Happy Course

The GEBIS Happy Courses are designed to provide participants with tools to help enhance emotional health and well-being. Drawing upon a combination of ancient wisdom, scientific research and common sense, these courses cover topics that help us navigate our daily lives with more awareness and kindness.

Courses take place in both Charlottetown and Summerside on Wednesday evenings from 6-8 pm. Each course is 4 weeks in length and can be taken in sequence or as a stand-alone. Participants will gain personal insight through discussions, reflective exercises and meditation.

Module 1 – Emotional Resilience & Mindfulness
Module 2 – Self-Compassion
Module 3 – Meditation
Module 4 – Cultivating Positivity
Module 5 – Compassion and Love

Module 1 – Emotional Resilience & Mindfulness
Emotional Resilience & Mindfulness course explores the important role our bodies play in our own happiness and well-being. In everyday life, our bodies sometimes react to danger when there is no real threat, or hold on to a sense of danger after a threat has passed. This can lead to stress, anxiety and the inability to concentrate, which in turn compromise our physical health.

This module provides participants with resilience skills and stress reduction techniques accompanied by mindfulness, and meditation for emotional regulation.

Module 2 – Self-Compassion
Self-Compassion course offers essential tools for treating yourself in a kind, compassionate way whenever facing difficult life challenges. By learning daily life practices along with group exercises, discussions and meditation, we strengthen compassion for ourselves and for others.

The module explores topics of common humanity, self-acceptance, self-kindness, self-forgiveness, and self-appreciation.

Module 3 – Meditation
This module draws upon teachings from traditional Buddhist practice. Together we will explore two types of meditation – stabilizing meditation and analytical meditation. With the synthesis of these two skills, one can learn how to bring the restless mind under control, transforming it into a more peaceful and accepting state.

With simple instructions, short discussion and meditative practices, this module is designed to suit both beginner and those who have some meditation experiences.

Module 4 – Cultivating Positivity
How often do we get stuck in negativity bias – focusing on others’ faults and blaming others for our suffering? How often do we observe and appreciate others’ kindness?

Based on ancient wisdom, this course offers participants practical tools to view ourselves and others from a positive perspective. A positive outlook is a good foundation for building creativity, compassion, happiness and productivity.

Module 5-Compassion and Love
Compassion is a heartfelt wish for freedom from dissatisfaction and distress, while love is a wish for happiness and flourishing. Described as deeply interconnected, the two ideas go hand in hand, are mutually supportive and equally important to our own and others’ wellbeing. With the recognition of how compassion is a response to suffering, we are able to feel a tender concern toward any living being that is suffering.

It is a skill that can be trained by building awareness of our biases, common humanity and interdependence. As we connect to compassion in this way, we can uncover its meaning, power, presence, and value in our everyday lives.

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Website:www.gebis.org
For questions about Happy Course presentations please contact Mary Lynn McCourt at marylynn@gebis.org