As some of you may be aware, five of our FCM members recently made a pilgrimage to India together as part of a "traveling Sangha" of 20 pilgrims led by Dharma teacher Shantum Seth.

We are so happy that Misti, June, Libby, Peggy and Tracy will be joining Fred on Zoom on Wednesday evening, January 14, from 7:00 to 8:30 pm to share about their experiences during the pilgrimage. Please save the date and join us online on FCM's Endless Knot Zoom Line (links below) to hear from our sisters.

Video Link https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3385371901?pwd=QnIwdzBpV25aT0pVVE5VbkRkdjAwdz09

Dial-In # 1-646-558-8656

Meeting ID# 338 537 1901

Passcode is metta

With Fred Eppsteiner

Date: Saturday, January 24, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm

Registration Deadline: January 17 for in-person, January 22 for online.
Suitability
Anyone wishing to become more aware of and be free of the stories that unnecessarily bind them and cause them suffering. This workshop is open to both members and non-members and is offered in person and online.

Description

No matter how we may appear to others outwardly, often our internal world is an endless jumble of narratives and stories. Stories about ourself and others. Stories about our supposed past and imagined future. Stories about the world. Good stories and bad stories. Uplifting stories and depressing stories. On and on and on. Lost in these stories about ourselves and life (ruminating/obsessing), we are unconsciously conditioning our mind states and emotional states, and effecting our relationship with ourself and others. What to do?

In this workshop, Fred will help participants clearly identify the stories that consume and bind their inner life and present them with an alternative way of being that allows greater freedom, openness, and satisfaction. Based on Buddhist psychology and mindfulness and meditative techniques, Fred will offer participants a clear and practical path to begin living in real life. Without the distracting inner voice of the story-making self constantly narrating our life, emotional stability and inner peace becomes more readily available to us.

Course Instructor

Our Teacher Fred Eppsteiner will be using his training as a family therapist, plus his experience as a meditation and Dharma teacher, to create a challenging and opening environment for workshop participants to learn practical and easily applicable means to facilitate the workshop’s goals. Theoretical and psychological presentations, mindfulness practice, and guided experiential meditations will all be utilized during the workshop.

Fred has been a student of the psychology of Buddhist meditation for over 50 years, and was a psychotherapist for more than 30 years. He has trained extensively in the Buddhist meditative traditions the U.S. and Asia. He received permission to teach from Thich Nhat Hanh in 1994 and is the editor of two books: The Path of Compassion and Interbeing.

Fees

This workshop is presented by the Florida Community of Mindfulness at our Practice Center, 6501 N. Nebraska Ave in Tampa. The fee for this workshop is $115 In-person and $100 Online. Reduced rates are available for individuals needing financial support.

Cancellation Policy:  An administrative fee of $20 will be charged for in-person registrations cancelled after January 17.

Contacts for More Information
If you have any questions about this class, please e-mail us at info@floridamindfulness.org or call 813-237-0746.

“David has reached our hearts. With voices like his still singing, there’s a certainty that the candle will remain lit, the hope reasserted, and the dream still sung...”

- Peter Yarrow

(Peter, Paul, & Mary)

David’s songs have found their way to Carnegie Hall, the United Nations, several Chicken Soup for the Soul books, the Kennedy Center, NASA’s Space Shuttle “Atlantis”, Peter, Paul, & Mary and Kingston Trio CDs, (and 15 of his own), the Rise Up Singing and Rise Again songbooks, and countless venues in this and other countries (and now other WORLDS) for more than three decades. Poignant to improbable, holistic to hilarious, the Chicago native visits Tampa on his annual Florida tour.

For more information about David Roth:

For more information, please contact peggyfcm6501@gmail.com

All are invited to join in community and selfless service this Saturday, January 31, as we come together to continue to cultivate a place of peace and beauty for the benefit of all beings!

We will meet at 8:30 am under the pergola located behind the Meditation Hall to begin the day; if you cannot be there at 8:30 am or need to leave before we end for the day at 11:30 am please do not let that keep you from attending – any amount of service is appreciated!

Please wear work clothes and closed toe shoes and bring work gloves if you have them. Snacks and water will be provided.

We look forward to being with you and getting to know one another in an informal and friendly setting! 

Please familiarize yourself with our FCM Health Protocols.

Many thanks,

The Center Care Team

At FCM we celebrate the full moon each month with an evening devoted to meditations that help us develop and cultivate the mind of kindness, friendship and compassion towards all beings. During the guided meditation, we will practice embracing ourselves and others with thoughts of unconditional kindness, compassion, and support, and then to extend those feelings with well wishes for peace, happiness and an end to suffering for everyone in the world.

It has long been part of Buddhist tradition to honor and celebrate the arrival of the full moon. Legend has it that Shakyamuni Buddha was born under a full moon, arrived at his enlightenment under a full moon, and passed into paranirvana under a full moon. In Zen the full moon reminds us of our Buddha nature or our essential wholeness and completeness.

Our Full Moon Loving Kindness and Compassion evening will be from 7:30 – 8:45 pm. The evening will include guided loving kindness and compassion meditations, a short talk, and recitation of the Metta (Lovingkindness) Sutra and/or other music and altruistic readings. 

We encourage everyone in the Tampa Bay vicinity to experience the richness of practicing together, in-person in our Meditation Hall. There is no need to register ahead of time. Please familiarize yourself with our FCM Health Protocols and plan to arrive by 7:15 pm.

 

If joining us online, the link to Zoom is below. The event is suitable for both beginners and experienced meditators. There is no formal advance registration; simply join us online on the Sangha Line shortly before 7:30 pm. 

Zoom Links for FCM Sangha Line
Video Link https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3296243465?pwd=bUo1aFVQblhhbUFpZmZTci9EK0daZz09

Dial-In # 1-646-558-8656
Meeting ID# 329 624 3465

Please note: FCM Members can access the Death Cafe web page and the Zoom links by clicking here.

With Roshis Jan Chozen Bays and Hogen Bays

Dates: February 4 - 8
Registration Deadline:  January 7
Suitability

This retreat is suitable for practitioners who have attended one of our silent weekend or longer retreats or a four-to-seven day silent retreat at another Buddhist Center. The retreat is open to both members of FCM and non-members. Please note that registration does NOT guarantee acceptance into the retreat. Participants will be notified of acceptance by January 11.

The Buddha taught that the truths of annica (impermanence) and annata (no fixed self) are deeply intertwined. The purpose of meditative practice is to directly awaken to these truths of Dharma within ourselves. When we open the gate to awakening in this very personal and intimate way, we can now walk freely and openly through the world. 

In this four-day silent retreat, drawing upon their many decades of Zen practice and teaching, Roshis Chozen and Hogen Bays will share practical and effective methods for quieting our busy minds. With this alert, clear and concentrated mind, participants will be guided to  experience these transformative Dharma truths of impermanence and non-self.

A silent Zen meditation retreat can be rigorous and, at times, challenging for some, and is not recommended for most beginners. In order to attend in person, it is recommended that you have first attended one of our silent weekend or longer retreats or a four-to-seven day silent retreat at another Buddhist Center.

Retreat Leaders

Roshi Chozen Bays has been the teacher for Zen Community of Oregon since 1985. In 2002 she helped to found Great Vow Zen Monastery and is co-abbot. In 2011 she also helped found Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple in Portland, Oregon. She has written books on mindfulness and mindful eating, and written articles published in Buddhadharma and Shambhala Sun.

Roshi Hogen Bays began practicing Zen in 1968 with Philip Kapleau, Roshi doing residential training at Zen Center of Rochester and eventually at Zen Center of Los Angeles with Taizan Maezumi Roshi. He continued his Zen studies with Shodo Harada Roshi in Japan and on Whidbey Island from 1990 – 2015. He’s a psychologist and Naturopathic Doctor (ND). He is co-abbot of Great Vow Zen Monastery.

Fees

The fee for in-person participation is $360 for overnighters and $280 for commuters. A $50 fee is required to register, with the balance due for those accepted by January 16. The $50 registration fee will be fully refunded to those not admitted to the retreat.

Retreat Scholarships are available; please click here to see FCM’s Retreat Scholarship Policy and for an Application, which needs to be submitted prior to the registration deadline for this retreat.

Retreat Logistics

This retreat is in-person only (either staying overnight or as a commuter) participation at FCM’s Tampa Center. The retreat will begin with orientation at 5:00 pm on Wednesday, February 4 and ends Sunday, February 8 at 1:00 pm. Participation is open to both FCM members and non-members.

Please note: 

• The deadline for registration for this retreat is January 7. 
• We will send a retreat acceptance letter by January 11 with additional information to help you prepare for retreat.
• The full fee will then be due by January 16, otherwise the spot will be given to another applicant. Please note that the required deposit will be fully refunded to any applicants not accepted into the retreat.
• Please click here to read FCM's Retreat Cancellation Policy.
• If you are not familiar with our campus, you may enjoy this short video tour.
  
• New to retreating with FCM? Please visit our FAQs page.

The Bays' teachings will be offered in the Buddhist tradition of Dana, wherein the teachers freely give of themselves to the students out of gratitude for what they've received from their teachers and a desire to be of service. As their teachings are offered freely, the student's response should also be based on Dana, i.e. generosity that naturally flows from a sense of appreciation of the value of Dharma and gratitude to the living lineage. All Dana collected at the end of retreat will go towards supporting the retreat teachers.. 

Questions?
Please contact Rita at ritaanna727@gmail.com for any logistical questions.

FCM's Days of Mindfulness are offered both In-Person at the Tampa Practice Center and Online. Whether you are a new or experienced meditator, our Days of Mindfulness are an opportunity to support and deepen the practice of mindfulness and meditation, and nourish the seeds of well being, inner peace and openness in our lives.

 

The day will be a chance for all of us to put down the busyness of our lives and to relax, refresh, and renew with the healing energy of mindfulness. The day is an opportunity to experiment with letting go of our stories and dramas about our lives and the world. Instead we will practice simply be present to, and nourished by, our actual experience in the present moment. 

We encourage everyone in the Tampa Bay vicinity to experience the richness of practicing together, in-person in our Meditation Hall. Please familiarize yourself with our FCM Health Protocols and plan to arrive by 8:30 am.

If joining us online, the link to Zoom information will be provided once you register. We provide guidance to help you make the experience at home as close as possible to an experience in the Meditation Hall.

When you register indicate your choice of participation In-Person or Online.  While there is no fee for participation, the traditional practice of Dana (generosity) is appreciated. Please register to receive important information about your In-Person or Online Zoom attendance.  

If you have any questions please contact Rita Cathey at ritaanna727@gmail.com

Dates

Class is Feb 15, 12:30 to 2:00 pm, in person only in Tampa Meditation Hall
Ceremony is March 15, 9:30 to 11:30 am, in person only in Tampa Meditation Hall
Registration Deadline:  February 9
Suitability

FCM members who are interested in learning more about making a formal commitment to follow the Buddhist path of practice.

Description

Since the time of the Buddha, people have expressed their commitment to follow the Buddhist path of practice by taking refuge in the Three Jewels and by receiving transmission of the five Buddhist Precepts or Trainings. Our teacher, Fred, was formally authorized by Thich Nhat Hanh to transmit the Refuges and Trainings.

Fred will be conducting a Transmission Ceremony at the Tampa Practice Center on Sunday morning, March 15, for any FCM members, including teenagers 13 years and older, who wish to formally Take Refuge and receive the Five Mindfulness Trainings. He will also be transmitting the Two Promises for younger children. As Fred believes this is an important step in one’s spiritual development, you must be present in person at the Center in order to take Transmission.

Taking Refuge

Taking Refuge means to take refuge in the Three Jewels—the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. By taking refuge we express our trust in our own capacity to awaken, in the path of practice and mindful living, and in the sangha community to provide a refuge of safety, guidance, and support.

In the Thich Nhat Hanh tradition, this is expressed as:

I take refuge in the Buddha, the one who shows me the way in this life.

I take refuge in the Dharma, the path of understanding and love.

I take refuge in the Sangha, the community that lives in harmony and awareness.

Further information on Taking Refuge can be found on the FCM website under Formally Entering the Path.

The Five Mindfulness Trainings or Precepts

Thich Nhat Hanh has formulated the traditional five Buddhist precepts as The Five Mindfulness Trainings. They provide the basis for living in ways that create happiness and relieve suffering for ourselves and for others. They are not authoritative rules imposed from the outside but rather guidelines for reflecting on our own actions and their consequences in order to live a more consciously aware life. The Five Mindfulness Trainings can be found on the FCM website under Resources.

The Two Promises for Children
The Two Promises are the mindfulness trainings developed by Thich Nhat Hanh for children. Children of FCM members who are in elementary school (grades 1-5) and middle school (grades 6-8) are eligible to receive Transmission of the Two Promises on March 15. If you are interested please contact Karuna by February 7 at Karunaee@gmail.com. The preparation session for Transmission of the Two Promises will take place during the Family Program, and on zoom, if needed. You will find the Two Promises under the Family and Teen Program on our website.

The preparatory class will provide further explanation of the Three Refuges and the Five Mindfulness Trainings, explore ways they can be manifested in our daily lives and offer opportunities for questions and answers. Registering and attending the class does not obligate you to Take Refuge or Transmission.  You are welcome to attend if you are just interested in learning more about these two practices and traditions that are integral to the Buddhist path.

Fees

There is no fee for this class or Ceremony.

Registration Notes

You must register and attend one of the two classes in order to participate in the Transmission Ceremony on March 15.

The ceremony on March 15 will be the only time the Transmission Ceremony will be offered. To receive transmission, you must be present in person at the Tampa Practice Center or on zoom for the ceremony.

Teenagers 13 and older who are children of FCM members are eligible to take the Five Mindfulness Trainings at the same time as the adults. Parents, pleaser register for one of the preparatory classes and put your teen’s name and age in the indicated box in the registration form.

Contacts for More Information

If you have any questions about this Intensive program or whether it is appropriate for you, please contact Diane Powell at diane.powell2010@gmail.com.

Dates

Class is Feb 16, 7:00 to 8:30 pm, online only on Zoom
Ceremony is March 15, 9:30 to 11:30 am, in person only in Tampa Meditation Hall
Registration Deadline:  February 9
Suitability

FCM members who are interested in learning more about making a formal commitment to follow the Buddhist path of practice.

Description

Since the time of the Buddha, people have expressed their commitment to follow the Buddhist path of practice by taking refuge in the Three Jewels and by receiving transmission of the five Buddhist Precepts or Trainings. Our teacher, Fred, was formally authorized by Thich Nhat Hanh to transmit the Refuges and Trainings.

Fred will be conducting a Transmission Ceremony at the Tampa Practice Center on Sunday morning, March 15, for any FCM members, including teenagers 13 years and older, who wish to formally Take Refuge and receive the Five Mindfulness Trainings. He will also be transmitting the Two Promises for younger children. As Fred believes this is an important step in one’s spiritual development, you must be present in person at the Center in order to take Transmission.

Taking Refuge

Taking Refuge means to take refuge in the Three Jewels—the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. By taking refuge we express our trust in our own capacity to awaken, in the path of practice and mindful living, and in the sangha community to provide a refuge of safety, guidance, and support.

In the Thich Nhat Hanh tradition, this is expressed as:

I take refuge in the Buddha, the one who shows me the way in this life.

I take refuge in the Dharma, the path of understanding and love.

I take refuge in the Sangha, the community that lives in harmony and awareness.

Further information on Taking Refuge can be found on the FCM website under Formally Entering the Path.

The Five Mindfulness Trainings or Precepts

Thich Nhat Hanh has formulated the traditional five Buddhist precepts as The Five Mindfulness Trainings. They provide the basis for living in ways that create happiness and relieve suffering for ourselves and for others. They are not authoritative rules imposed from the outside but rather guidelines for reflecting on our own actions and their consequences in order to live a more consciously aware life. The Five Mindfulness Trainings can be found on the FCM website under Resources.

The Two Promises for Children
The Two Promises are the mindfulness trainings developed by Thich Nhat Hanh for children. Children of FCM members who are in elementary school (grades 1-5) and middle school (grades 6-8) are eligible to receive Transmission of the Two Promises on March 15. If you are interested please contact Karuna by February 7 at Karunaee@gmail.com. The preparation session for Transmission of the Two Promises will take place during the Family Program, and on zoom, if needed. You will find the Two Promises under the Family and Teen Program on our website.

The preparatory class will provide further explanation of the Three Refuges and the Five Mindfulness Trainings, explore ways they can be manifested in our daily lives and offer opportunities for questions and answers. Registering and attending the class does not obligate you to Take Refuge or Transmission.  You are welcome to attend if you are just interested in learning more about these two practices and traditions that are integral to the Buddhist path.

Fees

There is no fee for this class or Ceremony.

Registration Notes

You must register and attend one of the two classes in order to participate in the Transmission Ceremony on March 15.

The ceremony on March 15 will be the only time the Transmission Ceremony will be offered. To receive transmission, you must be present in person at the Tampa Practice Center or on zoom for the ceremony.

Teenagers 13 and older who are children of FCM members are eligible to take the Five Mindfulness Trainings at the same time as the adults. Parents, pleaser register for one of the preparatory classes and put your teen’s name and age in the indicated box in the registration form.

Contacts for More Information

If you have any questions about this Intensive program or whether it is appropriate for you, please contact Diane Powell at diane.powell2010@gmail.com.

All are invited to join in community and selfless service this Saturday, February 21, as we come together to continue to cultivate a place of peace and beauty for the benefit of all beings!

We will meet at 8:30 am under the pergola located behind the Meditation Hall to begin the day; if you cannot be there at 8:30 am or need to leave before we end for the day at 11:30 am please do not let that keep you from attending – any amount of service is appreciated!

Please wear work clothes and closed toe shoes and bring work gloves if you have them. Snacks and water will be provided.

In addition, Fred will be offering interviews, a wonderful opportunity to take advantage of! 

We look forward to being with you and getting to know one another in an informal and friendly setting! 

Please familiarize yourself with our FCM Health Protocols.

Many thanks,

The Center Care Team

o   my first choice

o   my second choice

o   could do but not preferred

o   cannot do. 

o   my first choice

o   my second choice

o   could do but not preferred

o   cannot do. 

o   my first choice

o   my second choice

o   could do but not preferred

o   cannot do. 

With Monastics from Blue Cliff Monastery

Dates: February 27 - March 1
Registration Deadline:  January 15

Please note that, due to limited space, registration does NOT guarantee acceptance into the retreat. Participants will be notified of acceptance shortly after the Registration Deadline.

Who Can Attend

All are welcome to attend this retreat, including both members and non-members:

• Parents and caregivers with children ages 6 and above
• Single parents, couples, and families of all backgrounds
• Individuals attending as caregivers or guardians

Please note:

For this retreat, children must be at least 6 years old to participate in the program. Children under age 6 may attend but must be with their parent(s) at all times as there are no group programs or child care for children under 6.

Description

We warmly invite families to join us for a Weekend Family Mindfulness Retreat led by monastics from Blue Cliff Monastery, part of the Plum Village tradition founded by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh.

This retreat offers families an opportunity to slow down, reconnect, and cultivate mindfulness together through daily practices, community activities, and age-appropriate programs. Parents and children will practice both together and separately, learning skills that support harmony, presence, and compassionate communication at home and in daily life.

Retreat Highlights

• Sitting and walking meditation
• Mindful eating and silent meals
• Family mindfulness practices
• Children’s and teen programs with mindful games and activities
• Dharma talks and guided practices by Blue Cliff monastics
• Community sharing, deep listening, and loving speech
• Time for rest, reflection, and joyful connection

What to Expect

• A supportive and welcoming environment for families
• A balance of structured practice and community time
• Guidance from experienced monastics and facilitators
• Practices suitable for beginners and experienced practitioners alike
• Participants are encouraged to attend the full retreat schedule to receive the greatest benefit from the collective practice energy.

Retreat Leaders

Monastics (monks and nuns) from Blue Cliff Monastery

Fees

The fees are as follows:

Overnighters (Lodging at FCM)
$180 per adult
$90 per child/teen ages 6-19
$60 per child under 6*

Commuters (No lodging at FCM)

$140 per adult

$70 per child/teen ages 6-19

No charge for children under 6*

*Important: We want to emphasize again that for this retreat, children must be at least 6 years old to participate in the program. Children under age 6 may attend but must be with their parent(s) at all times as there are no group programs or child care for children under 6.

Retreat Scholarships are available; please click to see FCM’s Retreat Scholarship Policy and for an Application, which needs to be submitted prior to the registration deadline for this retreat.

Retreat Logistics

This retreat is in-person only (either staying overnight or as a commuter) participation at FCM’s Tampa Center. The retreat will begin with orientation at 5:00 pm on Friday, February 27 and ends on Sunday at 9:00 am, March 1. Participation is open to both FCM members and non-members.

Please note: 

• The deadline for registration for this retreat is January 15. 
• We will send a retreat acceptance letter by January 19 with additional information to help you prepare for retreat.
• The full fee will then be due by February 1, otherwise the spot will be given to another applicant.
• Please click here to read FCM's Retreat Cancellation Policy.
• If you are not familiar with our campus, you may enjoy this short video tour.
  
• New to retreating with FCM? Please visit our FAQs page.

The teachings are offered in the Buddhist tradition of Dana, wherein the teachers freely give of themselves to the students out of gratitude for what they’ve received from their teachers and a desire to be of service. The student’s response is also based on Dana, i.e. generosity that naturally flows from a sense of appreciation of the value of Dharma and gratitude to the living lineage. All retreat dana for this retreat will go towards supporting future programs at the FCM center. 

Questions?
For more information about the content and flow of the retreat, please contact Rosy at rosysharma5@gmail.com. Please contact Rita at ritaanna727@gmail.com for any logistical questions.

FCM's Days of Mindfulness are offered both In-Person at the Tampa Practice Center and Online. Whether you are a new or experienced meditator, our Days of Mindfulness are an opportunity to support and deepen the practice of mindfulness and meditation, and nourish the seeds of well being, inner peace and openness in our lives.

 

The day will be a chance for all of us to put down the busyness of our lives and to relax, refresh, and renew with the healing energy of mindfulness. The day is an opportunity to experiment with letting go of our stories and dramas about our lives and the world. Instead we will practice simply be present to, and nourished by, our actual experience in the present moment.

We encourage everyone in the Tampa Bay vicinity to experience the richness of practicing together, in-person in our Meditation Hall. Please familiarize yourself with our FCM Health Protocols and plan to arrive by 8:30 am. Please bring your own vegetarian lunch. Water and tea will be provided.

If joining us online, the link to Zoom information will be provided once you register. We provide guidance to help you make the experience at home as close as possible to an experience in the Meditation Hall.

When you register indicate your choice of participation In-Person or Online.  While there is no fee for participation, the traditional practice of Dana (generosity) is appreciated. Please register to receive important information about your In-Person or Online Zoom attendance.  

If you have any questions please contact Rita Cathey at ritaanna727@gmail.com.

Please join member and ecologist Dani Hall for a nature walk. This is a wonderful opportunity for FCM members (and their guests!) to socialize with others and build community connections. 

Event Details

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Lunch & Amenities

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Preparation Checklist

​To ensure a comfortable experience, please bring:

​

Note: Upper Tampa Bay Park has a small entry fee of $2 per vehicle (up to 8 people).

Dani Hall joined the Florida Community of Mindfulness in 2019 and embraced the Five Mindfulness Trainings in 2021. As an Order of Interbeing (OI) aspirant and Selfless Service Coordinator, Dani actively integrates mindfulness into daily life. With passions for regenerative gardening, creating Florida native wildlife habitats, and developing food forests, Dani embodies a deep commitment to spiritual growth, environmental stewardship, and mindful living. More information about Dani Hall can be found at her website: www.peacefulbirdgarden.org

 

Join us for a Transmission Reception after Sangha, Sunday, March 15, 2026 at 12:00 p.m., to recognize and celebrate Florida Community of Mindfulness (FCM) members who will be receiving transmission. This reception is for all FCM members, those receiving transmission, plus guests that want to stay for lunch and celebrate this special occasion.  

We will be serving vegan pizza, veggies, and hummus. Your registration helps us provide an adequate amount of food for everyone. Please register yourself and guests for the reception portion of the day. We look forward to sharing this time together. Dana is always appreciated. 

Registration closes March 9.