Group Info

Details

Monday nights @ 7:30 EST/6:30 CST

Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84652740301?pwd=YTYzK3NEUTlGa1JGUmkyMThiU1Yvdz09

1. We’ll start with a short check-in (2 min. each) around the group, talking about your practice and how mindfulness has impacted your week.
2. We will give a short talk on the topic/focus for the week, followed by a guided meditation.
3. After the meditation, we will have another discussion regarding what came up during the mediation, thoughts, concerns, etc.

The book I’m using as a guide is A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Workbook. It’s not necessary to buy it to be in this group.

Accountability

Mindfulness is a practice: the more you do it, the better it works. I’ll be honest, a big part of my desire to start this group was to help me with my own accountability in meditating regularly. Making time for myself and my mental health more often than not takes a backseat to whatever might come up throughout the day and I don’t think I’m alone in this.

Being in a group like this is definitely a commitment, just as practicing mindfulness and meditation is a commitment. In signing onto this little endeavor, you’re not only making a commitment to the group, you’re making a commitment to yourself to give this practice a fair shot for the next 11 weeks or so. We’ve come up with an additional check beyond the group itself to help you make the most of this time.

Group Deposit

We are requiring you to make a deposit of $5 a week ($55 total). If you make every meeting, you’ll get the deposit back in full. For every class missed, we will keep $5 of your deposit and donate it to charity at the end of the 11 weeks. It’s not meant to be a punishment as much as some added incentive to make it work.

You can send it to me through Zelle, Venmo, or Paypal. At the end of the 11 weeks I will send the money back to you in the same manner sent. The donation will be made to Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan under the name of our mindfulness group.

Confidentiality

Whatever is said in this group, stays in this group. 

I’m keeping it brief, but this is one of the most important aspects of having a successful group.

Mindful Sharing

Some ground rules:

• Members should feel free to share at any time but should never be obligated to do so.
• Use the hand raise function in Zoom as a signal to let the group know when they have something to share. When you have finished sharing, let the group know to minimize accidental interrupting or talking over one another.
• Let there be a pause between shares. Slowing down the process promotes awareness of what is arising within.
• Speak about what’s alive for you in this moment, from your heart and your own direct experience. Refrain from intellectual/philosophical discussion or long storytelling.
• Be lean of expression – it helps everyone who is listening and leaves time for others to be heard. If you’ve already spoken, give others a spacious opportunity to share a first time before you share again.
• Listen deeply to the speaker, noticing what arises within you as you listen – and what arises as you speak.
• Refrain from offering unsolicited advice.
• Honor confidentiality.

Basic Group Guidelines

• Please put your phone on airplane mode or turn it off for the duration of the group. This is for two main reasons:
  1. You aren’t going to be fully present and mindfully listening when others are sharing if your phone is buzzing with notifications and you’re glancing down every time. Just turn it off, it’s only for an hour a week.
  2. It opens you up to a breach of confidentiality (or a perceived one by the group), whether that’s the intent or not. No beuno. Turn it off.
• Try to enter on time, because entries make a noise that will be distracting in a meditation period.
• Unless speaking or during a period of open dialogue, please keep microphones on mute to minimize background noise.
• Check to be sure the camera is ON.
• Please refrain from using “Chat” for side conversations in order to keep all energy focused on the group space and maintain deep listening and presence. Reserve Chat usage for any technical difficulties that require an alternate form of communication with the group.
• Please do not use the “Capture” function (which takes photos) during meetings in order to preserve confidentiality.
• Start with a short check-in around the circle in which each person introduces themselves and says a few words about how they are doing. Then open the floor for spontaneous sharing.
• Appropriate themes include the joys, difficulties, and insights experienced in meditation practice and the multitude of ways to bring mindfulness alive in relationships, work and daily life.