Weekly Mindfulness Drop-In

Each session will open with taking some time to connect and presence ourselves in the virtual space: unmuting ourselves, saying hello, telling a story, saying something about how things are going. Next, we will do some breathwork, then a short gratitude practice, and then a short practice of acknowledging (silently) our hopes, our longings, what we are wanting more of in/from life, maybe even asking for it.

Following this we will do one of three practices:
1. Coming to our senses
2. Cultivating Equanimity
3. Guided Imagery (active imagination)

What I am calling “coming to our senses” is a practice of bringing our full attention, our full presence, to each of our senses, one at a time, and then all at once. We think we inhabit our senses, however, what I would like to suggest is that we could inhabit them much more. By doing this, we become truly present to what is occurring in this moment right now. We will practice detaching from thinking to more fully enjoy what we are perceiving through our senses. We will also practice noticing something that in pre-Socratic Greek philosophy was called the “common sense”. That is, the sense that unifies all the senses. Are you curious? I hope so.

“Cultivating Equanimity” involves learning a practice called Vipassana. In this practice, we systematically and consciously move attention throughout each spatial location of the body and perceive the sensation arising at that part of the body. This meditation works mostly with one sense – that of sensation. The practice involves experiencing sensation while noticing if we are reacting with either craving or aversion. Each of these two, craving and aversion, are a reaction to what is occurring in the present moment and are a way in which we avoid the present moment and disconnect from ourselves. Equanimity is occurring when we are no longer giving up our chance to be calm, still, at peace, and content, to these reactions of how we want things to be different than how they truly are in this moment. Equanimity is a deep acceptance, or allowing, of everything exactly as it is.

The guided imagery practice, more properly called Active Imagination, is a practice informed by the field of depth psychology, which asserts, simply put, that under our ego (our conscious selves) there exists many other “layers” (or parts) of self. These layers can be accessed. Some of them would be greatly beneficial to access. One facet of self that we will endeavour to access is the part of us that is deeply Wise. We will be making various journeys to our inner wise selves and seeking counsel from them. You will be surprised by what you find out.

Each session will end with an open inquiry; that is, time for us to relate, connect, celebrate insights together, maybe share experiences. This will also be a time to ask questions.

Hope to see you there!

Cost to participant: Free!

Join on the Microsoft Teams channel.