“Mindfulness is a love affair–with life, with reality and imagination, with the beauty of your own being, with your heart and body and mind, and with the world”
—Kabat-Zinn
Join us for a mindful moment. Our instructor Gary will walk you through the steps you can use to achieve a more mindful day.
We hope you enjoyed those mindful minutes. If you’re interested in learning more about mindfulness, you can take a look at our Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program.
Our ClassesMindfulness-Based Stress Reduction is a psychoeducational experiential learning program based on the core principle of mindfulness. The program is offered in a group setting and guided by qualified MBSR teachers as the curriculum unfolds over 8 weeks.
The regular practice of Mindfulness Meditation can enrich our lives with enhanced calm, clarity, insight, emotional intelligence, creativity, productivity, and wellness. Mindfulness practices are useful in addressing illness, stress, and pain.
This customized 20-day Mindfulness Immersion is intended for organizational wellness based on the text Fearless at Work: Timeless Teachings for Awakening Confidence, Resilience, and Creativity in the Face of Life’s Demands at Work by Michael Carroll (2012).
Sign UpThis unique program can be offered to organizations to:
This program will offer participants the opportunity to acquire a beginning understanding of the key practices and principles of mindfulness with emphasis on 30-minute teacher-led mindfulness practices and themes.
• The format will consist of guided formal meditation practice for 20 minutes followed by a brief reading during the last 10 minutes.
• All sessions will occur live online. Sessions will not be recorded.
Registered participants will have email access to Sheila and Gary for questions, and supportive guidance during the program.
“Work is such a crucial part of our life, and yet we often struggle with—and feel overwhelmed by—the numerous challenges it presents us. Whether it’s job insecurity, making peace with or leaving an unfulfilling job, or dealing with office conflicts, we often experience fear and a sense of groundlessness just at a time when we want to be our most creative and resilient. “
Please join us for this special course offering to nourish your self-care journey! This online class meets weekly for 2.5 hours ( + a full day) and includes a combination of mindfulness practices, group sharing of experience with practice, and the exploration of topics such as mindfulness, stress, and communication.
Sign Up$475.00 – Payment is accepted by e-transfer. As course registration is limited, a $25.00 non-refundable processing fee is required to ensure that space is available for those who are able to commit to participating in the MBSR course at this time. This fee will be applied to your registration.
This registration fee includes 30 hours of instruction, practice recordings, written instruction, and a certificate of completion. Some private health plans provide coverage for stress management. Please check with your insurer to determine if funding is available to you. Alternate payment options may be considered. Health care workers in Northeastern Ontario may be eligible to receive a special funding grant offered by the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program, Health Sciences North.
Participate in this program utilizing Zoom Video Conferencing service in the safety of your home.
To view the complete schedule and dates, download the schedule below.
These monthly sessions offer the opportunity to strengthen your mindfulness practice in a supportive group setting. There is no fee for these sessions.
Sign UpGraduates of the 8-week MBSR program are invited to participate in the ALL DAY SESSION at future MBSR course offerings. This is freely offered by Mindfulness on the Rocks to sustain, deepen, and further develop your mindfulness practice. Please register here for next MBSR Graduate ALL DAY SESSION offerings.
Sign UpSaturday, October 19,2024 8AM – 3 PM (ZOOM)
Saturday, February 15, 2025 8AM – 3 PM ((ZOOM)
Please specify which all day session you would like to attend in the optional question field when signing up.
Mindfulness programming may be customized to suit organizational needs (workshops, public talks, retreats, professional training, special events).
Contact UsMindfulness is not a “quick fix” for what ails us, nor is it a panacea to escape life’s difficulties. In fact, it is being with “what is.” Gary and Sheila embody the practice of Mindfulness Meditation on a daily basis.
They are qualified to teach through the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society – University of Massachusetts Medical School. Additionally, Gary is Certified to teach Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) through the Mindfulness Center, Brown University School of Public Health.
They teach the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) 8-week curriculum and as such, they meet with all potential registrants at the Orientation Session to assess for MBSR program readiness. The MBSR curriculum is the most rigorously studied mindfulness program and there is research to support its benefits in addressing stress, depression, anxiety, chronic pain, and quality of life. Additionally, Gary and Sheila are masters prepared social workers (MSW) and registered members in good standing with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers. Since April 2016, Gary and Sheila have taught over 30 eight-week MBSR programs in northeastern Ontario and nationally.
They attend regular trainings, professional conferences and retreats with senior teachers to further their teaching skills and deepen their mindfulness practice. In addition to mindfulness expertise, Sheila and Gary have extensive experience in health care in the domains of clinical, education, research, administration and community development.
Mindfulness on the Rocks – Meditation Solutions for Maximum Life Impact has partnerships with key health, community, and educational organizations in northeastern Ontario.
Sheila and Gary are qualified to teach Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction through the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Additionally, Gary is Certified to teach Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) through the Mindfulness Center, Brown University School of Public Health.
They have extensive experience in clinical, administrative, educational, and research domains of social work and health care practice.
Gary and Sheila are instructors with The Mindful Village, a global community located in Singapore.
Gary is qualified to teach Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction through the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. He is Certified to teach MBSR through the Mindfulness Center, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI. He has received formal training with Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn (founder of MBSR); the Centre for Mindfulness Ireland; the OMEGA Institute for Holistic Studies; Shambhala Mountain Center; and the Harvard Medical School. Gary has co-founded Mindfulness on the Rocks in Sudbury, Ontario Canada and is committed to providing gold standard evidence-based mindfulness programming. Gary has extensive experience in clinical, educational, and research domains of social work and health care practice. He has also engaged various professional groups in mindfulness training including health care, education, corrections, government, and industry. He is invited to speak internationally and published on the topic of Mindfulness. Gary has recently published his first book titled The Response – Practising Mindfulness in Your Daily Life (2020).
Sheila brings a wealth of knowledge on care for the caregiver. She is qualified to teach Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction through the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. She has received formal training at the Centre for Mindfulness Ireland; the OMEGA Institute for Holistic Studies; Shambhala Mountain Center; and the Harvard Medical School. She is a Certified TSM (Trauma Sensitive Mindfulness) Practitioner and has received training in Neurodiversity-Informed Mindfulness. Sheila has co-founded Mindfulness on the Rocks in Sudbury, Ontario Canada. She has extensive experience in clinical, educational, research, and administrative leadership domains of social work and health care practice. Sheila has engaged various professional groups in mindfulness training including health care, education, corrections, government, and industry. Sheila holds a faculty appointment with NOSM University in Northern Ontario, Canada.
The regular practice of Mindfulness Meditation can enrich our lives with enhanced calm, clarity, insight, emotional intelligence, creativity, productivity, and wellness. Mindfulness practices are useful in addressing illness, stress, and pain. In his first book Gary Petingola walks you through easy exercises using personal narratives to incorporate mindfulness into your daily life.
The following section provides information to questions we are asked most often. If you have additional questions, please contact us at [email protected]