Nina Smiley, Ph.D., will host mindfulness webinar for students, faculty, staff and alumni on Aug. 5

SUNY New Paltz cordially invites all students, faculty, staff and alumni to a special professional development opportunity led by Nina Smiley, Ph.D., director of mindfulness programming at Mohonk Mountain House.

Smiley will present a free, one-hour webinar designed to help members of our campus community use mindfulness in a way that’s practical, powerful and readily available.

This event will take place on Wednesday, Aug. 5, beginning at 2 p.m. Those who are interested in joining are asked to RSVP by Friday, July 31, by using this link and clicking the “register” button.

About the session
In this time of uncertainty, unforeseen challenges and change, we need to learn how to be resilient, exploring ways to reduce stress as we clear the mind and calm the body. We need to be able to center in the moment and do what needs to be done, with clarity, focus and compassion for self and others.

One way to help ourselves be resilient is to practice mindfulness – the moment-to-moment awareness of what is – simply being present one moment at a time, in a gentle, non-judgmental way. When we feel overwhelmed by stress, uncertainty or fear about what the future may hold, we can learn to pause, breathe and focus on what is, creating a moment of spaciousness.

Smiley will lead a conversation about how to bring mindfulness into “real life,” enhancing well-being and nurturing resilience, one breath at a time. The webinar is designed to help beginners understand how mindfulness meditation works, and how to use it in real time.

This class is for you if:

  • You’ve never meditated before…
  • You’ve tried meditating, and said, “It just doesn’t seem to work for me…”
  • You already meditate and want to bring it more deeply into the nitty gritty of your daily life…
  • You want the opportunity to learn a new life skill within this session

Participation is simple:

  • Smiley will begin by providing a simple way to understand mindfulness
  • Participants will be led through a progression of three-minute “chunks” of mindfulness meditation that are the building blocks for your practice
  • We’ll explore slight variations, because you are the expert on yourself and you’ll find what is most accessible for you
  • Participants should wear comfortable clothes – there’s no movement in this class, but comfort helps reduce distractions
  • Find a quiet place where you won’t be interrupted
  • Allow an hour for this class
  • Don’t try to take notes – this is all about the experience

About Nina Smiley, Ph. D.
Smiley is a long-time supporter and friend of SUNY New Paltz, who received the President’s Medal and was commencement speaker at the 2019 Sunday Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony.

As director of mindfulness programming at Mohonk Mountain House and co-author of “The Three Minute Meditator” (now in its fifth edition and translated into seven languages), Smiley’s focus is on sharing simple and effective mindfulness meditation techniques that can be used by real people, one moment at a time.

Smiley discovered mindfulness meditation in the 1980s, developing a practice that has become integrated within her life, rather than “carved out from it.” Her presentations are defined by simplicity and practicality, offered with warmth and compassion, making mindfulness accessible for immediate life-enhancing action, anywhere and anytime.

Her work has appeared in publications including The New York Times, O: The Oprah Magazine, Real Simple and Prevention Magazine. She leads programs and teaches private classes on mindfulness and wellbeing at Mohonk Mountain House. Her book “Mindfulness in Nature” describes how “forest bathing” can enhance our relationship with the natural world to explore and deepen our understanding of ourselves and each other.

Smiley received an undergraduate degree at Vassar College and a Ph.D. in psychology from Princeton University.