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 Happier app (formerly 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?

In order to focus on family life and other teaching, Oren is currently not accepting individual students for mentoring. However, beginning in January 2025 he will be leading an online group, Clear Dharma Sangha. Check the events page here for details, or add your name and email address to our “early notification” list to hear when registration opens. For information about additional opportunities to practice or train with Oren, please join our email list here, where he announces all new programs or offerings. If you are only interested in working with someone one on one, you can check out a list of Oren’s Dharma colleagues who are accepting private students here.

Does Oren have a sangha or meditation group that meets regularly?

Beginning in January 2025, Oren will lead Clear Dharma Sangha, an online community meditation group. The group will meet roughly four times per month, meeting twice in one week every other week. For 2025, the group will be loosely based on his new book Your Heart Was Made For This. We expect to have information posted about this group by December 1, 2024; check our events page for more or join Oren’s email list here, where he will be announcing any new programs or offerings.

Spirit Rock Meditation Center is taking over Next Step Dharma, the online course and meditation group that Oren ran for many years. You may find other meditation groups via these centers or resources:

  • Buddhist Insight Network maintains a list of meditation groups around the world here

  • There is a list of online Insight Meditation Groups here

  • Spirit Rock Meditation Center offers various drop-in groups, listed on their website here

  • Vipassana Hawaii leads a wonderful online sitting group here

  • Steve and Kamala Masters of Vipassana Metta Foundation have some online groups 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 family responsibilities, he is generally unavailable for private 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.

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

Beginning in mid-December 2024, Oren’s signature Say What You Mean online communication courses will be available for purchase any time as pre-recorded online courses. He will release Say What You Mean part I and part II this year, which are based on and cover his book, Say What You Mean. The course will include video lectures, articles, individual, and partner practice assignments, as well as recordings of Oren responding to commonly asked questions.

Oren will not teach his online Authentic Communication or Wise Speech courses in 2025, and may offer them live again in 2026.

To learn when the on-demand Say What You Mean courses are published, and when other trainings open for registration, you may add your name to Oren’s early notification list, check his teaching schedule, or subscribe to his newsletter here.

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

We no longer offer CECs for licensed health professionals, mental health providers, or coaches. We can provide a Certificate of Completion (within 60 days of a course concluding) for certain courses; please see orenjaysofer.com/cec for more information.

Professional credits for teachers 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/cec 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.