Gateway Series

This is a series of four classes that will engage students in the essential transformative aspects of a Zen-inspired life. Pre-requisite: Primer Series.

Gateway 1: Living a Life of Openness

This class will define and illustrate the concept of living a life of openness. The class will consist of an introduction to the practice of Focusing with experiential exercises to help each participant learn how to use this important tool for self awareness. The class will present concepts of "Focusing", "Felt Sense", and "Focusing Partnerships". 

Gateway 2: Connecting with Others

This class will provide insight and instruction on orienting the self towards empathy and compassion. The class will consist of an introduction to the practice of Non-violent Communication and will cover the 4 NVC steps of a language pattern for communicating and listening pro-actively and empathically to ourselves and others. 

Gateway 3: Contributing Yourself to the World

This class will showcase the ongoing process of achieving clarity for yourself and in the world around you. The class will touch on the importance of integrity and some basic leadership principles. The class will consist of a Big Mind process that will explore various selves, big mind and the integration of both of these in living a Zen-inspired life. Concepts of "Cause and Effect" "Voices" "Big Mind" and "Zen-inspired Life" will be presented. 

Gateway 4: Putting It All Together

This special 2 hour class will bring together the previous class teachings of Focusing, NVC. By stepping back and reviewing each of these in relationship to each other, a new perspective will emerge on the power and effectiveness of living a Zen-inspired life. Experiential role plays and exercises will be used to help participants further integrate these skills into their personal experience. 

If you have already completed the Primer Series (four classes), congratulations! You can now sign up for the first Gateway 1 class: Living a Life of Openness by clicking here.

Sequence of Classes

We ask that you take the classes in the order they are given. For example, you begin with Gateway 1 and then take Gateway 2. If you are not able to take a class in the series we ask that you wait until a following month to continue the series. So for example, if you miss Gateway 2, we ask that you wait and take Gateway 2 in a following month before you take Gateway 3. We do this because each classes builds and extends what was learned in the previous class.