfulness meditation as well as other meditation modalities. Since then I completed a 2-year Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program (MMTCP) with western meditation pioneers, Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach. I have also had the privilege to study under other talented well known teachers such as Vinny Ferarro, Sean Feit Oakes and Pamela Weiss in the San Francisco Bay Area.
My eagerness to learn more and be of service to others has led me to continue my education even further by enrolling in a 1-year teacher certification training program with Gabor Maté that focuses on using mindfulness to resolve PTSD and trauma called Compassionate Inquiry.
Additionally, I am also trained as a plant medicine facilitation using various plant based medicines to help others heal from PTSD, trauma and other mental health disorders.
About Jane Fryer, E-RYT 500, NYI, 1000
I always create a different bio for each of my many offerings on the path of being human.
This particular opportunity to share who I am is near and dear to my heart. Mindfulness Meditation starts with learning how to develop awareness. This mainly involves slowing down and noticing what is happening, right now, in your body. Once you notice it, you can cultivate a distinct power because you can choose what to do from a place of wholeness and possibility. You will then have agency over your own self. This is part of the process that can also be quite challenging and that also takes practice. This is Mindfulness Meditation in a nutshell.
Although I have decades of meditation experience, I chose to learn how to teach mindfulness because it is considered to be the most "user friendly" of any type of meditation I know. This inspires me to be of service and teach as many people as possible.
Please join me as a humble guide to what is possible when you meet yourself with awareness, compassion and for whatever is happening right now. Ron has prepared an outstanding outline of our practice format giving participants the option to discuss what they learn and to ask questions. Class will also include informal chats about meditation practice, and its history that is relevant to your journey.
Mindfulness Practices for Stressful and Traumatic Times at Ahki Retreat 2021/22
In todays current social and political environment humans are finding themselves confronted with the lasting emotional, physical and psychological affects of stress and trauma. There is an increase of illness and death from disease that is tied directly to the increase of stress and trauma.
Mindfulness and meditation have been used for thousands of years as tools to navigate life on life’s terms. Neuroscience continues to research and discover the linkage between a mindfulness and meditation practice and the ability to heal from stressful and traumatic experiences, increase lifespan and improved health.
During our time together, we will investigate, discuss and practice some simple daily mindful exercises that can be used to improve resilience in the face of stress and trauma.
About Ron Nikel
I came to the mindfulness meditation practice in 2012 after confronting my own struggles with PTSD, stress and trauma. Looking for solutions, I enrolled in an 8-week workshop focusing on mindfulness meditation that help put me on the road to recovery and personal transformation. The remarkable changes that began to take shape in my life from this practice compelled me to continue my study and practice of mindfulness meditation as well as other meditation modalities. Since then I completed a 2-year Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program (MMTCP) with western meditation pioneers, Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach. I have also had the privilege to study under other talented well known teachers such as Vinny Ferarro, Sean Feit Oakes and Pamela Weiss in the San Francisco Bay Area.
My eagerness to learn more and be of service to others has led me to continue my education even further by enrolling in a 1-year teacher certification training program with Gabor Maté that focuses on using mindfulness to resolve PTSD and trauma called Compassionate Inquiry.
Additionally, I am also trained as a plant medicine facilitation using various plant based medicines to help others heal from PTSD, trauma and other mental health disorders.
Cultivating Love, Kindness, Compassion and Foregiveness for Self and Others
In the current climate of the pandemic, global climate change, cultural and political unrest, as well as financial stress it is easy to fall into a state of anger, anxiety, fear, panic or doubt. Social media, the news, our phones and computers further increase these states of dis-ease and discomfort. But the human experience does not need to be dominated by these states of being. The good news is that there exists states of being that are of ease, joy, and happiness.
We know when we are in a state of love and kindness, there is no room for anger, anxiety, fear and doubt. This class is an investigation into the nature of the states of love, kindness, compassion and forgiveness and how we can cultivate them to be an antidote for fear, anxiety and anger as well as a source of greater ease and joy in our own lives.
We will do a deep dive into each of these states during the 6 weeks. The class will be consist of a 15-20 minute talk, 30-40 minutes of practice, followed by class exercises and discussion on the topic of the week.
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