Tag Archives: Mindfulness

Snow Moon Satsang

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A sacred gathering of friends to bring the many different spiritual communities in Central Louisiana together for a Full Moon celebration on Sunday, February 5th at 5 pm at the Yoga & Youth Center at 485 McKeithen Drive in Alexandria, La. Featuring a Drum Circle, Kirtan, Dancing, Yoga, Pranayama, and Meditation. (Bring your own drum or shaker/rattle if you want to join in the drum circle.) Sponsored by Art of Living and Cenla Meditation Group. Free to attend. No reservations necessary. Vendors interested in having a table or other groups interested in being on program lineup should contact us ASAP.

Be Still & Know Retreat

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Saturday, February 29, 2020
Chicot State Park
9:00 am – 6:00 pm

A Lenten introduction to Contemplative Christian Spirituality for Seekers, Doubters, Rebels, and Ragamuffins. Together we will spend a day of prayer and silence exploring classic Christian practices such as: Celtic Daily Prayer, Centering Prayer, Prayer Walking, Chanting, Lectio Divina, and other disciplines. This is an ecumenical gathering of friends where all are welcome as they are, no one is excluded for any reason. This will be a silent retreat with dedicated times for discussion and sharing.

We will practice at the Chicot State Park Meeting Room on the secluded east side of Bayou Chicot Lake with meal provided and opportunities for afternoon hiking and evening campfire to close out the day. You are welcome to leave earlier in the day if needed.

Must register in advance through Eventbrite as space is limited. $40 registration includes meal. No additional registration fees. Cancellations allowed up to 7 days prior to the event.

Register Here

Leaning Into Fear

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Throughout the month of October we will be using our weekly meditation to work with the scary stuff in our lives in a different way. In light of recent events we will begin the series with our response to trauma and transmuting fear into compassion and action. 
We meet every Tuesday at River Oaks Square Arts Center, 2nd floor, doors locked at 6:30pm. All are welcome. Free to attend. No experience needed.

Support Mindful Living for #GivingTuesday

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Cenla Meditation Group, Inc. is a non-profit organization that has been supporting mindful living through meditation and community for over four years. We provide:

  • Weekly group meditation instruction and practice
  • Weekly book study for enrichment
  • Weekly Refuge Recovery group to offer a mindfulness-based approach to recovery from addiction
  • Regional retreats and workshops
  • Professional development through CEU workshops and training for healthcare providers and students
  • Community engagement to support the arts and social justice

Aside from a modest fee to cover the cost of retreats, all of the services provided are offered completely FREE. We rely on the timeless practice of Dāna, the practice of generosity. In addition to the weekly services we provide we use financial donations to offer scholarships to our retreats and workshops, purchase books and supplies, and provide outreach to our community. Please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to support mindful living in our community. 

Click to donate 
Checks can be made payable and mailed to:

Cenla Meditation Group, Inc.
414 Grant Dr.
Ball, LA 71405

Thank you,

Lyndon Marcotte, Director

We meet at River Oaks Arts Center

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River Oaks Arts CenterCenla Meditation Group now meets each Tuesday at 6:30pm at River Oaks Arts Center in downtown Alexandria. You are invited to come anytime. Beginners are welcome. There is no charge. There is nothing to join. We are a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting meditation and mindful living in Central Louisiana.

Learning to Live in the Moment

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Michelle ChevalierI had read about the healthful benefits of meditation for several years, but it always seemed so foreign to me. I also didn’t know of any place locally to learn more. I have always preferred human connection to internet chat rooms, so I never sought out support or information online.

About a year ago I saw a Facebook ad about CENLA Meditation Group and was pleasantly surprised to find there was an active group in my proverbial “backyard.” I really had no idea what to expect, but I had a desire to try and balance my life, so I decided to see what it was all about.

Everyone was very kind and welcoming, and as I took a seat on the back cushions I felt a nervous kind of excitement to be trying something new. I found the relaxed environment very comfortable and, as someone who had never “sat” before, I was happy to hear it was okay to fidget, lie down, or shift positions if needed. Some visitors even sat in chairs if they were physically unable to get on the floor.

What I have gained from coming each month is a supportive community, free of judgment, whose desire is to learn more about themselves and help others. I am forever grateful for the new friends and practices I have learned that help me live in the moment & enjoy my life to the fullest.

– Michelle Chevallier

Michelle is a social worker (MSW, LCSW) with a local hospice, wife, and mother of a sweet little boy. They live in Pineville, LA.

Feelings Come & Go

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When we just sit with our feelings and bodily sensations in meditation, we don’t have to understand or fix them. We just have to watch them. With equanimity and awareness they reveal themselves as they are.

With mindfulness we realize that those feelings, like everything else, are impermanent. They will pass. Right now, it may be like this, but in time how you feel now will change. In the mean time just practice cultivating loving awareness. Don’t judge yourself or add to the narrative with every thought that arises.