Craving Community (will you join me?)

On the heels of last week’s post (and, by the way, so good to engage with many of you on that subject), I thought I’d share with you something that I’m playing with these days.  These days, right now.  These days, right now…as I keep a gentle eye on the horizon, as I look inward with love and curiosity, as I gaze outward with compassion for who (and what) is around me. Right now.

If you’ve been with me for a while, you know my love for writing and photography.  Another love of mine is yoga and meditation.  Last year, I finally pursued my yoga teacher training, something I’ve been thinking of doing for oh, say, the last 20ish years.  Better late than never, eh?  With that training under my belt, and with years of my own practice, I’m finally beginning to weave this love into my others.

Back in February, I offered my first online mediation + writing circle.  I offered another gathering in March.  Both times, about 10 beautiful women gathered with me.  In this cozy circle, we did a meditation, we wrote, we chatted a little.  A few tears were shed as emotion washed over some.  We did this in the shared space of a Zoom call.

Now, I know many of us are spending lots of time on Zoom these days.  I realize what I’m asking when I suggest you join me on yet another Zoom call.  But I promise you, my meditation + writing circles are very un-Zoomy.

When students join me in any of my classes, there’s always a lot of love, tenderness, vulnerability, curiosity.  These are the kinds of people attracted to my work.  I’m not sure how it happens but those who work with me are consistently wonderful and kind people.  It’s like there’s some kind of magic bringing us together.  

That magic apparently continues in my meditation + writing circles. 

For starters, it’s small and intimate.  It’s un-Zoomy, and is decidedly not Facebook Live or IG Live.  It’s not even a Zoom meeting or conference.  It’s Zoom, yes, but it’s…

It’s just you and me and a few others seeing each other’s sweet faces.  It’s just you and me and a few others hearing each other’s dear voices.  It’s just you and me and a few others pausing for some quiet breathing, a bit of quiet writing, some poetry, some community.

After only two gatherings (our third is next week…see below), I feel the magic of coming together in this way.  I will always love Just Five Things and plan to continue offering that (and I’m toying with offering 28 Moments again), but I’d really like to grow these online meditation + writing circles as well.

I crave connection.  I know many of you do too.  I hear this time and again in emails, in class, in blog post comments.  We want to connect in thoughtful ways and in thoughtful spaces.

We have all known the long loneliness, and we have found that the answer is community.

Dorothy Day

And so…

If I stop worrying about who I will become and step into my now, this is one thing I want to do.  I want to gather with you, live.  I want to hold space for guards to drop and hearts to open, in real time.  I want to dance with the silence as well as the conversation, together with you in the same moment.

I continue to feel called to gather in community with people like you.  If you’re someone who comes to this space with any regularity, I think these meditation + writing circles just might be up your alley.

Care for a stroll?

sending a little love your way, m

Visit here to read more details, to hear what previous students have shared about their experience, and to sign up for next week’s gathering, on April 21, 2-3pm ET.  I’d love to see you.

P.S.  Please know that, in any of my classes, it’s important that you do you.  That is, you do the work in a way that feels comfortable for you.  So, if you’re intimidated by a live gathering, I want you to know that you don’t have to say a word if you don’t want to.  You can come as you are and speak as little or as much as you’d like.  Always:  no rules, no expectations.  Right?  Right.  xo

P.P.S. If you want to stay in touch regarding future Community circles, you’ll hear it first in my Monthly Notes. Click the image below to sign up for these heartfelt letters, from me to you.