Events + Workshops
Upcoming Offerings
Past Offerings
Multiple DatesTue, May 24May 24, 2022, 12:30 PM – 1:00 PM PDTWelcome Dome at Pioneer Square, 701 SW 6th Ave, Portland, OR 97205, USA
RSVP ClosedSat, Dec 18Dec 18, 2021, 10:00 AM – 11:15 AM PSTLive via Zoom ~ FREE Event ~ BIPOC OnlyDec 18, 2021, 10:00 AM – 11:15 AM PSTLive via Zoom ~ FREE Event ~ BIPOC OnlyDecember Theme: Gratitude Join Kary Youman and fellow community members every 3rd Saturday! These monthly talks offer a brave space for the BIPOC community to come together, have meaningful conversations, and support healing.
RSVP ClosedSat, Nov 20Nov 20, 2021, 10:00 AM – 11:15 AM PSTLive via Zoom ~ FREE Event ~ BIPOC OnlyNov 20, 2021, 10:00 AM – 11:15 AM PSTLive via Zoom ~ FREE Event ~ BIPOC OnlyNovember Theme: Religion/Spirituality Join Kary Youman and fellow community members every 3rd Saturday! These monthly talks offer a brave space for the BIPOC community to come together, have meaningful conversations, and support healing.
RSVP ClosedThu, Nov 18Nov 18, 2021, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM PSTZoom ~ Suggested Donation $20Nov 18, 2021, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM PSTZoom ~ Suggested Donation $20Join Andrea Tomasi and the Pause Community for a very special full moon meditation + sound experience! The session will begin with a grounding guided meditation, followed by an immersion into a beautiful, heart-opening 30-minute sound journey of Andrea's new album Into the Mystery.
RSVP ClosedSat, Oct 30Oct 30, 2021, 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM PDTZoom ~ $20 or FREE for Pause MembersOct 30, 2021, 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM PDTZoom ~ $20 or FREE for Pause MembersFinishing our 2021 Seasonal Alignment series, Christopher Miller engages us with the wisdom and practices of Autumn. **Can't make it to the live workshop? No worries – we're recording it. Sign up to gain access to the recording.**
RSVP ClosedSun, Oct 17Oct 17, 2021, 10:00 AM – 11:15 AM PDTLive via Zoom ~ FREE Event ~ BIPOC OnlyOct 17, 2021, 10:00 AM – 11:15 AM PDTLive via Zoom ~ FREE Event ~ BIPOC OnlyOctober Theme: Fear & Death Join Kary Youman and fellow community members every 3rd Saturday! These monthly talks offer a brave space for the BIPOC community to come together, have meaningful conversations, and support healing.
RSVP ClosedSat, Oct 02Oct 02, 2021, 11:00 AM – 12:15 PM PDTZoom ~ $20 or FREE for Pause MembersOct 02, 2021, 11:00 AM – 12:15 PM PDTZoom ~ $20 or FREE for Pause MembersIn this workshop, you will learn how to deepen your felt-sense and connection to your body through intentional toning. Sound has the power to meet, express, and transmute feeling. We’ll be journeying into our bodies and exploring which tones match, or resonate, what we feel.
RSVP ClosedThu, Sep 23Sep 23, 2021, 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM PDTZoom ~ $20 or FREE for Pause Members
RSVP ClosedSat, Sep 18Sep 18, 2021, 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM PDTZoom ~ $25 or 50% off for Pause MembersSep 18, 2021, 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM PDTZoom ~ $25 or 50% off for Pause Members"Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food." Join Pause + Dr. Emily Wolbers for a nourishing and wisdom-packed exploration of anti-inflammatory living! **This workshop will be recorded and a link will be sent to everyone who registers, so please don’t worry if you can’t join us live.**- RSVP ClosedSat, Sep 18Sep 18, 2021, 10:00 AM – 11:15 AM PDTLive via Zoom ~ FREE Event ~ BIPOC OnlySep 18, 2021, 10:00 AM – 11:15 AM PDTLive via Zoom ~ FREE Event ~ BIPOC OnlySeptember Theme: BUILDING COMMUNITY Join Kary Youman and fellow community members every 3rd Saturday! These monthly talks offer a brave space for the BIPOC community to come together, have meaningful conversations, and support healing.
RSVP ClosedSat, Aug 28Aug 28, 2021, 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM PDTZoom Live ~ $20 or FREE for Pause MembersAug 28, 2021, 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM PDTZoom Live ~ $20 or FREE for Pause MembersJoin Christopher and the Pause community to engage with the wisdom and practices of Late Summer. Join us as we dive deep into the Chinese perspective of the Earth element and learn effective ways to align our body, mind and spirit to be our best selves.
RSVP ClosedSat, Aug 21Aug 21, 2021, 10:00 AM – 11:15 AM PDTLive via Zoom ~ FREE Event ~ BIPOC Only
RSVP ClosedMon, Aug 02Aug 02, 2021, 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM PDTPioneer Square, 701 SW 6th Ave, Portland, OR 97205, USAAug 02, 2021, 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM PDTPioneer Square, 701 SW 6th Ave, Portland, OR 97205, USAWe're hosting weekly meditations every Monday in July and August from 10-10:30am on the dots at Pioneer Courthouse Square! These events are FREE and all are welcome. Please RSVP in advance at the button below.
RSVP ClosedWed, Jul 28Jul 28, 2021, 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM PDTPioneer Square, 701 SW 6th Ave, Portland, OR 97205, USAJul 28, 2021, 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM PDTPioneer Square, 701 SW 6th Ave, Portland, OR 97205, USAWe're hosting weekly wellbeing classes every Wednesday from 10-10:30am on the dots at Pioneer Courthouse Square throughout July and August! These events are FREE and all are welcome. Please RSVP in advance at the button below.- RSVP ClosedMon, Jul 26Jul 26, 2021, 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM PDTPioneer Square, 701 SW 6th Ave, Portland, OR 97205, USAJul 26, 2021, 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM PDTPioneer Square, 701 SW 6th Ave, Portland, OR 97205, USAWe're hosting weekly meditations every Monday in July and August from 10-10:30am on the dots at Pioneer Courthouse Square! These events are FREE and all are welcome. Please RSVP in advance at the button below.
- RSVP ClosedWed, Jul 21Jul 21, 2021, 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM PDTPioneer Square, 701 SW 6th Ave, Portland, OR 97205, USAJul 21, 2021, 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM PDTPioneer Square, 701 SW 6th Ave, Portland, OR 97205, USAWe're hosting weekly wellbeing classes every Wednesday from 10-10:30am on the dots at Pioneer Courthouse Square throughout July and August! These events are FREE and all are welcome. Please RSVP in advance at the button below.
- RSVP ClosedMon, Jul 19Jul 19, 2021, 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM PDTPioneer Square, 701 SW 6th Ave, Portland, OR 97205, USAJul 19, 2021, 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM PDTPioneer Square, 701 SW 6th Ave, Portland, OR 97205, USABeginning July 12, we'll be hosting weekly meditations every Monday from 10-10:30am on the dots at Pioneer Courthouse Square! These events are FREE and all are welcome. Please RSVP in advance at the button below.
- RSVP ClosedSat, Jul 17Jul 17, 2021, 10:00 AM – 11:15 AM PDTLive via Zoom ~ FREE Event ~ BIPOC Only
Rest and Receive: Half-Day Home Retreat
with Ryan Kenny + Rena Satre Meloy + Andrea Tomasi
Sunday, April 11 from 9am - 1pm Pacific
Live Online via Zoom
Free for Pause Members / $99 for non-members
Sliding scale + scholarships available – inquire here
Amidst the hustle and stress of our modern lives, creating space for a longer pause can be a powerful, enriching, and essential experience.
Join us for a 4-hour meditation retreat to rest, receive, deepen your practice, and welcome the fresh energy of Spring. This retreat will include guided sitting meditation, walking meditation, mindful movement, silent practice, a beautiful sound experience with Andrea Tomasi, poetry, and more!
Note: we strongly recommend having prior experience with meditation or mindfulness before joining this retreat. If you are unsure if this is the right fit for you, please email us to discuss: connect@pausemeditation.org.
Align with Spring
Waking up our Body, Mind and Spirit from Sleepy Winter into Blossoming Springtime
with Chris Miller
Saturday, April 3 from 11am - 12:30pm Pacific
Live Online via Zoom
Free for Pause Members / $20 for non-members
Each season asks our body to respond a specific way. The calmer lifestyle of Winter is not suited for the energized growth of Spring. Join us as we dive deep into the Chinese perspective of Spring and learn effective ways to align our body, mind and spirit so we can show up as our best selves.
In this workshop, we will:
– Explore how nature teaches us all we need to know.
– Discuss the unique energies of Springtime.
– Align ourselves to the significant opportunities ahead
– Discern how to alleviate possible friction points
This workshop will include interactive discussion, journaling, meditation, and a simple movement practice.
Fierce Self-Compassion
with Kim Levan
Saturday, March 27 from 11-12:30pm Pacific
$20 in advance / $25 day of
Live Online via Zoom
In this workshop, you will learn about the core components of self-compassion. Through embodied practice, we will explore the fierce and tender sides of self-compassion and practice building inner resources to alleviate suffering. There will be an introductory talk, guided practice, and group discussion which aim to:
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Understand the benefits and misgivings of self-compassion
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Learn how mindfulness, self-kindness, and common humanity form the core components of self-compassion
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Gain a felt sense of self-compassion as a resource-building tool
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Learn about both the fierce and the tender side of self-compassion and why we need both
All levels of experience are welcome!
Spring Equinox Yin + Yoga Nidra
with Emily Taylor
Saturday, March 20 from 6:30-8pm Pacific
Non-members: $20 in advance, $25 day of
Free for Pause Members!
Live Online via Zoom
Welcome the arrival and abundance of the spring season with the deeply restoring practice of Yin + Yoga Nidra.
Our yin yoga practice offers depth by holding restorative poses for 3-5 minutes using props (all things you can find in your home) for support. This release of tension and nourishment of the nervous system prepares the body for the practice of Yoga Nidra. Translated as “yogic sleep”, yoga nidra offers deep relaxation combined with intention setting as we experience the space of consciousness between wakefulness and sleep.
Emily will guide you through a 60-minute yin practice with an optional playlist to complement your at home yoga experience. Emily will then transition the practice from yin to yoga nidra, where all you'll need to do is rest and follow the sound of her voice.
In this workshop, we will:
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slow down the nervous system
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release physical tension in the body
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clear energetic space for intention setting
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offer a sense of renewal and restoration for the Spring season ahead
Props needed:
Bolster or firm pillow, blanket, yoga mat or comfortable space to practice.
Beginner's Mind: Meditation 101 Workshop
with Maggie Medlin
Saturday, February 20 from 11-12:30pm PST
Suggested Donation: $0-$30
Live Online via Zoom
In this workshop, we’ll cover all the basics of beginning a meditation practice (or refining what you’ve already started with). Ever wonder how to get your leg to stop falling asleep? Or how to stay with an object (like your breath) that seems just too boring to capture your attention? And what if the mind is just racing with thoughts the whole time? No one is ever too “good” at meditating to run into these little quirks from time to time!
Here’s some of what we’ll explore:
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finding a meditation posture that works for your body
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choosing a meditation object
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relaxing a tight, tense body
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letting go of thinking, thinking, and more thinking
All experience levels are welcome!
Lunar New Year:
Welcoming In the Year of the Yin Metal Ox
with Christopher Miller, LAc
Saturday, February 13 from 11-12:30pm PST
Cost: $20 / FREE for Pause Members!
Live Online via Zoom
How do the Chinese Zodiac, the Lunar New Year, and Seasonal Alignment help us better prepare for the year ahead?
Join Christopher Miller, LAc from the Portland Wellness Collective, in partnership with Pause, for an interactive workshop designed to connect you to your highest and best for 2021.
In this workshop, we will:
– Discuss the cyclical nature of time
– Dive deep into the unique qualities of 2021
– Align ourselves to the significant opportunities ahead
– Discern how to alleviate possible friction points
This workshop will include interactive discussion, journaling activities, and simple movement practice.
We hope you join us!
Winter Replenish: A 7-Day Guided Journey
with Brittany Soleil and Christopher Miller
Sunday, January 31 – Sunday, February 6
Sliding Scale Pricing
Live Online via Zoom
Winter allows us to replenish our nervous system, slow down, and build our resources. Align with the wisdom of Winter—restore, cultivate resiliency, and listen.
For one full week (January 31 - February 6), we will explore nourishing foods and herbs easily added to the diet. We will share informative videos and writing exercises that direct our listening inward and lean into the strong imperative to rest.
In this seven-day replenish, we will:
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Share a restorative menu-plan with recipes and cooking techniques.
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Break down calming, nervous-system-regulating herbs.
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Discuss sleep hygiene and the importance of water.
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Facilitate daily journaling and contemplation.
Align With Winter
Shifting into the Season of Storing, Conserving, and Replenishing
with Christopher Miller
Saturday, January 16 from 11-12:30pm PST
Cost: $20 / FREE for Pause Members!
Online via Zoom
A new year, a new five-part series focusing on the Eastern Medicine perspective of Seasonal Alignment. Attend as many as you'd like!
Winter: January 16
Spring: April 3
Summer: June 26
Late Summer: August 28
Autumn: October 30
In the Winter Alignment workshop, Portland-based Five Element Acupuncturist and Qigong Teacher, Christopher Miller will guide you through the wisdom and practices of Winter and the first element - WATER.
In this workshop series, we will:
– Explore the tangible principles of Yin, Yang and the Five Elements
– Discuss the unique energies of each season
– Align ourselves to the flow where Nature is already taking us
– Investigate ways to alleviate potential friction points
Each workshop includes interactive discussion, meditation, and simple movement practice.
Overcoming Pain: A Meditative Deep Dive
with David Sudar
Sunday, January 10 from 11-12:30pm PST
Suggested Donation $0-30
Online via Zoom
In this experiential & educational workshop, you will learn how a scientific study showed mindfulness meditation reduced pain symptoms 27-44%, without drugs, and in just a few minutes time. We’ll cover the key mindset shift involved in this approach, as well as the most beneficial ways to apply mindfulness to pain, including three specific techniques:
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Relaxed engagement with pain
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Transforming our reactions to pain
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The healthy pain-break
We’ll also address the difference between meditation and avoidance, and how mindfulness can help us take proactive action (instead of passive resignation). Our focus will largely be on acute & chronic physical pain, but the same principles could also be applied to emotional & mental pain.
All experience levels welcome!
FREE New Year's Day Class: Feeling Into 2021
with Rena Satre Meloy + Ryan Kenny
Friday, January 1 from 10:30-11:15am PST
Free Offering – All Are Welcome
Online via Zoom
Grab your Zoom meditation buddies and join us for this special New Year’s Day class!
You’ll enjoy a guided meditation and create space with us to explore this question: How do I want to FEEL in 2021?
We so often set intentions or resolutions for what we want to DO or ACCOMPLISH, but what about how we want to feel – in our bodies, our minds, and our daily activities? This powerful question can unlock a wealth of insight and help you start the year off with clarity, confidence, and joy.
All are welcome. See you on 1/1/21! 💛
On Love: A Meditative Deep Dive
with David Sudar
Sunday, December 13 from 11-12:30pm PST
Suggested Donation $0-30
Online via Zoom
While love is universally cherished, how many of us truly live every moment of our lives from a place of deep love? It’s a lofty undertaking, but the purpose of this workshop is to point you in that direction. Along the way, you’ll learn:
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A meditative vision of love, including what exactly it is (and isn’t!), why it’s important, and how it applies equally to ourselves, romantic partners, friends, and even our least favorite politicians!
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How to balance love with wisdom, seeing & letting go of unskillful views & emotions that prevent us from loving fully and deeply.
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The myriad ways love reveals itself, such as being “tough” vs “tender,” setting boundaries, or engaging in words & actions fused with kindness.
Importantly, our exploration will include tangible practices to embody love, including guided meditation, dyads, and journaling.
All experience levels welcome!
Radical Self-Kindness:
The Profound Art of Giving a F*ck
with Kary Youman
When: Saturday, November 21 from 11am - 12:30pm PST
Where: Online via Zoom
Cost: This is a free offering for the BIPOC community
PLEASE NOTE: this is a BIPOC only workshop
Pause is sponsoring this workshop because now more than ever, we want to support our BIPOC community members and help meet the overwhelming need for space to gather, process, and be with all that is happening.
2020. What more is there to say? This year has been an incubator and a mirror for a lot of us to recalibrate, reconcile, and revisit the past, present, and future of this country and the state of our well-being. How can we feel safe during a pandemic when the resources available to BIPOC communities are low to nonexistent? What changes can be made in this country to create equality if White supremacy is still at the root of our Democracy? How can we stay grounded when Black and Brown people are being mistreated and killed without cause by the same people who are paid to protect them? The short answer: Radical Self-Kindness.
This workshop is designed to create space for a facilitated group discussion to challenge the participants with questions and stories to help unlock and activate the profound power of Radical Self-Kindness.
Kary Youman is a TEDx Speaker, Senior Learning & Development Manager, and a certified Diversity and Inclusion Instructor.
Emotional Awareness: A Meditative Deep Dive
with David Sudar
Sunday, November 15 from 11-12:30pm PST
Suggested Donation $0-25
Online Via Zoom
In this workshop, you’ll learn a meditative vision for how emotions can help you step more fully into life. By using mindful awareness, you’ll learn how to "respond to" life-draining emotions rather than "react from" them; and, on the flip side, how to lean into life-affirming emotions without getting attached to them.
As an aid to finding this mindful aliveness in our emotional life, we’ll explore in more detail:
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The meditative “anatomy” of an emotion
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The difference between emotions and feelings
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The two conscious & two unconscious ways of relating to emotion
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How to truly “feel” an emotion (and what to do when you can’t “feel” or identify any particular emotion)
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A journaling exercise to heighten our awareness of seven key emotions
All experience levels welcome!
Food As Medicine During Stress & Uncertainty
with Dr. Emily Wolbers
Saturday, November 14 from 11-12:30pm PST
$20 in advance / $25 day of
Online Via Zoom
Join Pause + Dr. Emily Wolbers for a gentle food reset.
2020 has been a wild ride! With all the stress & uncertainty often comes mindless eating and changes in our foundational habits. This workshop will help you get back to basics with mindful eating, anti-inflammatory eating habits, and how to let food be your medicine.
Dr. Emily Wolbers is a naturopathic physician with a gastrointestinal- focused practice located in SW Portland. She utilizes Food As Medicine as a large part of her practice. "I view the gut as the gateway to health and disease. If the digestive system is happy, the rest of the body will follow."
Meeting this Life: Holding Ourselves and Each Other with Compassion
with Laura Jomon Martin, LCSW
Saturday, November 7 from 11-12:30pm PST
By Donation | All Are Welcome
Online Via Zoom
As the stresses and losses of life in the year 2020 pile up — on top of the day-to-day requirements of life — of course you feel overwhelmed right now. How can you attend to what is in your heart just under the surface, or to the unaddressed emotions that might be weighing you down?
This workshop is a gift to give to yourself, allowing the support of a facilitated process and the witness of community to tap into your own natural emotional healing process. We’ll use some of the teachings of Zen Buddhism, the work of Joanna Macy and elements of the Council Circle process. There will be movement, journaling, interaction, and mindfulness practice.
This is just a start. You may decide to set aside extra time after the workshop to continue your exploration, and if so, you’ll leave the workshop with some options.
Laura Jomon Martin, LCSW is a Zen teacher, psychotherapist, and certified MBSR teacher.
