Focus + Calm
4-Week Foundations of Mindfulness Program
Immerse yourself in a four-week guided journey to learn the foundations of mindfulness meditation. Join us in this exploration of presence and self-discovery, where each session is a step towards a more centered, mindful, and fulfilled version of yourself.
Spring 2024 Course
This course frequently sells out so we recommend registering early!
Monday Evenings from 7-8:30pm PT
Class 1: June 3
Class 2: June 10
Class 3: June 17
Class 4: June 24
Location ~ In-Person:
Pause Studio® (downtown PDX, see map)
Sliding Scale Tuition
$175, $275, or $375
We offer a “Pay what you can" model. Please pay more, if you can, to help support those less able to pay.
Registration for our Spring program is now closed.
To receive an email when our next in-person course dates are published, please subscribe to our newsletter here!
Course Format
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4 in-person classes (once per week for 90 minutes for 4 weeks)
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Custom guided recordings for home practice each week
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Home practice manual with course materials
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Digital course platform with weekly mindful living exercises
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31 days of supported meditation + mindfulness practice
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Community interaction, accountability, and support
What People Are Saying About This Course
I always told myself I couldn't meditate. The Focus + Calm course was extremely helpful and now I have daily, fulfilling practice! – Jen F.
This is a phenomenal course for those who are looking to better understand the types of meditation, the purpose of meditation, and the benefits that can be obtained from meditation. It can also help you to be more present (mindful) in your day to day life and enjoy the now. – Brian L.
After only 2 weeks, what I noticed most was increased focus and the ability to focus on my breath as a way to calm nerves in stressful moments. I would highly recommend this class for anyone thinking about meditation, or in the early stages of doing their own practice. – Rebecca S.
I am able to meditate better than when I started and learned many tools to enhance my practice. I'm also able to be more mindful in many different experiences throughout the day. – Shana F.
For me, this course lay the foundation for a more consistent practice. Learning to stop and pause throughout the day and have a mindful moment was really impactful. – Tiffany B.
This course is an excellent introduction for anyone who is curious about meditation and wants to take it a step further. The presentations are enjoyable, well thought out and easy to understand. The setting is beautiful and very calming and the opportunity to connect with others on the same road is invaluable. Highly recommended! – Jim C.
This course brought meditation off of a "pedestal" and into real life. Before, I thought I had to get rid of my thoughts completely, but through this course I was able to humanize the practice and learn not to be so hard on myself. – Amy S.
I felt more accountable being part of the course, so I really "did my homework" and meditated with greater frequency. – Greg S.
I loved the presentations, but also just being able to talk and be with other people who are on the same road. Up until now, it was just me and a lot of books. – Randy C.
Nothing replaces real, live human connection and learning directly from an instructor in real-time. This course was a game-changer for me. – John S.
The course was a really powerful way to introduce myself to key concepts and to start incorporating meditation into my daily life. – Clinton H.
This course is a great introduction to meditation that will provide you with the knowledge, tools, and support you need to begin a successful practice. – Dan L.
This course provided me with easy, practical tips to incorporate meditation into my daily life. I have meditated more than ever before and I practice more self-compassion on days that I don't. – Jennifer L.
I was drawn by your beautiful space, but the coursework kept me coming back! I feel so lucky to have started this practice. – Terri H.
The feedback in class, coupled with the lectures helped make meditation more "real" vs. conceptual. – Tyler F.
Excellent course for someone looking to “get their feet wet” and try out meditation. The Pause team is amazingly warm and supportive - a great resource in these stressful times! – Thomas O.
How This Course Can Change Your Life
Through simple daily practices, you will begin to cultivate the following qualities within yourself:
Focus
Improve your concentration and capacity to live in the moment with what's most important to you
Inner Peace
Begin training your mind to lower stress levels and calm anxious or depressed mind-states
Balance
Learn to slow down, find your center, and respond to the waves of daily life with greater ease
Intention
Learn to disengage autopilot and shape the life you want with purpose and direction
Presence
Tune-in to what is happening in each moment of your life with greater awareness and connection
Who Will Benefit From This Course
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People who want to reduce stress and anxious feelings
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People who want to increase their ability to focus and be more effective at work and in relationships
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Suitable for ages 18 and older
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People of all backgrounds (this course is accessible and understandable to everyone and applicable to any belief system)
Excellent Value
4 educational and experiential 90 minute classes
31 days of ongoing, supported meditation + mindfulness practice
Expert meditation instruction from a seasoned professional
Custom guided recordings for weekly home practice
Digital course platform with readings and exercises
Ongoing mindfulness coaching + feedback
Community interaction, accountability, and support
Course Curriculum
The Focus + Calm curriculum is science-based and developed by a mental health professional.
WEEK 1
The Power of Mindfulness
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The paradox of happiness
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Foundations of meditation
- BREATH and CONCENTRATION practice
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PAUSE practice
WEEK 2
Coming Home to Presence
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Expanding the field of awareness
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BODY SCAN practice
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Cultivating non-reactivity
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Mindful tools for greater presence
WEEK 3
Befriending Difficulty
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Practicing with EMOTIONS
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Pitfalls of autopilot
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Awareness of hidden habits
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Skillfully navigating challenges
WEEK 4
Learning to Surf
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Practicing with THOUGHTS
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Not believing everything you think
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Riding the waves of distraction
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Self-soothing
"Our networks of attention are our foremost means to shaping our lives; these networks give us extraordinary ways to master ourselves and our environment, offering the key to growth, connection, happiness.”
- Maggie Jackson
Focus + Calm: The Science
Evidence of Attentional Expertise in Long-Term Meditators
When MRI brain scans were taken of long-term meditators, the results showed that their brain regions associated with sustained attention and concentration were more activated than those of novice meditators. Read Full Study
Meditation Can Reduce Anxiety/Stress Reactivity and Promote Calm
One mindfulness study included 93 people with generalized anxiety disorder. This disorder causes exaggerated worry and tension over many different things, even when there is little or nothing to provoke it. At the end of the study, consistent meditation practice was associated with a significantly greater reduction in anxiety. Read Full Study
Mindfulness and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Changes in trait (or baseline) mindfulness are evident in pre- to post intervention studies of mindfulness training suggesting that mindfulness training may be a useful complementary tool for improving ADHD. Read Full Study
Advanced Neuroimaging and Focused-Attention Meditation
Neuroimagery and other technologies have helped scientists understand the cycle of events that unfolds in the brain during the practice of focused-attention meditation and specifically which areas of the brain are activated. View Diagram
Join Focus + Calm Today!
Questions?
We'd love to talk with you.
Email: connect@pausemeditation.org
Phone: 503.343.4831