Loving the House that Ego Built: Practices for Mindful Self-Awareness (HC3D25)
Howard Cohn, MA
October 26 - 27, 2025
Registration closes at 9:00am (Pacific Time) on October 26, 2025. A waiting list will be created if the program fills early. A recording* will be available following the program. Continuing Education Credits? (see details below).
Description:
During this day, we will explore the nature of ego and the enormous stress that comes with trying to be “someone.” With Insight Meditation, we can make peace with the many views of ourselves and recognize that no self-view can capture the riches of who we are. Practicing sitting and walking meditation, with instructions and short Dharma talks, we will cultivate embodied presence. We will use the healing tools of mindfulness and lovingkindness to meet the activity of self with balance and openness, perhaps even “loving the house that ego built.”
Online Only: We are offering this program online via Zoom.
Sliding Scale: Our sliding scale options for this program include financial support for our teachers. Please consider paying at the highest rate that you can afford: your generosity supports the teachers as well as Spirit Rock and your fellow practitioners who need to pay less.
Benefactor – $175
Sustainer – $95
Basic – $75
Scholarship Rate (BIPOC, M/K) – $45
All are welcome! No one will be turned away for lack of funds as space allows. For more information, please email Registration@spiritrock.org no later than 12:00pm (NOON) PT on the day prior to the program date.
*Recording Note: Registration includes unlimited access to this program’s recording. You must register by the deadline above. The recording will be available in ~10 days after the program.
Important Note for CEC participants: If you are interested in receiving continuing education credits (CECs), you must register and pay for CECs prior to the start of the program (no retroactive CECs will be given) and you must attend the entire program. Please review the CEC information below.
Cancellation Policy – Online: Drop-ins, Daylongs, Multiday Programs (1-3 days), Family Programs/Series, CEC fees:
- NO REFUNDS
- Open Credit, or Donation to Spirit Rock = if cancel by midnight, the day prior to program start (Pacific Time)
- No Open Credit = if cancel day of the program, or beyond
Continuing Education (CE) credit available:
This program offers 4 CE credits for $40 for psychologists, and California-licensed MFTs, LCSWs, LEPs, LPCCs, nurses, and chiropractors. Please review our Continuing Education Credit information page to determine if your association or board will accept credits offered by Spirit Rock.***
Teachings are appropriate for health care professionals as well as the general public. This program supports healthcare professionals in cultivating self-awareness, reducing reactivity, and building emotional resilience. By understanding egoic patterns and employing mindful self-regulation, participants can more effectively manage occupational stress and role fatigue. These practices support well-being and enhance empathy and presence in patient care. Clinicians will also gain skills to guide clients in working with self-critical patterns, building emotional balance, and developing compassion-based tools to improve therapeutic outcomes.
Learning Objectives for participating health care professionals-
At the end of the program, you will be better able to:
- Define the concept of ego from a Buddhist psychological perspective.
- Identify common ego-driven coping mechanisms (e.g., self-judgment, over-identification) that may increase distress.
- Describe and apply mindfulness-based self-soothing strategies that promote emotional regulation and decrease distress.
- Describe how mindfulness and lovingkindness practices can increase self-awareness, self-compassion, and therapeutic presence in clinical work.
Continuing Education content level: Introductory
***Please note:
- For full Provider information, and additional CEC information, including attendance requirements, cancellation, and grievance policies, please visit our Continuing Education Credit information page.
- For those with a different license than listed above, or with a license from a different board or association than listed on our CEC info page, please contact your licensing board or association directly to request pre-approval/acceptance of CE credits offered at Spirit Rock. Spirit Rock does not confirm the applicability of credit for those with licenses different than those listed.
- Mindful CECs is a provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number CEP17985 for 4 contact hours.
- Credit is awarded for instructional time only and does not include extended silent meditation, if offered.
- Potential Conflict of Interest Statement: This instructor may have authored publications relevant to the subjects covered in this course. The instructor might reference these publications during the course, and they may receive financial compensation if these publications are purchased.
About the Teacher

Howard Cohn, MA
Howard Cohn, MA, has a master’s in Counseling Psychology and has practiced meditation since 1972 and has led Vipassana retreats since 1985. He leads a weekly ongoing class in San Francisco. Howard has studied with many Asian and Western teachers of several traditions, including Theravada, Zen, Dzogchen and Advaita Vedanta, and has been strongly influenced […]
Learn more about Howard Cohn, MACategories : CE Credits, Daylong, Event/Program, Online