Building on the success of their long-running program in Ridgefield, Mindful Spirit is bringing its Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program to Newtown’s SOUND Center in 2015. In the spring, Andy Lee and Alisha Aum, co-founders of Mindful Spirit, plan to expand further by offering daytime courses in addition to their current evening offerings in both locations. Free introductions to mindfulness and MBSR orientation sessions will be offered in Ridgefield on January 26 and in Newtown on January 29 at 6:30pm with MBSR programs starting the second week of February.

Lee and Aum, both long-term practitioners of mindfulness meditation, trained in teaching MBSR at the UMass Medical School Center for Mindfulness. They have been offering MBSR programs in Ridgefield over the past 4 years. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction is an 8-week program that combines the art and science of meditation to help reduce stress, promote physical health and cultivate emotional well-being. The program was developed by author Jon Kabat-Zinn over 30 years ago.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with the SOUND Center this winter to offer our MBSR Program in Newtown,” says Aum of Mindful Spirit. “The new year is the perfect time to recommit to your own wellness by bringing the benefits of mindfulness and meditation into your life.”

A $50 early bird discount for the MBSR program will be offered until the date of the introductory sessions.

For more information, visit Mindful-Spirit.com or call 917-972-7291. SOUND Center for Music, Arts and Mindfulness is located at 31 Hawleyville Rd, Newtown. See ad, page 13.