Stan Merrill Certified Mindfulness Meditation Teacher
Stan Merrill has been teaching meditation since 2007 in the Houston Area. The programs are designed to help students cope with stress and be more resilient to the challenges of modern life. His programs focus on using the ancient mindfulness and meditation techniques to develop the mental discipline, awareness, compassion and openness that help us alter our perspectives and be more resilient to life’s inevitable challenges.
Teacher Training
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In 2019 he earned a Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification through the Awareness Training Institute of the University of California at Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center. The two year program was taught by Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach through Sounds True
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Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction in Mind-Body Medicine: 7 Day Professional Training in 2007 led by Jon Kabat-Zinn Ph.D. and Saki Santorelli Ed.D.
Teaching Philosophy
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Set reasonable expectations of daily practice and progress.
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Motivate the students by explaining the benefits of a meditation practice.
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Identify the pitfalls of meditation that lead to discouragement
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Provide a simple 4 week program that can help students slowly build up meditation and mindfulness skills
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Teach micro practices that can quickly and easily be done throughout the day
Teaching Experience
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Luna Recovery Center – August 2019 to the present
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Houston Jung Center – quarterly classes on coping with stress. 2007 – present
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West University Seniors Center – 2009 – present – Twice monthly mindfulness discussion group
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Houston Area Parkinson’s Society – 2009 to present
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DeBakey Veteran’s Administration Hospital – Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Center – 2011 – 2013
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Chevron Corporation – 2013
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MD Anderson Hospital – Sugarland –2015
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University of Texas at Austin – Osher Lifelong Learning Institute – March 2016
Studied With
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Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche at Ligmincha Institute, Houston, Texas
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Dawn Mountain Tibetan Temple, Community Center and Research Institute with Anne Klein, Harvey Aaronson and Khetsun Sanghpo Rinpoche.
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Anam Thubten Rinpoche of the Dharmata Foundation. Mr Merrill completed the 3 year Dharma Apprenticeship program.
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A 10 day silent retreat at Goenke’s Vipassana center in Kaufman Texas.
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Jack Kornfield, Tara Brach, Cheri Huber, Micki Fine, Howie Cohn, Ginger Clarkson and Ronald D. Siegel.
Academic Background
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Bachelor of Science in Physics in 1967 from Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
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Master of Science in Solid State Physics from Cornell University in 1969 in Ithaca, New York
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Master of Science in Computer Science in 1974 from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland.
Professional Background
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Served for two years in the Peace Corps teaching physics at a secondary technical school in Ghana, West Africa from 1969 – 1971.
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Taught mathematics at Western High School from 1971 – 1972
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Worked at Frost Bank in San Antonio as a Systems Analyst from 1976 – 1979
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Retired from IBM in 2002 after 23 years where he worked as a Systems Engineer, Database Specialist, Systems Engineer Manager and Application Development Consultant.
Activities
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Monthly attendance at Houston Dharmata Foundation meetings and yearly retreats.
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Monthly attendance at Insight Meditation Houston. Chairman of the Board of Directors, IMH, from 2013 to 2016
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Various national and local retreats.
Hobbies and interests
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Tennis
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Reading, films and meditation book clubs
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Hiking
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Traveling