Take a mid-week break or start your weekend with a meditation session at VMFA. Join us this summer for hour-long meditation sessions guided by guest teachers from the local community. All are welcome, from beginner to advanced practitioners. This series is designed to complement our special exhibition, Awaken: A Tibetan Buddhist Journey towards Enlightenment.
All sessions are free and open to the public, tickets are required.
Please note, you may not be permitted to enter ten minutes after the session begins to prevent disruption.
Save the dates! All sessions run from 11 am–noon
Wed, May 22 – Philip and Kay Davidson
Philip Davidson, PhD, is a mindfulness teacher and coach. Over the past 7 years he has led mindfulness practice groups and introduced mindfulness in several local businesses and health care organizations. In his role as a member of the faculty at the Innerwork Center he co-facilitated its Spiritual Paths program three times and is currently co-facilitating a Mindfulness Teacher Training Program.
Kay Davidson, PhD, is a retired clinical psychologist and longtime mindfulness coach, mentor, and teacher and offers many classes, practice groups, workshops and retreats in the RVA area. Currently, she is co-facilitating the Innerwork Center Mindfulness Teacher Training program along with her husband Philip. She also serves on the Innerwork Center Faculty and is a past board member.
Wed, Jun 5 – John Taylor
John Taylor coordinates programming efforts in the National office of Initiatives of Change, an eighty-year-old, spiritually centered, peacemaking organization that is active in over 47 countries. John has practiced Reiki, Quantum Touch and other hands on healing modalities for over 30 years and is a graduate of the Innerwork Center’s six month Spiritual Paths program. His MBSR teacher training is through the University of California, San Diego.
Wed, Jun 19 – Jacquelyn Pogue
Jacquelyn Pogue is a retired psychotherapist, university teacher and organizational consultant. She has been a meditation teacher and leader of spiritual retreats for 40 years. Currently she is Founding Director of Richmond Action Dialogues, producer of documentary films, and public speaker.
Sat, Jun 29 – Marsha Olander*
Marsha has a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Development and began her study and practice of yoga and meditation in 1996. In addition, she has completed MBSR, Mindful School’s Curriculum Training, and the Yearlong Professional Development Program with Susan Kaiser Greenland, (author of ‘The Mindful Child’ and founder of ‘The Inner Kids Foundation’). Most recently Marsha spent four years teaching an ‘in school’, bi-weekly curriculum of Mindfulness Meditation and Social Emotional Learning to 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders.
*This session is designed for youth ages 8 – 10 years old. All children must be accompanied by an adult.
Wed, July 10 – Susan Wilkes
Susan Brock Wilkes, PhD, is an organizational psychologist, university professor, and award- winning instructor. She has trained extensively in the evidence-based mindfulness programs that incorporate Buddhist philosophy with contemporary science. An independent consultant, Susan has presented nationally and for a variety of local nonprofit and faith-based organizations. Active in the community, she is currently on the board of Health Brigade, the local charitable clinic, and a co-founder of Impact100.
Sat, July 20 – Pat Buxton
Pat Buxton, B.A., M.A., MSW, has devoted her professional career to the mind body connection and the healing process through both her formal biopsychosocial training and own personal search of over 50 years through her meditative practice. The focus of her work, which is also her passion, is to guide her students to take their meditation practice off the cushion and into life. Three years ago Pat’s students founded Spring Brook Sangha which is a community devoted to the clarification of one’s purpose in this life.