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About the Founders We share a deep appreciation for the interweaving of meditation and psychotherapy in our personal journeys and in our work with others. For 15 years, we have been teaching and leading retreats for mental health professionals and more recently, for couples as well. We share a deep appreciation for the interweaving of meditation and psychotherapy in our personal journeys and in our work with others. We are board members and faculty for the Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy, a non-profit organization which offers seminars, courses, retreats, and a certificate program for mental health professionals . We are also contributing authors to Mindfulness and Psychotherapy - Second Edition, a book that gives clinicians and students an introduction to mindfulness and it's clinical applications. Susan T. Morgan, MSN, RN, CS At 4 years old I saw starving children from Ethiopia on TV and cried. As a teen, I wanted to work with Mother Teresa. When I was 21, my mother died propelling me further into existential questioning. From these early experiences, the heart and mind found expression as a Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Specialist. Curiosity led to practicing in a diversity of settings and populations—homeless shelters, community clinics, psychiatric hospitals, research clinics, college mental health, Pervasive Developmental Disorders, artists and writers, undergraduate and graduate students, ordinary folk, and couples. These days, I am drawn to work with therapists and caregivers seeking to deepen their own meditation practice and therapeutic presence. It is a joy and a privilege to work with those interested in growing at the edges of their comfort zone. In 1992, the heart and mind found a new avenue of expression. I began practicing in Zen and Vipassana traditions, and more recently, Tibetan practices. In December 2013, I completed a four-year silent meditation retreat at the Forest Refuge in Barre, MA. It is my deepest joy to practice the dharma and to share that practice with those who are interested. Loving-kindness and mindfulness of the body are two themes that have emerged as pivotal in both my personal practice and my teaching. William D. Morgan, PsyD The first wave of Buddhist meditation came to our shores while I was an undergraduate at Tufts University in the early ’70s. I majored in Eastern religion at Tufts and was drawn to meditation immediately. When I was 19, my father died propelling me toward a deeper search for meaning. I took a year sabbatical after my sophomore year and spent six months in a Trappist monastery. I spent the following summer at Mt. Baldy Zen Center in California and lived at Chogyam Trungpa’s Tibetan center in Boston upon graduating in 1975. I then gravitated toward vipassana practice and did three 3-month courses at the Insight Meditation Society with Joseph Goldstein. Following this , I earned my Psy.D. and began a private practice in Cambridge and Quincy. I have led retreats and taught meditation since 1984, and particularly enjoy working with people to incorporate meditation into their lives in a personally meaningful and enlivening way. With Susan, I completed a 4-year retreat at the Forest Refuge in December, 2013. In November 2009, Bill and Susan Morgan began what would become a four-year silent meditation retreat at the Forest Refuge, the Insight Meditation Society's center for experienced meditators seeking longer-term retreat practice. Bill and Susan were interviewed about their experience by John Spaulding of the Insight Meditation Society . Watch the first episode below. You can also watch the entire series on videopart1 A 4-Year Silent Meditation Retreat, Pt. 1: How It Began Play Video

Daily Reflection Sit Join us daily at 12:00 PM (Eastern) The Seven Factors of Awakening: Concentration The Daily Sit Categories THE SEVEN FACTORS OF AWAKENING: CONCENTR... Play Video Play Video 37:47 2025 February 26 : Concentration Using a Metta Body Scan When developing concentration, we engage caring attention in the act of tracking by bringing attention to different areas of the body without analyzing what sensations are present. Instead we simply notice or track the placement of attention and offering the body part metta or lovingkindness. Play Video Play Video 38:22 2025 February 24 : Good Food for the Busy Mind Mantras are phrases, words, or sounds repeated silently or chanted out loud, to collect, calm and focus the mind on one object. Metta phrases are a type of mantra that encourage goodwill. Uniting the breath and metta phrases support the heart & mind to unify and be at ease. Play Video Play Video 38:18 2025 February 19 : Reviewing the Central Importance of Concentration Deeper insight will not arise without it. Play Video Play Video 37:48 2025 February 17 : Momentary Concentration: Khanika Samadhi Continuity of mindful attention from one moment to the next on more than one object; Following the bouncing ball of the mind without distraction. Play Video Play Video 37:57 2025 February 12 : Developing the Staying Power of Calm It is helpful to focus attention on neutral objects such as the breath or sounds. These don’t disturb and agitate the heartmind, making it easier to stay in a calm zone. Play Video Play Video 38:15 2025 February 10 : Concentration & the Holding Environment The Holding Environment, the opening posture for mindfulness meditation practice, is an embodied manifestation of concentration. Every time we set up the practice or reconstitute this foundational posture, we strengthen the skill of concentration. Play Video Play Video 36:52 2025 February 05 : Important Qualities that Help in the Development of Concentration Patience and Inner Compassion, not Striving! Play Video Play Video 37:42 2025 February 03 : Significance of Concentration Explaining the high correlation between the level of concentration and depth of insight.

Daily Reflection Sit Join us daily at 12:00 PM (Eastern) The Holding Environment: Breath Daily Sit Categories THE HOLDING ENVIRONMENT: BREATH Play Video Play Video 39:05 2020 December 01: Softening up the Breath Play, change it up, create it to be comfortable. Play Video Play Video 37:54 2020 September 17: The Holding Environment: Getting up close to the Breath The breath is Neutral object that we can rest attention on and regulate the system with. Play Video Play Video 38:09 2020 September 15: The Yin and Yang Orientations to the Breath Finding balance between receptivity and agency. Play Video Play Video 38:40 2020 September 14: Enlivening the Breath Bringing heartfelt attention to the breath Play Video Play Video 39:01 2020 May 13: Let the Breath Help You How does the breath want to breathe to re-establish calm stability? Play Video Play Video 39:16 2020 April 23: Blow Life Into Your Wind Instrument This is a wind instrument we have here. Blow life into it! Who else is going to? Play with modulating the breath to bring body-heartmind into ease and harmony. Play Video Play Video 39:37 2020 April 21: Befriending the Breath Get to know the breath. Check in. How does it FEEL right now?

Daily Reflection Sit Join us daily at 12:00 PM (Eastern) The Holding Environment: The Body THE HOLDING ENVIRONMENT: BODY Play Video Play Video 2020 November 30: Warming up the Body The body is the container for practice. With caring attention, open it up, settle into a comfortable, and establish a stable (grounded) and aligned posture. Play Video Play Video 44:58 2020 October 30: The Body You Inhabit is a Holding Environment Kindly and wisely, tend to your inner environment as though you were your guest Play Video Play Video 37:51 2020 September 10: The Physical Holding Environment: Taking Our Seat Pointers for feeling into how to support “your” body Play Video Play Video 37:55 2020 September 08: The Holding Environment: Optimizing the Conditions Make physical room and space. Play Video Play Video 38:21 2020 September 03: The Holding Environment, Dharmically Take your time. Set up the posture of the practice. Keep checking in on it. Play Video Play Video 37:40 2020 September 01: The Holding Environment a la Winnicott Attending with care, as a mother with her child. Play Video Play Video 39:35 2020 May 12: Settling Back Inviting a receptive posture in practice. Play Video Play Video 38:09 2020 May 11: Befriending the Pain We Carry In Our Bodies. SEE, FEEL, & DISCERN experientially Holding and Being Held. Play Video Play Video 40:07 2020 April 09: Befriending the Body Let go of as much tension as is possible, many times during the day. Shake it off. That is a compassionate act.

Daily Reflection Sit Join us daily at 12:00 PM (Eastern) The Holding Environment: The Mind THE HOLDING ENVIRONMENT: MIND Play Video Play Video 44:58 2020 October 30: The Body You Inhabit is a Holding Environment Kindly and wisely, tend to your inner environment as though you were your guest Play Video Play Video 39:15 2020 October 29: Our Home as Holding Environment "Inside the chaos, build a temple of love”… Rune Lazuli Can you still build a welcoming “home” in the midst of chaos? Play Video Play Video 2020 October 27: The Architecture of Your Practice If the foundation is weak, the structure is vulnerable. Setting up the body for practice and tethering to the here and now. Play Video Play Video 2020 October 26: “Geborgenheit”: Inner Well Being and Outer Protection How useful is it to be following the threads of the various energies in our outer world? Play Video Play Video 39:14 2020 October 22: The Choice to Return to the Present Moment It’s the willingness to return to the present moment that becomes the most important moment. Play Video Play Video 2020 October 20: The Job of the Meditator We arrive to meditation in our own little universe. Noticing when we slide into our “self” view and shifting back into mindful posture Play Video Play Video 2020 October 19: Thought… Not the Only Show in Town Learning how to not get pulled into the narrative that creates dis-ease. Play Video Play Video 38:52 2020 May 04: Briefly Acknowledging Afflictive Mind States No need to add aversion to the challenging moment; simply return to the present kindly. Play Video Play Video 2020 April 20: Inviting Wonder We may not be able to be ‘a bride married to amazement’, but let’s remember the ordinary miracle of being here when returning to the breath. Play Video Play Video 2020 April 16: Interest is the Mother of the Settled Mind Practicing ‘as if’ the breath were compelling. Play Video Play Video 2020 April 12: Self Compassion Reflecting on your fundamental goodness. Play Video Play Video 40:19 2020 April 11: Sati: Remembering to bring mindfulness to mind Take an ordinary mundane task and do as you normally would, then try doing it from a posture of mindful caring attention. See the difference for yourself!

Daily Reflection Sit Join us daily at 12:00 PM (Eastern) The Holding Environment: The Heart THE HOLDING ENVIRONMENT: HEART Play Video Play Video 38:48 2020 October 15: The Holding Environment: Getting a feel for the heart How does it feel inside? How can you be responsive? Explore! Be curious. Play Video Play Video 38:37 2020 October 12: The Holding Environment: Inviting Play Inviting the child within through visualization. Play Video Play Video 38:10 2020 October 08: The Holding Environment: Chanting Consider a chant to uplift the heart. Play Video Play Video 37:40 2020 October 06: The Holding Environment: The Dharmic roots of the Heart Friendliness, Compassion, Joy, Equanimity Play Video Play Video 38:02 2020 October 05: The Holding Environment: Inviting Playfulness Bringing childlike energy; ‘noodling around’. Play Video Play Video 39:11 2020 December 02: Tenderizing the Heart Kindle the ATTITUDE of kindness and care. Invite the heart into your practice, at the beginning and while you are practicing. This is the atmosphere we want to practice out of! Play Video Play Video 38:16 2020 October 01: The Holding Environment: Holding and Being Held Feel into each of these two aspects of the holding environment. What needs holding? How can we hold what needs holding? Play Video Play Video 37:13 2020 September 29: The Heart of the Holding Environment - The ground of friendliness Ahimsa, non-harm is the ground of friendliness Play Video Play Video 38:15 2020 September 28: Inviting Wonder into the Inner Holding Environment Bringing forth images of wonder from past experience Play Video Play Video 2020 September 24: The Holding Environment: The language of the heart The heart senses and communicates symbolically. What stokes the heart’s warmth, care, and kindness? Play Video Play Video 37:42 2020 September 22: Softening the Attitude and Inviting Gratitude Using memory image to invoke gratitude in meditation. Play Video Play Video 37:55 2020 September 21: The Importance of Heart in the Practice First see where we contract and not further reinforce it. Play Video Play Video 38:40 2020 September 14: Enlivening the Breath Bringing heartfelt attention to the breath Play Video Play Video 37:46 2020 July 30: Mindfulness is a Heart Training The heart regulates our interest in our world. Mindfulness meditation trains us in holding interest. Play Video Play Video 2020 July 19: Chanting Can Uplift the Heart Another way to cultivate the internal holding environment; a personal example. Load More

Daily Reflection & Sit Join us daily at 12:00 PM(Eastern) Daily Sit Categories Click on any of the squares below to dive deeper into each topic. Meditation Preparation The Holding Environment: Body The Four Noble Truths Panna Brahmaviharas The Paramis: Sila (Mortality) The Paramis: Viriya (Energy) The Paramis: Adhitthana (Resolution) The Seven Factors of Awakening: Overview The Seven Factors of Awakening: Energy The Seven Factors of Awakening: Concentration 2020 Meditating in the Time of the Coronavirus The Holding Environment: Overview The Holding Environment: Heart Sila The Three Characters of Existence: Anicca, Dukkha/Sukha, Anatta The Paramis: Overview The Paramis: Nekkhamma (Renunciation) The Paramis: Khanti (Patience) The Paramis: Metta (Lovingkindness) The Seven Factors of Awakening: Mindfulness The Seven Factors of Awakening: Joy The Seven Factors of Awakening: Equanimity The Holding Environment: Breath The Holding Environment: Mind Samadhi The Eight Worldly Winds The Paramis: Dana (Generosity) The Paramis: Panna (Wisdom) The Paramis: Sacca (Truthfulness) The Paramis: Upekkha (Equanimity) The Seven Factors of Awakening: Investigation The Five Daily Reflections The Seven Factors of Awakening: Equanimity

Daily Reflection Sit Join us daily at 12:00 PM (Eastern) The Seven Factors of Awakening: Equanimity The Daily Sit Categories THE SEVEN FACTORS OF AWAKENING: EQUANIMI... Play Video Play Video 37:09 2025 October 29: FEEL the Flexible Stability of Equanimity Each time Mindfulness “wakes up” in the middle of a story, Take a Breath—Let go of the story—Come back inside—Let the dust settle & come back to center. Repeat often. This rebalancing conditions equanimity to arise. Play Video Play Video 39:41 2025 October 27: Etymology of Equanimity in Latin and Pali Neither aloof nor overly invested. Play Video Play Video 38:48 2025 October 22: The Winds Help Our Equanimity Strengthen Seeing how the winds of change actually help us strengthen our roots, like trees. Play Video Play Video 38:46 2025 October 20: Finding Equanimity In the Midst of Uncertainty The gift of not knowing. Strengthening our ability to be steady no matter what arises. Play Video Play Video 37:07 2025 October 15: Equanimity: Growing Sea Legs Equanimity is best entrained in stormy seas! Play Video Play Video 37:48 2025 October 13: First Step Toward Equanimity Don’t step on things, or reject ,or turn away. Play Video Play Video 39:38 2025 October 08: Equanimity: Feeling More, Not Less How equanimity adds wisdom and builds on and expands on Metta, Karuna and Mudita Play Video Play Video 38:06 2025 October 06: Equanimity in the Midst of Turbulence We can’t control the winds but our practice and training teach us how to adjust our sails. Play Video Play Video 39:10 2025 October 01: The Holding Environment and the Brahmaviharas Weaving the BVs into our inner holding environment, with special attention to equanimity, our focus for the next month. Play Video Play Video 39:02 2025 March 31 : Shifting Out of the Good/Bad Binary Seeing that all human beings have the potential, in any moment, to act from greed, hatred and delusion, or from wisdom and compassion. Can we take responsibility for our unskillful actions and learn from them, and deepen our commitment to non-harm? Play Video Play Video 38:20 2025 March 26 : A Prayer of Equanimity This meditation is shared as a support for reflection Play Video Play Video 37:25 2025 March 24 : Supports We Can Use to Orient Ourselves Towards Equanimity With an example of how equanimity can hold us when we are feeling less than perfect. Play Video Play Video 39:10 2025 March 19 : Making Equanimity Manageable Exploring small ways we encounter equanimity in or everyday lives and appreciating how we are already cultivating equanimity alone and together. Play Video Play Video 38:50 2025 March 17 : Equanimity as a Relationship of Wisdom Equanimity knows that the nature of all conditioned phenomena is the same, which allows us to be less attached to how things are moment to moment. We can learn from noticing our resistance to how things are. Play Video Play Video 38:15 2025 March 12 : Equanimity is a Felt Experience Recognizing when equanimity is there and when it’s not so we can be mindful of it, celebrate it, or practice “ground, breathe, settle, soothe’ to balance. Load More