GoH Outreach Meditation Sessions

[ghaelen]

Given that we've been so warmly welcomed into the Eder D'uru island in Second Life, and given that our Retreat is somewhat ready for visitors, I have been seriously interested in inviting others to join me once every week or two for a brief well-being meditation.  I've in mind that it would last no longer than 30 minutes and be a different theme each week.  Here are some ideas:

Themes:  Well-being through breathing, Focusing on a sight, or a sound, initiating laughter, and things like that.  The theme is really just for background, to get the session started. (See the bottom of this post for a note about the "Healing Uru" idea)

Timing:  I'd like to experiment with days and times to settle on one session per week at two different times -- one early session for international members and one evening for the US.  Since I plan to keep them short, this shouldn't turn into major preparation, just meet, plop down and begin.  (I know, I know... )

Music:  LC, I will need some advice here, if you don't mind.  I know that if you are home during the evening sessions you are happy to fire up shoutcast. (Safe to assume, yes?  )  There is a bit of a problem with those sessions that would be early in the day, however.  I can use an internet station (lots that play soothing music), but I have trouble piping in music from my computer.  I can do it, but it doesn't sound very good, so it might be more aggravating than soothing.  What I'd like to to is upload music to this huge website server, and create some kind of widget or something to feed from there.  I just don't know how to do that.  So your ideas would be helpful.  I'm not opposed to creating my own shoutcast station, but that seems redundant and I am hesitant to ask Ashtar for more favors...

Location:  These brief sessions will be held at the retreat.  We have three spaces for sitting in a circle (fourth coming soon) and so the place will change for variety.

Session leader:  Any guild member is invited to lead a session.  These are simple, very general and will hopefully help us and others relax a little during the rough times we all have in life.  Some of the members of this guild might be professionals, but that isn't necessary to sit and wish others well, laugh, and enjoy the company.  You can use any theme that has already been set up or propose one of your own.  There is no need for heavy promotion -- word of mouth in this respect is just fine.  Those who enjoy the sessions will likely invite others who would also enjoy them.  So, there's not a lot to do, or prepare, except maybe decide where to sit and choose some music (once we get that established).

What do you all think about this?


Note:  At the Silk Road event, someone mentioned a Healing Uru meditation.  I am inclined to think Tai'lahr was involved but I don't remember... sorry.  Anyway, that is a nice idea and would be a larger, Eder D'uru hosted event for the wider SL Uru community, if my understanding serves me correctly.  So that would be more appropriate for the Mall Roof or the Tokotah Roof or in a larger community area.  Anyway, it merits its own thread, I think, if anyone would like to start one. 

[Tailahr]

Sounds great to me - all of it.

There is no need for heavy promotion -- word of mouth in this respect is just fine. 

Would it be okay to include it in the Eder D'Uru calendar?

Note:  At the Silk Road event, someone mentioned a Healing Uru meditation.  I am inclined to think Tai'lahr was involved but I don't remember... sorry.  Anyway, that is a nice idea and would be a larger, Eder D'uru hosted event for the wider SL Uru community, if my understanding serves me correctly.

Actually, I was reading Kneb's mind when he thought of it:   

[2009/06/13 12:00]  Kneb Fall thinks we might be able to make URU real by meditation

and then I PMd Ghaelen with "Perhaps we could discuss an event like that?" She said, sure, why not? and I suggested that maybe it could be like the Community-wide event, but with a focus on healing Uru.  And, she said July or August would be good.
(Can you tell I'm still working on editing the chatlog from the event?) 

[Lord Chaos]

My experience with meditation is minimal, sort of. I don't do it formally and have never tried to lead such, but Music Night usually has some meditative moments (until Ghaelen starts ghiggling aghain) so I can do my usual musical support.

Most weeknights are difficult for me due to getting up early for work. Thursdays would work. Early sessions would need to be on weekends... between or after mountain bike rides. I can always set some music going and then go on to do my things. Once you get a better idea of how often you want to do these, and what days, I can give you a better idea of what contribution I can make.

[ghaelen]

Tai, you can certainly post about the meditation sessions in the resident newsletter.  I will most likely also post a notice to the Healers Outreach group.  What I'd like to avoid is a lot of "checking it out" traffic since it is a short session.  I'm thinking that the start time will be 10 minutes before we actually start to give latecomers some time to settle in.  I'll write up a notecard as well to put in the Retreat for people to read as they explore. (soon, maybe this weekend)


LC, don't worry about playing music if the times don't work.  I don't know about having the early sessions on the weekends... my thoughts are quietness and relaxation.  However, I'm open to it if those are the best days for people who would like to come regularly.  I'm investigating other methods of playing musical sounds as well.

One thing I do think I can do right away is send out a notice to the Healers' Outreach group to find out who would be interested and maybe ask folks to stop over for a short gathering and discussion about it.  I might do that today just to initiate the activity.

(on the larger Healing Uru event, Tai, feel free to start a new thread, or when I get some time I'll do it.)

[Jane]

Chiming in somewhat belatedly just to say I love the idea of weekly meditation sessions.  Don't know what I could contribute other than showing up--but I'd like to do that!

Also, the Healing Uru project is a terrific idea for a larger public event.

That's my 2 cents.

[Lord Chaos]

I've been thinking about music for this kind of gathering. Went to Amazon to do basic research--you know, the old "If you like this, you may go for..." sideways pathfinding--but came to no conclusions. I'm just unsure of how music fits with the type of meditation you're thinking about. I can imagine lots of possibilities:
* nature sounds
* soft music
* New Age type music
* "audio environments" type things, or "ambient"

If you have specific suggestions of musicians you think would go well, send me a list that I can use as a guide. Once I get into the ballpark I can start improving the game.

[ghaelen]

I've been thinking about music for this kind of gathering. Went to Amazon to do basic research--you know, the old "If you like this, you may go for..." sideways pathfinding--but came to no conclusions. I'm just unsure of how music fits with the type of meditation you're thinking about. I can imagine lots of possibilities:
* nature sounds
* soft music
* New Age type music
* "audio environments" type things, or "ambient"

If you have specific suggestions of musicians you think would go well, send me a list that I can use as a guide. Once I get into the ballpark I can start improving the game.

LC, right now I'm positive you have lots of music that will work for these short sessions.  So don't worry about getting more.  I'm planning to hold them on a weekday, once in the morning and a duplicate session in the evenings.  That way our European friends can join us, too.  I know you are at work, so I haven't really intended for you to be responsible for the music.  I've been experimenting using voice chat, and I can use internet stations, teamspeak, even if the quality isn't as good as when you play the music.

I'd like to schedule the evening session so you can come and relax with us if you'd like without feeling like you have to do anything.  You mentioned Thursday evenings... what about Wednesday evenings?  I plan for these to last no more than an hour, with the actual meditation session lasting 30 minutes or so.  An hour will give us time to settle down beforehand and then talk a little afterward.

The last thing I want to do with these is cause stress to anyone.  So they will be very simple, still, quiet, and a minimum of leadership. Yes, each will have a theme and will be guided, but very informal and casual.

[Lord Chaos]

OK... I won't worry about music for these, although you are a bit too late. I've already ordered a couple of CDs that sounded appropriate.

Run them when you want and I'll make it if I can. Depends on how things go during the day, for me. And my cranky old computer likes to warm up for 20 minutes or so before doing anything, which inhibits spontaneity.

[ghaelen]

It looks like the weekly Retreat meditations will take place on either Wednesdays or on Thursdays.  Tentative times are 11:00am and 6:00pm Second Life time.  That is 1:00 and 8:00 for me (Central Time).  So far I'm not aware of conflicts with other GoH or Eder D'uru activities.  Are there any thoughts on these times?

If there isn't a conflict, I will probably hold the meditations on Wednesdays.  Beginning in August, I may have an occasional RL meeting in the evening, but I will work around that when it happens.

[Tailahr]

Wednesdays would be good for me.

[ghaelen]

The Weekly Meditation Sessions have been going rather well for their newness.  I've spoken to a few people who would like to come but can't because they are held on Wednesdays and the times are off.  Sooo, I've re-thought the day and time a bit.  What do you all think about moving the regular sessions to a weekend day, such as Sunday?  There could still be two sessions, early and later, or one session earlier in the morning (before noon SL time so European explorers can join us).  These will probably remain fairly small, and won't interfere with larger Retreat, Eder D'uru, or Radio KTDN events usually held during the afternoon or on Saturdays.

Sundays are fine for me, but I am motivated to avoid committing every Sunday mid-afternoon to the computer.  Split sessions or one early session is better for me.  But, Jane and Tai, what works (or doesn't work for you) is also important since you've been such a help in this.

Thoughts?

[Jane]

I think you should do it when it's most convenient for you, ghaelen!  Sundays would usually be fine for me, though I might have to miss once in a while--it's harder to keep a weekend day than a weekday free.  Actually I'm already tied up for the next 3 Sundays, but that's pretty unusual.  It does seem like it would be good to have at least one weekend session for people who work Monday through Friday.  Could you do one on Sunday & one mid-week?  Or is there just not enough interest in the Wednesday sessions to make them worth it?  (Or maybe splitting the days would put too much strain on your schedule?)

[ghaelen]

I don't know, actually, which would be better.  It may be that Sundays are just as hard every week.  We'll have the sessions this Wednesday as usual, and perhaps we'll do something next weekend on Saturday or Sunday.  I thought about combining the themes thus far into a slightly longer, less in-depth session.

[Jane]

And, erm . . . I just found out I'm not actually tied up next Sunday (7/26).  I thought I was going to Mysterium--& I am! but it's not til the following weekend.  Sheesh!

[ghaelen]

OK, then, I think we ought to have a weekend meditation.