Trauma and Buddhist Mindfulness 

Buddhism encourages a process of developing greater presence for both the pleasant and unpleasant experiences that are part of any human life. This process can be complicated when a person has a history of trauma. Whether connected to early childhood, an event in adulthood or to social oppression, trauma impacts our self regulatory capacities, our self image and our relational capacities. People with a history of trauma will have extra challenges that require additional tools and a different framework for how to think about what it means to be present and responsive. 

In this very gentle and permissive daylong we explore some ways of working to create more capacity for presence (and the agency to decide when and how to be present). The day will include lectures to help contextualize buddhist mindfulness within the experience of trauma, self regulatory strategies, and compassion oriented practices. Each practitioner is encouraged to self select their level of participation throughout the day as part of their self regulatory practice.

This is not a trauma resolution workshop so there is no specific intention to work with traumatic events themselves.

Pablo Das was trained as a Buddhist teacher at Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society. He is a practitioner of Somatic Experiencing (sep), a body centered system for the resolution of trauma and assists S.E. trainings in California. He was on the founding treatment team at Refuge Recovery, A Buddhist based, trauma informed outpatient treatment program for drug and alcohol Addiction. He trained as a holistic health coach (hhc) at the  Institute for Integrative Nutrition and studied Food therapy under Annemarie Colbin at the Natural gourmet institute in New York City. He maintains a private coaching practice working with clients one on one, integrating Buddhist practice and principle, trauma resolution and holistic health models. He has worked in suicide prevention for the LGBTQ teen population and teach workshops for the LGBTQ community. He is also an indie-folk (antifolk) musician, writer and storyteller. He lives and works in Los Angeles.  

Please bring a sack lunch - ICD does have a refrigerator and microwave for your use.  We also have bottle water for a donation of your choice.

Please note if you are paying at the door at this time ICD can only accept cash or checks made payable to Insight Community of the Desert.  Thank you for your understanding.  It is extremenly helpful to have the exact change if paying by cash.  If you wish to use a credit card please feel free to use the PayPal option at the time of registration.

ICD's policy is to charge a registration fee that is apportioned to the upkeep of the sangha as well as dana to the teacher.  If you so moved after this daylong and would like to offer additional dana, baskets are available at the back of the facility.  If providing a check directly to Pablo, please make it to Paul Ratliff.  Thank you.