Fall Book Reflection
Eremos Fall 2026 Book Reflection
Your Heart Was Made for This
Contemplative Practices for Meeting A World in Crisis with Courage, Integrity & Love
by Oren Jay Sofer
“How do we meet our challenges and choose wisely? To truly meet something is to encounter it with awareness, enter into relationship with it, and respond appropriately… Responding effectively depends on training the heart and developing inner resources.” – Oren Jay Sofer
Join us for four weekly conversations about how we can strengthen our heart through contemplative practices to better respond to the pain, sorrow, and injustice we witness in the world.
“If you practice patience, kindness, and ease, with every moment you grow stronger. In fact, these heart qualities can become your default orientation so that, when hardships arise, you draw not on old reactions but on new strengths.” – Oren Jay Sofer
No prior experience with or interest in Buddhism or mindfulness meditation is necessary. This is universal wisdom about strengthening the heart, accessible by anyone. Join us!
Book Reflection Details
Four 90-minute facilitated sessions, beginning OCTOBER 2026 (dates vary by group).
INVESTMENT:
$55 + book.
Zoom & In-Person Options.
Partial Scholarships available
GROUPS
See chart below for a complete list of facilitators and the dates/times their groups meet. Unless otherwise noted, all groups will be facilitated over Zoom.
We always encourage you to support your local bookseller like BookPeople.com in Austin, IVP Books, Hearts & Minds Books, or Your Local Bookstore
You’re invited to purchase a copy of the book through this link to Amazon.com. Please note that if you click through and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. This is at no additional cost to you.
| FACILITATOR | TIME OFFERED (90 Minute Sessions) | DATE OFFERED | LOCATION OFFERED | STATUS OF GROUP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dianna Amorde | Wednesdays from 7:00 – 8:30pm | Oct. 7th, 14th, 21st, & 28th | VIRTUALLY (Zoom) | OPEN |
| Whitney Myers | Wednesdays from 12:30pm to 2:00pm | Oct. 7th, 14th, 21st, & 28th | VIRTUALLY (Zoom) | OPEN |
TIMES are CENTRAL DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
About Oren Jay Sofer:
Oren Jay Sofer teaches mindfulness, meditation and Nonviolent Communication in secular and Buddhist contexts. Known for his accessible and clear voice, his teachings integrate classical Buddhist training with modern disciplines of Nonviolent Communication and Somatics.
Oren holds a degree in Comparative Religion from Columbia University and is a Certified Trainer of Nonviolent Communication and Somatic Experiencing Practitioner specializing in trauma healing. He is the author of several books, including the best-seller Say What You Mean: A Mindful Approach to Nonviolent Communication, a practical guidebook for having more effective, satisfying conversations.
Want to know what other books Eremos has explored? See the list HERE
Past Books Eremos has Explored
We offer Book Reflection groups three times a year. As you can see from the list below, we explore a wide variety of topics from people of different or no spiritual tradition. We hope you’ll become a regular of this beloved series!
2025
- Fall: The Tears of Things by Richard Rohr
- Summer: The Comfort of Crows by Margaret Renkl
- Winter: Becoming Wise by Krista Tippett
2024
- Fall: We Were Made for These Times by Kaira Jewel Lingo
- Summer: Rooted by Lyanda Lynn Haupt
- Winter: How to Know a Person by David Brooks
2023
- Fall: The Gravity of Joy by Angela Williams Gorrell
- Summer: Recipes for a Sacred Life by Rivvy Neshama
- Winter: The Book of Joy by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu, and Douglas Abrams
2022
- Fall: Prayer in the Night by Tish Harrison Warren
- Summer: Sacred Earth, Sacred Soul by John Philip Newell
- Winter: True Refuge by Tara Brach
2021
- Winter: Dropping the Struggle by Roger Housden
- Summer: Joyful by Ingrid Fetell Lee
- Fall: Ladder to the Light by Steven Charleston
2020
- Winter: Wild Mercy by Mirabai Starr
- Summer: Welcoming the Unwelcome by Pema Chödrön
- Fall: The Inner Work of Racial Justice by Rhonda V. Magee
2019
- Winter: Waking Up to This Day by Paula D’Arcy
- Summer: An Altar in the World by Barbara Brown Taylor
- Fall: Crossing the Unknown Sea by David Whyte
2018
- Winter: Healing the Soul of America by Marianne Williamson
- Summer: The Little Book of Inner Peace by Ashley Davis Bush
- Fall: More Together Than Alone by Mark Nepo
2017
- Winter: Illuminating the Way by Christine Valters Paintner
- Fall: Sacred Fire by Ronald Rolheiser
2016
- Winter: Mystical Hope by Cynthia Bourgeault
- Fall: Between the Dark and the Daylight by Joan Chittister
ABOUT THE FACILITATORS
FACILITATOR: Dianna Amorde
Dianna is the Executive Director of Eremos and has been facilitating these book groups since she arrived 8 years ago. She considers them one of her favorite ways of connecting with and supporting the Eremos community and delights in the opportunity to hear different points of view.
FACILITATOR: Whitney Myers
Whitney Myers has been participating in Eremos Book Reflection groups since 2013. She loves meeting others through these groups and participating in meaningful conversations about the selected books. Whitney notes that “the women and men I’ve met over the years have listened while I’ve offered my reflections, and they’ve shared thoughtful insights that have enriched my life.” She looks forward to supporting a similar experience in her groups.
