February 3rd, 10th, 17th and 24th 2020: Trust the Struggles: Making Peace with the Five Hindrances to Mindfulness with Melvin Escobar

TRUST THE STRUGGLES: MAKING PEACE WITH THE FIVE HINDRANCES TO MINDFULNESS OPEN TO ALL with Melvin Escobar EAST BAY MEDITATION CENTER [http://www.eastbaymeditation.org] 285 17TH STREET, OAKLAND  MONDAY'S FEB 3RD, 10TH, 17TH AND 24TH 7-9PM Why’s it so hard to meditate!? This question is as old as the practice. Join us for this class series that gets to the root of our struggles: The Five Obstacles. We’ll learn ways to work with these “hindrances” guided by Buddhist teachings, contemporary psychological frameworks and an understanding of structural oppression. Through talks, interactive exercises, stationary and gentle moving meditation, and recommendations for home practice, participants will gain awareness on how to use each of the five obstacles as gateways to deepen our practice.  Attend some or all: Week 1 – Doubt  Week 2 – Sloth + Torpor and Ill Will  Week 3 – Restlessness + Worry  Week 4 – Sensual Desire ------------------------- EBMC TEACHERS ARE NOT PAID BY THE CENTER. YOU ARE INVITED TO OFFER A VOLUNTARY FINANCIAL GIFT TO THEM AT THE CLASS. The EAST BAY MEDITATION CENTER operates using a generosity-based, gift economics model. This means we charge no set registration fees to attend our events and instead rely on the generous giving of our community. All classes at the Center do come with a financial cost. Class participants are offered an opportunity to make a voluntary gift to EBMC during the registration process or at an event itself. Please note that no one will be turned away for lack of funds. If you would like to explore any EBMC volunteer positions, please send an email expressing your interest to admin@eastbaymeditation.org.  In order to protect the health of community members with environmental illness, please do not wear fragranced products (including natural fragrances) or clothes laundered in fragranced products to EBMC. ------------------------- Teacher Bio: Melvin Escobar [http://www.melvinescobarlcsw.com] is an EBMC Core Teacher, licensed psychotherapist, and certified yoga instructor. Melvin has devoted the last 25 years to serving people from marginalized communities, drawing on his life experiences as a queer man of color from an immigrant working-class background. Having found that the wisdom teachings embodied in Buddhism and Yoga are essential to surviving systemic oppression, he continues daily to learn the revolutionary potential of body-centered contemplative practices for personal and social healing.