New York Insight now offers MBSR Fundamentals—the first step in the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Teacher Training Pathway. NYI teachers Jon Aaron and Elaine Retholtz are authorized by the University of Massachusetts Center for Mindfulness to offer this training in New York City.
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Fundamentals – Eight Week Program
In this eight week program students:
- attend all sessions as a participant/observer of an MBSR program (includes orientation, all eight week sessions plus the All-Day session)
- participate in a concurrent eight-week professional training
The eight week MBSR Fundamentals format is the definitive eight-week onsite clinical program. Students attend all sessions of the regular eight week MBSR program (orientation session, 8 weekly sessions, plus the all-day session), as participant/observers. This in-vivo learning environment immerses students in the foundations, approach, methodology, and clinical applications of MBSR as it exemplifies current MBSR standards of practice. The concurrent eight week professional seminar—with additional opening and closing sessions —provides in-depth exploration of the foundational underpinnings and pedagogy of the MBSR program with an experiential grounding. Full attendance at all Fundamentals sessions is required, excluding emergencies or weather cancellations. Meets the requirements for MBSR Practice Teaching Intensive. Click here for the Application
Prerequisites
- Previous participation in an 8-week MBSR course
- A minimum of one 5-7-day residential meditation retreat
- A minimum of two years of personal meditation practice
Dates and Locations
There will be two opportunities to take Fundamentals in the Winter of 2019.
Option 1 with Jon Aaron:
Session Schedule:
Saturday January 19, 10th floor, from 9:30am-1:00pm (joint session with Elaine Retholtz’s Fundamentals class).
Saturday February 2, 9, 16, 23, March 2, 3, 16, 23, 10th floor Small Room, from 9:30am-1:00pm.
Saturday March 23, 10th floor, from 2:00-5:30pm. (joint session with Jon Aaron’s Fundamentals class)
Option 2 with Elaine Retholtz
Session Schedule:
Saturday January 19, 10th floor, from 9:30am-1:00pm (joint session with Jon Aaron’s Fundamentals class).
Friday February 1, 8, 22, March 1, 8, and 22, 7th floor, Room 704, from 1:30-5:00pm.
Friday March 15, 10th floor, from 1:30-5:30pm.
Saturday March 23, 10th floor, from 2:00-5:30pm. (joint session with Jon Aaron’s Fundamentals class)
Commitment Required
This is an intensive course! Attendance at all MBSR classes and seminars is required, in addition to the MBSR Class ongoing practice assignments between classes, there are readings, journaling and other assignments.
Click here for the Application
Tuition: $1,890.00 (NYI member benefits do not apply)
Payment plans and very limited financial aid is available.
If you are interested, please fill out the application and submit with the application fee.
Deadline for submitting the application is November 30. Notification of acceptance will be made by December 15.
Please note:
As part of our commitment to diversity and equity, we have an intention to increase the participation of people of color in the MBSR Teacher Community. To help bring this to fruition, we are holding a portion of MBSR Teacher Training spaces for people of color (PoC).
If you have any questions, please contact elaine@nyimc.org or jon@nyimc.org.
Click here for the Application
Teacher(s)
Elaine Retholtz
Elaine Retholtz has been studying and practicing the Dharma since 1988. In addition to teaching Dharma at New York Insight, she is a certified Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction teacher and has a deep interest in helping students integrate mindfulness practice into daily life. Elaine is committed to deepening her own understanding of issues of diversity and the way racial conditioning in the United States affects all of us — both as individuals and in relationship to the institutions we are a part of, including New York Insight. She’s been involved in New York Insight’s diversity efforts for many years, serving on the diversity committee, and working with others to create spaces – for diverse groups of practitioners as well as for white practitioners meeting separately – to explore these issues within a Dharma frame.
Jon Aaron
Jon Aaron is a Dharma and mindfulness teacher based in New York and Chicago. Since 2006, he has taught at the New York Insight Meditation Center, offering Dharma and MBSR classes. He regularly leads retreats around the U.S. He is primarily grounded in the Theravāda tradition, alongside non-dual and Mahayana approaches. His teaching emphasizes integrating Dharma and mindfulness into daily life to foster clarity in addressing personal and social challenges. His teachers include Matthew Flickstein and, more recently, Kittisaro and Thanissara through their Dharmapala program. Jon also studied contemplative care at the Zen Center for Contemplative Care and completed the Integrated Study and Practice program at the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies. He is a certified MBSR teacher and teacher trainer and a Somatic Experience Practitioner®. In response to the pandemic, he and his partner, Upayadhi, launched the Space2Meditate community, offering daily meditation since March 2020. Additionally, he co-hosts the podcast Diggin’ the Dharma with scholar Doug Smith, now in its third season. JonAaron.net