Elementary Online Meditation and Personal Movement Practice

We maintained an online space available daily for people to share time meditating and exploring movement. The aim was not interaction but rather shared presence for personal meditation and personal movement practice. It was intended to be an opportunity and not an obligation, with no cost or requirement to attend regularly.

A Zoom room was available each evening, from 5:30 to 6:15, with:

• 5 minutes for arrivals

• 15 to 17 minutes for meditation

• 15 to 17 minutes for personal movement exploration

On one day of each week we will have some time after the basic sequence to share exploration experiences with each other.

The Zoom room was available for anyone to participate, as long as they did not disrupt other’s practice. In addition to the Zoom room maintained a Google Group for communication of password changes and other logistical coordination when necessary.

The aim of this daily evening setup is to have a virtual place where people can go to do this practice. No participant (including those responsible for maintaining the resources) is obliged to attend any particular sessions. There may be times when nobody shows and times when many do. The space will be there, regardless.

More details:

• "Meditation" is however you meditate.
  
  We expect that it is stationary meditation, but you can do moving meditation or stretching or whatever suits you. If your meditation practice involves sound, we ask that you mute your microphone. You can have your camera off or on.
  

• "Personal movement exploration" is whatever you do to explore moving.
  
  You do not have to have your camera on, but it can be an opportunity to share your exploration with others, and see other's exploration. Sharing of incidental sounds is fine, but if sustained sound (like music) is a part of your movement exploration, we ask that you mute your microphone so everyone else can share incidental sounds and silence.
  

Why do this? Is it related to in-person practices like contact improvisation and/or Contemplative Dance Practice?

It's related but not the same.

Here’s my perspective. I want to continue to maintain my ability to move and tune into movement, and to enjoy moving, even if I can't get together with other people to do something like contact improv. Sharing the time and virtual space with others, even if we don't particularly interact, can help support each other's practice and make it more sustainable. This is why we're making it available, and we invite any who are similarly interested (and who will be considerate of others’ practice) to join.

For logistical details about an ongoing weekday-evening Zoom meeting, visit this Google Group and submit a subscription request – look for the "Ask to join group" link on the page. Include a little about what interests you, so we know you're not a spammer. The group's thread listing has an announcement pinned to the top with the current meeting details. We'll occasionally send messages to group members when logistical details change.