Instructions for participating in a group

           
Please read these instructions before participating. If you have questions or concerns ask before the group starts or in your check in so you can feel as relaxed and present as possible during our practice.

Group Practice: In three parts

1) Arriving/Checking in
2) Shared Witnessing Meditation
3) Sharing your experience with the group

    Arriving/Checking in:

We begin our groups with a simple check in: Your first name, how are you right now, and anything you would like to share that helps you arrive. Please keep this sharing to a minute or less if possible.

    Shared Witnessing Meditation:

Usually 45 minutes, we turn our attention inward and observe our present moment experience. During this part of the practice, everyone in the group has the option of describing verbally whatever their present moment experience happens to be, which we call “reporting”.

You can report anything that arises in your awareness such as physical sensations like tingling or tension, what you hear or see, thoughts you just had, emotions, whatever your experience is. You can focus attention on your breath, a mantra, or just notice arises.

We report from a witnessing perspective, which means rather than going into the drama or story of our experience we simply describe it.  By witnessing we are not distancing ourselves from what is arising, but remaining present and connected to our experience.

Don’t report everything you experience and keep your reports brief. Experiment to find out how much reporting works best for you and be sensitive to the space we co-create as a group. You may also choose to remain silent.

Many people begin their report with the phrase “I notice...” which helps support the witnessing perspective.

We will not be responding to each other conversationally, but we may have reactions to what others share. You can report your reaction without engaging others conversationally. For example: Instead of asking “Would you say more about your feelings”. You could report “I notice feeling curiosity”. This report leaves the person who shared their feelings without any obligation to respond and it leaves the one who reports curiosity not requiring an answer.

Notice your own reactions as you listen. Simply listening may be difficult, at times you may want to respond, comfort, comment or touch. As a listener, your roll is to hold the structure for the person reporting and keep your attention on your inner experience. At times, being the listener will be the more powerful roll to practice.
(Read more about listening)



         

   

Staying relaxed and alert to your present moment experience is helpful. Being curious what will arise next into your awareness can be a useful perspective from which to view your inner experience.

Memories can take us into dream like states that last for a moment or long periods of time. If this happens you are not doing the practice incorrectly, simply keep noticing whatever is arising.

We are not striving to be profound or deep. If someone reports bliss, feel free to report a very different experience right after that report. Your present moment experience is equally valid.

Try eyes open and closed. Feel free to look around the room or at others (if you are physically in a group together) while paying attention to whatever arises as you do so.
 
There may be long periods of silence between reports, allow this to happen. Notice if you have an urge to fill the silent space with words.

You may find yourself experiencing something uncomfortable, confusing or disturbing. Reporting that experience and knowing the others are listening can be a great support.

Relaxing is key, notice where your tension is and what is attracting your attention. Notice if there is an urge to get away from a sensation, feeling or a thought. If you are willing to simply be with resistance it can become a powerful portal into deeper presence and healing.

Eckhart Tolle describes three major portals to Presence which may be useful to you:
Awareness of body experience
Allowing things to be as they are
Listening to Silence (the background of all that is)

The leader will let you know when the Shared Witnessing Meditation practice is over.

    Sharing about your experience with the group

After Meditation, we give each person the opportunity to share about their experience during the meditation period. After everyone has shared we open the group to more casual conversation.

We often find ourselves in a wonderful, open space after the group meditation. The transition from meditation practice to group conversation is an opportunity to continue practicing presence in our sharing and listening. You may also choose to remain silent and not share with the group.