with Caverly Morgan and Barnaby Willett
Together we’ll explore the leading edge of mindfulness education. Amidst structural oppression, systemic trauma, and mass unconsciousness, how can authentic mindfulness contribute to ending suffering and creating possibility?
In the face of such individual and collective challenge, we’re called to go deeper than Mindfulness 101 — beyond tools and practices that simply rearrange the deckchairs on the Titanic.
What if there was a paradigm that addressed the scale and depths of the challenges we face comprehensively? That paradigm is inherent well-being.
Inherent well-being is aligned with the leading edges of health science, the depths of contemplative practice, and the truth of our direct experience.
What does that look like in practice? It starts with embodied mindfulness. It’s the recognition of our inherent capacity to direct our attention. It’s the awareness of the our biases, conditioning, and self-talk. It’s the practice of compassion, gratitude, and acceptance.
With these practices we become familiar with the nature of our being. And as we become familiar, we can open to the possibility that our nature is inherent wholeness, freedom, and awareness. Recognizing inherent well-being is a game changer individually and collectively.
In this workshop, you’ll explore inherent well-being from the perspectives of science, health, and contemplative practice. You’ll also be guided through exercises intended to offer a direct experience of inherent well-being. You’ll have an opportunity for personal reflection through journaling, and to participate in open discussion as a group.
Peace in Schools has a unique vantage point in seeing how mindfulness education will unfold in the years to come. We’ll be sharing our insights, innovations, and addressing the obstacles to advancing the field.
Caverly Morgan is a meditation teacher, change-maker, nonprofit leader and public speaker. She is the Founder, Executive Director and Head Teacher of Peace in Schools — the nation’s first for-credit mindfulness class as a secular program in high schools pioneering new depths in mindfulness education, based in Portland, Oregon. Her personal mindfulness practice began in 1995 and has included eight years spent in a silent monastery. She has been teaching contemplative practice since 2001 with the aim of igniting personal transformation and collective awakening.Prior to her pioneering efforts with Peace in Schools, Caverly formerly worked for nonprofits serving people with special needs. An artist and educator, she brings insight, passion, warmth and humor to her transformative work with students of all ages and experience levels. Caverly speaks publicly at conferences on topics including contemplative practice, social entrepreneurship, authentic leadership, and mindfulness education, and has been featured in publications such as Mindful magazine and the New York Times. Caverly leads meditation retreats, workshops, and classes around the United States. She offers personal consultations in-person and on Skype. She is dedicated to actualizing possibility, serving love, and embodying the truth of interconnection.
Barnaby Willett is Director of Program Development at Peace in Schools. He works with our innovative team to develop strategy, partnerships, and research. Barnaby believes that scaling depth in mindfulness education is essential for creating trauma-informed, equitable schools. He is passionate about collaborating with health science leaders to expand the vision for well-being in schools.
Barnaby has helped grow Peace in Schools to be a national leader in mindfulness education. Teaching for Peace in Schools, he has logged more than 1,000 hours of classroom time. He is a trainer for our educator courses and advises on our evolving teen and adult curriculums.
Barnaby began mindfulness practice in 1994. He also serves as a teacher on iBme teen mindfulness retreats. He is certified in the Mindfulness-Based Substance Abuse Treatment for Adolescents (MBSAT).
Barnaby holds a BA in English from Pomona College.