Exploring the Tree of Contemplative Practices - October 1

5738 Forbes Ave.,Pittsburgh PA 15217

01 October, 2022

Description

We are pleased to present the onset of Awaken Pittsburgh’s Exploring the Tree of Contemplative Practice series. This series draws inspiration from Tree of Contemplative Practices graphic from the Center for Contemplative Mind and Society which we reference in our core trainings. Over the next seven months we will partner with community practitioners to offer a workshop on each of the 7 ‘branches’: Ritual/Cyclical, Stillness, Relational, Movement, Generative, Active and Creative. On October 1, from 10:00 AM – Noon we begin this journey with the “Ritual/Cyclical” branch, specifically looking at Establishing a sacred/personal space.Fitzugh Shaw will guide us in exploring this topic. Together we will consider questions such as “How do we begin to practice?” and “How do we create a space that holds our spiritual work, our everyday lives, and all that we are?” In this time together we will discuss topics such as protection, resourcing, invitation, and reflecting on our motivations in order to best support our work. This series is an opportunity for folks who are interested in Mindfulness to widen their range of practice experiences and to deepen relationships with one another. The Exploring the Tree of Contemplative Practice series will run on the first Saturday of each month from October - May. Mark your calendars for upcoming sessions. About our presenter:Fitzhugh Shaw lives uphill from Andrew Carnegie’s first steel mill in Braddock, Pennsylvania, with his wife and kid. He’s a white descendant of Chickasaw and Scottish ancestors. He’s an urban farmer engaged in food justice, soil-building, and land healing. He’s also an ancestor-wrangler, writer, artist, and frequent napper. He takes care of a dog, a cat, a school of catfish, two humans, and a lot of plant people. In his scholarship, Fitzhugh explores intersections between peoples’ histories, ritual practice, political movements, and food systems. In his fiction, he dreams histories of a liberatory future. His art practice wonders about the kinds of listening that are possible when we release our purity and security blankets. He is curious about the rituals of his ancestors and how to mix their wisdom with Buddhist wisdom without tokenizing either. Currently, he manages a large, urban market garden for a Black-led, Black-serving non-profit in Pittsburgh through which he teaches agriculture and food literacy. He sometimes writes at foodpower.site.