Wellness & Spirituality   

This is the longest of the six major Yang-style tai chi movements, taking about 25 minutes to complete. Tai Chi is known for developing balance, strength, and flexibility. It is a form of meditation in movement. In this class you will learn the first third of the forms, or about 36 moves, in a workshop environment.

This is the longest of the six major Yang-style tai chi movements, taking about 25 minutes to complete. Tai Chi is known for developing balance, strength, and flexibility. It is a form of meditation in movement. In this class we will review the first 36 forms in a workshop environment. Additional forms will be taught as the group is ready.

This is the shortest of the six major Yang-style tai chi movements, taking about six minutes to complete. Tai Chi is known for developing balance, strength, and flexibility. It is a form of meditation in movement. In this class you will learn all 24 forms and by the end be able to join other groups wherever you go.

This workshop is designed to awaken you to your inherent wholeness. We will explore and practice direct experience of wholeness and presence for greater choice, creative insight, and joy in daily life. We’ve all read numerous books and participated in discussions on these fascinating, yet seemingly out of reach and intangible concepts. Lift the perceptual veil and enable direct access to that which already is. Let’s now move from the conceptual to the experiential by exploring active practices of wholeness with an intention of ease, effortlessness, and enjoyment.

This class will introduce students to the power of Dante’s story for life right here, right now. The Divine Comedy is not an ancient, dead text but rather is alive and well, inviting readers to pursue the examined life with a spirit of serious joy. We will explore C. S. Lewis’s A Grief Observed as an exercise in preparation for joining Dante’s pilgrimage. The following three classes will introduce Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso respectively.

Emergency situations can be painful and expensive in terms of human suffering, property loss, and emotional wear and tear. Some of these impacts can be lessened or avoided with careful preparation. This course is about reducing or avoiding the negative impacts of emergency events through planning and preparation. Participants will review their unique personal situations, then take steps to improve their resiliency and responsiveness to whatever comes their way.

The North State is home to rich, diverse public lands: refuges, parks, forests, and reserves. Your public lands provide vital wildlife habitat and protect our natural resources. On this field trip, we’ll explore Gray Lodge, with guidance from a California Department of Fish and Wildlife Naturalist and enjoy an easy two-mile nature walk on level paths. We will identify birds, enjoy stunning views of the Sutter Buttes, and learn about this haven for over 300 species of wildlife. Come explore your public lands with us!

Feng shui has been around for centuries, but the world is different now, and feng shui must adapt to the challenges we face in today's world. This class looks at ways to balance and harmonize your spaces, with all the technology and “stuff” we deal with on a regular basis. Your spaces are a reflection of your life. Change your spaces, change your life. This is more important than ever in today’s complex world! In this class, we will work with the floor plan of your home for opportunities to enhance areas of your life. We take a deeper look at the energy of who you are and why you relate to the world as you do.

Forgiveness is the conscious, deliberate decision to release feelings of resentment toward someone or something that has harmed you, regardless of whether they deserve it. This is a personal decision to let go of negative emotions which then enables us to move forward and leave that past behind. Forgiveness is not forgetting nor does it deny the seriousness of an offense, but it brings us peace of mind and freedom to enjoy the today. Forgiving can lead to healthier relationships and greater spiritual and psychological well-being.

This lecture series consists of distinct classes, each designed to address a unique area of health-related issues. Presented by highly-qualified physicians and other caregivers, these classes will provide you with an opportunity to learn more about staying healthy and active. Each class is a complete topic and participants are invited to attend any combination of the offerings during the series.

Bidwell Park is to be enjoyed and protected. Experienced hikers will get a strenuous workout and learn about Bidwell Park and its flora, fauna, volunteerism, and history. We will hike up to six miles, with 1,000' elevation change on less familiar trails. Get your endorphins pumping and meet some new hiking friends in your own Bidwell backyard.

The focus of this class will be on sharpening our skills in app usage, aligning our expectations when planning hikes, and building our HOOFERs community of informed, active hikers. Questions about your eligibility? Contact Lois (7ljoto@live.com) or Cindy (tomkevin11@yahoo.com) for more information. Prerequisite: HOOFERs 1 or 2.

This course will teach participants about the research behind and efficacy of mindfulness practice. It is an experiential course that can be easily incorporated into daily life. Based on the work of Jon Kabat-Zinn and other mindfulness masters, the course will include practice in sitting and walking meditation, and a gentle flowing movement called qigong. Readings and audio tapes from world-renowned mindfulness teachers are used. This class will provide the foundation for the intention, commitment, and practice of mindfulness, fostering and promoting health and well-being.

This class approaches the parables in the social, cultural, and political setting of first-century Palestine. It will ask what the listeners of that setting might have heard when Jesus gave these parables, what they might have felt about the various characters Jesus sketched, and how the teachings might have challenged them personally. Taking seriously the fact that Jesus was executed as a revolutionary, it will probe why the Roman-backed government found the teachings the parables contained troublesome.

Each week we will examine three or four poems, mostly from the Western tradition, some in translation from other languages. We will look at classic themes such as self-discovery, fear, compassion, insight, aging and mortality, and relationships. Our goal will be to see how the poem works and what it says to us as readers with divergent backgrounds. We will read each poem in depth and appreciation.

In this class we'll talk about what happens to our body and brain as we age, with tips for staying healthy and advice on when you should seek out physical therapy or speech therapy services.

In this class, we explore how seven of the world's religions shaped the lives of one or two of their greatest followers, and in return how the religions and the cultures that gave birth to these disciples were challenged and changed by the vision and the sacrifices made. Perhaps the deepest question we will raise is how this could have happened unless the disciples were responding to a mystical force that challenged all three: the disciples, their religions, and their cultures.

Passages Health Insurance Counseling & Advocacy Program (HICAP) is offering this class to assist current Medicare beneficiaries make the best choices possible for their health care needs in the upcoming Annual Enrollment Period beginning October 15 and ending December 7.

This moderate out-and-back hike in the Sacramento River Bend Area is six and a half miles with 500’ elevation gain. We’ll hike through varied landscapes, meandering along a bluff overlooking the Sacramento River with excellent views of Lassen Peak. After a short climb up to Paynes Creek Point, we’ll eat lunch and enjoy more views. We’ll look and listen for birds (perhaps we’ll see the beautiful Lewis’s Woodpecker), and learn about the flora and fauna along our path. The return route takes us through the picturesque Perry Ravine.