How do I access Oren’s guided meditations?

You can subscribe to Oren’s newsletter from orenjaysofer.com/subscribe for a free guided meditation series and an e-book on contemplative practice. Oren has free guided meditations on his website at orenjaysofer.com/audio or on SoundCloud at https://soundcloud.com/orenjaysofer/sets (scroll down to "Guided Meditations"). Oren also creates guided meditations, courses, and other content for the app Ten Percent Happier.  If you're looking for a guided meditation specifically associated with a course or retreat you took with Oren, let us know the name of the course / retreat and approximately when it occurred, and we can send you the link to any available recordings from that program.

Does Oren take Buddhist students for 1:1 Dharma mentorship?

For students who have already established a relationship with Oren through a residential retreat and/or the online program Next Step Dharma, Oren is available for a small number of private students, depending on availability and fit. If you have completed retreats or the Next Step Dharma program with Oren and want to apply for 1:1 Dharma mentorship, let us know in a reply and we’ll follow up with you.

Alternatively, you can check out the list of Oren’s Dharma colleagues who are accepting 1:1 students here.

Can you refer me to a coach, mediator, meditation teacher or therapist?

Yes. We’ve put together a list of recommended Nonviolent Communication trainers and coaches, therapists, and meditation teachers. We encourage you to read the list and reach out to someone here.

What books does Oren recommend on Buddhism and/or Buddhist meditation?

We’re happy to recommend some books to either help you get started, or deepen your practice. Check out Oren’s recommended reading list on our website here.

Does Oren offer communication coaching, conflict mediation, counseling, or trauma healing sessions?

Due to Oren’s teaching schedule and other responsibilities, he is generally unavailable for 1:1 communication coaching or other healing work. However, we are happy to refer you to a handful of trusted colleagues who are listed here on our referrals page: orenjaysofer.com/referrals

When will Oren offer another Say What You Mean course (or other type of course / retreat / event)? 

Oren’s calendar of upcoming events is online at orenjaysofer.com/schedule/ and he also announces upcoming events in his bi-weekly newsletter, which you can subscribe to at orenjaysofer.com/subscribe. If an event isn’t listed on Oren’s website, dates haven’t been set yet.

Oren generally teaches three online communication courses per year: 

  • Authentic Communication: six-week course early in the calendar year (January - March) focused on expressing oneself openly, honestly and directly with kindness

  • Wise Speech: six-week donation-based summer course through the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies

  • Say What You Mean: 12-week course each fall based on Oren’s book, Say What You Mean

Can I get Continuing Education credits (CECs) or other professional credits for taking Oren’s courses or retreats?

CECs are offered for select retreats, courses and daylong programs only. Please check the event listing at orenjaysofer.com/events to see if CECs are available and for which professionals. CECs are generally available for the courses and retreats listed at orenjaysofer.com/continuing-education, through the Spiritual Competency Academy (SCA), a continuing education provider that is accredited by some professions’ licensing organizations. SCA can provide CECs to American-licensed psychologists and national board-certified Health and Wellness coaches, California-licensed nurses, and mental health clinicians whose continuing education is governed by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (e.g., LCSW, LPCC, LEP, LMFT). All other health professionals, or individuals outside of these geographic areas, need to check with your profession’s continuing education accreditation board to determine if they will accept the CECs offered by the SCA; we can’t make this determination for you.

Professional credits for teacher and educators are provided by Courses for Teachers through the University of the Pacific, which is fully accredited with the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. These units are Graduate-Level Professional Development Semester Units/Credits intended to help teachers advance on the salary scale or to renew credentials. Please see orenjaysofer.com/continuing-education for more information.

I’d like Oren to provide a training or give a talk or workshop, how can I connect with him about this?

The most direct way is to complete the form at orenjaysofer.com/invitations which asks basic questions about what kind of event you’re hoping to do and what arrangements you’d like for Oren’s involvement. If you have trouble with the form, you can email us the information.

I’d like to share something from Oren’s newsletter on social media, is that OK?

Yes, you can share Oren’s newsletters with anyone you would like and you’re welcome to post it on social media. Please “tag” Oren on social media posts (@Orenjaysofer) and include this link so that people can subscribe if they’re interested: orenjaysofer.com/subscribe

I’d like to share Oren’s work, materials, or use it in my own teaching, is that OK?

We’re so touched that you’re interested in sharing Oren’s work and teaching with others. Our requests around what you share, with whom, and how depends on the nature of the materials you’d like to share. Please review the guidelines below before sharing any materials. If you have additional questions, please feel free to email us at admin@orenjaysofer.com.

For materials in the public domain or with a Creative Commons License:
This refers to all writing, audio and video on Oren’s website that is NOT behind a password protected page; all public content on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and audio talks on Dharma Seed; as well as any other teaching or writing that is publicly available on the internet:

  • We’re enthusiastic about you sharing material that is in the public domain in full or part.

  • Our only request is that you please include his full name “Oren Jay Sofer,” a link to our website when and where possible (www.orenjaysofer.com) and/or any additional references as appropriate for work that is not original to Oren.

For materials from Oren’s online courses and trainings that are copyrighted by Oren:
This refers to all original audio and video from Oren’s online courses, Oren’s written weekly reflections, as well as handouts and worksheets bearing an “Oren Jay Sofer” copyright mark. These are proprietary, unpublished materials that are not in the public domain, which are directly related to Oren’s capacity to earn a living. As such:

  • Family / friends: We welcome you sharing a few pages (up to one week’s handout) or up to three guided meditations with a family member, friend or colleague for private use. If you would like to share more than this amount of material, we ask that you instead encourage the person to register for the course or gift them a seat in one of Oren’s courses.

  • Volunteer / unpaid context: In unpaid, community service, and/or volunteer contexts, we welcome you sharing a few pages (or one week’s handout) of private course materials, or up to three guided meditations. If you would like to share more than this amount of material, please get in touch to discuss the context of your work and obtain direct permission or alternate strategies.

  • Paid professional context: In paid, professional contexts (for your employer, your own teaching or consulting work), we welcome you sharing any of the following with attribution (Oren’s name and website): up to 350 words of written prose (excluding worksheets and handouts); one worksheet or list; one audio guided meditation. If you would like to share more, please get in touch to discuss the context of your work and obtain direct permission, a financial agreement, or other strategies.

  • Donations: If you have shared any of Oren’s materials according to these guidelines and feel moved to offer a contribution of any amount to support his work and teaching, please feel free to do so here.

  • If you are basing your material on Oren’s work, please include: “based on the work of Oren Jay Sofer, www.orenjaysofer.com”

  • In order to protect the privacy of course participants, under no circumstances do we permit sharing the live audio or video recordings from Oren’s online courses, or your password for these pages.

For materials from Oren’s online courses and trainings that are are copyrighted by others:

  • Please refer to the instructions in the copyright of each respective handout. If no instructions are listed, please contact the copyright holder directly.

  • For materials copyrighted by Miki Kashtan and Inbal Kashtan and/or BayNVC, please refer to their information and requests here: http://bit.ly/material-share 

For Oren’s teaching and materials copyrighted by another company, organization or group:
This includes Oren’s books as well as material published on private platforms and apps such as Ten Percent Happier, Calm, Simple Habit or other domains.