Each month, we invite the teachers at WITHIN to offer wisdom and inspiration around a particular topic. In May, we’re talking about thoughts and beliefs: how they shape the way we see ourselves and the world, and how we can question and shift them.
On May 9th, three of our teachers will get together for an informal conversation on Zoom exploring this month’s theme: Shira Appell, Kim Nicol and Jonathan Borella. Whether you join them live 10-11am PDT / 1-2pm EDT, or listen to the recording afterwards, you’re sure to get a variety of perspectives and ideas to nourish your meditation practice.
Anyone can submit a question ahead of time for the teachers - just fill out this quick form. We also welcome your questions live! Please note, during the conversation we will record both the questions submitted and the responses from the teachers. If you’d prefer that we not mention your name, be sure to indicate that on the form or when you type your question in the Zoom chat.
This conversation will be held online via Zoom; the link will be provided to you via email when you register. Registration is $10.
If you’re a WITHIN Member, this is included in your membership - email us for the promo code!
Shira Appell
Shira Appell began as a practitioner of Vipassana (Insight Meditation) alongside her Yoga Asana practice in 2014. She struggled with anxiety and self-critical thoughts most of her life. Through meditation, she found clarity of awareness, and a connection to an inner guiding wisdom. Meditation helped her to find herself again, and she decided to follow her heart and leave her tech job to become a Psychotherapist. Shira now offers mindfulness and self-compassion-based meditation to clients as a part of her Psychotherapy practice at the Marina Counseling Center in San Francisco.
Shira also teaches Mat Pilates, and loves to integrate somatic body awareness into her meditation practices. Shira found self compassion meditation through Kristin Neff and Tara Brach’s work, which helped her quiet her own inner critic. She also focuses her work on those suffering from chronic pain and illness, something she has experienced since childhood. She loves to explore how the body manifests pain and uses meditation to soften the suffering by learning to be with it in loving ways. She loves guiding students to bring awareness to the fear, judgment and analysis and drop deeper into trusting themselves.
Kim Nicol
Kim Nicol is a meditation teacher and certified life coach. She helps her clients define and achieve success on their own terms, with lots of self-compassion along the way. Kim is known for her calming energy and has led mindfulness workshops for many companies. She is a former lawyer.
Learn more at https://kimnicol.com
Jonathan Borella
Suffering shared is half the suffering. Joy shared is twice the joy. Jonathan Borella is inspired by sharing mindfulness practices with people seeking to develop their innate resilience and live integrated lives with kindness and wisdom.
Jonathan was ordained by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh into the Order of Interbeing in 2013. In his 15 years of practice, he has been a community builder for local Sanghas, organized monastic tours, offered practices and teaching at several monasteries and practice centers around the U.S. and Vietnam, and created mindfulness programs for college students, teens, families in crisis, prisoners, social workers, and corporate employees.
Following a year long training at Deer Park Monastery, Jonathan moved to Ukiah, California to start the Sugarplum Sangha, a residential mindfulness community that offers daily meditation sessions and retreats on campus and online. Jonathan's favorite mindfulness practices are pottery, tea, aikido, and eating.