Resources

Meditation teacher extraordinaire, Tara is psychologist and the author of many wonderful and truly helpful books. As her website says, her teaching blends Western psychology and Eastern spiritual practices, mindful attention to our inner life, and a full, compassionate engagement with our world. She is the Founder of the Insight Meditation Community of Washington, DC. You can access all of her Dharma talks and meditations, as well as other helpful information on her personal site as well as the IMCW site

As his website explains, Jack Kornfield trained as a Buddhist monk in the monasteries of Thailand, India, and Burma. He has taught meditation internationally since 1974 and is one of the key teachers to introduce Buddhist mindfulness practice to the West. Jack & Tara have partnered on a variety of initiatives to spread wellbeing and compassion around the world. He has written many wonderful books about mindfulness and meditation, and he is the founding teacher of the Spirit Rock Meditation Center in West Marin County, California

Sharon is a wonderful author, sharing her story of how lovingkindness meditation and vipassana practices have changed her life. In 1976, she established the Insight Meditation Society (IMS) in Barre, Massachusetts, together with Joseph Goldstein and Jack Kornfield.

A global spiritual leader, mindfulness practitioner and teacher, and author of over 100 books, this amazing being has touched the world in wonderful and lasting ways. This YouTube Link takes you to a video about his life. There are many other sources of information -a YouTube Channel features some of his lectures and teachings, as does his Facebook Page and the Plum Village website. His writing is crisp, clear, and easy to understand.

(University of Massachusetts) – Founded by Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D., a scientist, writer, and meditation teacher who works to bring mindfulness into the mainstream of medicine and society. He created the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) clinic, which has grown into an international program helping people work through the stress in their lives.

Learn about your 24-character strengths, and how you can feel more authentic and engaged in life. The science behind the development of the survey is really cool. Take the free assessment and start focusing on what is “strong” in you today! There are lots of great resources on this site. Ryan M. Niemiec, PsyD, is author or co-author of nine books. A psychologist and international speaker, Dr. Niemiec created the Mindfulness-Based Strengths Practice (MBSP) class and he is the Education Director of the VIA Institute. Good stuff!

Dr. Brewer is a psychiatrist and neuroscientist He studies the neural mechanisms of mindfulness using standard and real-time fMRI; his findings have formed the basis of programs to treat addictions and change habits. His books – The Craving Mind and Unwinding Anxiety – are well worth reading.

Dr. Dan Siegel is a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the UCLA School of Medicine and the founding co-director of the Mindful Awareness Research Center at UCLA. His books are wonderful, and he explains complex ideas in a clear and concise way. He combines what he calls Interpersonal Neurobiology with meditation and mindfulness – and it’s awesome!

Oh my goodness! I am honored to be “spot-lit” by the Wholebeing Institute! I am so grateful for the education and support I received from this wonderful organization! Their Certification in Positive Psychology course was influential in my decision to start Why Not Sprout?!

Dr. Ben-Shahar taught the first-ever class on Happiness at Harvard. He was one of my instructors and has several wonderful books about positive psychology and how to be happier in your life. He is also a teacher at the Happiness Studies Academy. One of my favorite videos from Tal is The Hamburger Model of Happiness. Enjoy!

Established by Tal Ben-Shahar, Ph.D., HAS offers educational opportunities in positive psychology.

Dr. Seligman is credited with being the “father” of positive psychology. He’s the Director of the Penn Positive Psychology Center and a Zellerbach Family Professor of Psychology in the Penn Department of Psychology. He is also Director of the Penn Master of Applied Positive Psychology program (MAPP). Here’s a link to his 2013 Ted Talk. And here’s a link to his talk about Positive Psychology in a Pandemic from January 2021.

A peace education organization dedicated to preserving, portraying, and continuing the work of Marshall Rosenberg as a key to creating a more compassionate and sustainable world. I have participated in a number of their programs, and highly recommend this organization to anyone who would like to learn a healthy way to “be” in the world.

Holistic care for your hair! These wonderful holistic stylists really are “dedicated to practicing our art eco-consciously and therefore work with products that utilize the most organic, sustainable & bio-dynamic methods the industry offers” – just as they say in their mission statement! Reach out to Sara Scarborough (the owner and stylist extraordinaire) through their website for more info.

Ceremonial Sound Baths, Yin Yoga, Retreats, Poetry, and other holistic healing modalities. Jen is a wonderful, soulful human with an empathic, healing presence.  Along with her yoga, Reiki and sound healing training certifications and experience, she has served as a nurse in memory support, long-term care, acute care, oncology, and end-of-life facilitations (in home or hospital). And she is a self-published poet as well!

Diane has extended her love of yoga and teaching, completing an additional 800 hours in training to qualify as a yoga therapist. She is particularly interested in yoga therapy for pain. She calls her approach a “biopsychosocialspiritual modality” and she truly embodies everything she teaches. A cancer survivor herself, she is a member of the Unite for HER Provider Network. You can read more about Diane on her website (linked to her name above) or by visiting the Pain Care Collective where she also offers her caring presence.

You might notice the link takes you to Root and Form, owned by a human who share’s the Scarborough name! Yes, they are related. Scroll down the page linked to Lisa’s name and you’ll find a short bio.  On the Services tab, you’ll see a partial list of some of Lisa’s offerings.  Her passion is centered on the using yoga and its ancient sister science, Ayurveda, to help her clients find balance and alignment. You can connect with Lisa directly through her email lmscarborough1@gmail.com or texting her cell phone 215.869.4097. She was kind enough to allow us to publish her contact information for humans genuinely interested in her services; please use her contact information respectfully.

In my humble opinion, this is the best place in the Skippack area if you are looking to transform your physical body! I have personally trained and cycled with Regina (the wonderful founder and owner), Mark, and Alena, and I can vouch for their skills, knowledge, and passion for their work. I am certain that the other trainers are just as competent! They have a very holistic approach to fitness, health, and wellness – they see you as a “whole” person and they always go above and beyond what you would expect.  This is not a gym – it is a real community!

Great article from Forbes magazine about WHY working with your breath helps you calm down. We’ve had the key to being calm under our nose all along!