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Relational Meditation coLAB remains open! And you are invited…

Dear fellow ARTists,

Ilaria here, coLAB co-steward with Relational Meditation.  I write still in the glow of a beautiful session of Relational Meditation. I’m writing to let you know we continue weekly. I invite you to join us!

Like other AR+ coLABs, we create a safe space—albeit not always comfortable!—to practice with being with oneself, one another, and our shared field in a meditative mode.

We meet weekly for 45-50 minutes. 

After 20 minutes of guided meditation in group, we engage in relational practice in dyads, continuing to be present to our experience of the present moment. We explore an inquiry that might be surfacing for us, in what becomes a shared (often) poetic insight we co-create. We then complete by joining the whole group, continuing to tune into the now, and sharing the goodness of our experience beyond our space.

Serge, a coLABorator, describes his experience with the the practice in this way: “For me, combining meditation and connection is a natural, for many reasons. Among others: Both have to do with the mindful engagement part of the nervous system. It is an opportunity to bring the meditative mode into connection. Talking gives you an incentive to channel meaning from the meditative experience. For people who feel uncomfortable being alone in the meditation space, knowing that it will be followed by connection is helpful. 

I also appreciate the specifics of the AR+ experience: Talking is not chatty, but limited, so you stay in a meditative mode. And there is a poetic quality to it, further enhanced by the possibility of a poem spontaneously emerging from the exchange.”

As we listen into the dark together, we connect at a deeper level with ourselves and each other, and with the spark of our natural creativity.

Hilary, coLAB co-steward, writes: “I am delightfully surprised at the depth of our meditation space. I suspect it is a function of the depth that each of us brings. Our sitting together in silence becomes a multiplier, not simply an additive, in amplifying clarity and (usually) positive feeling. Noticing this is actually a big deal for someone interested in improving group dynamics, a key to transformative work together!  

Helpful too is honoring the simplicity of consistent practice, in tension with a natural tendency to want novelty. This discipline has led to a more organic variation. Different combinations in who shows up naturally impacts how we experience the practice. And how I am amazed at how the funny “poems” we co-create resolve deep inquiries! That’s a big deal too given how wedded we are to wordy explanations that often miss the emotional mark.”  

Our practice together brings us to a space of resourcefulness that has the potential to transform the way we engage with others and with the ebbs and flow of life.

Steve, another coLABorator, shares: “A major reflection for me is that having the meditation in the middle of my day was really wonderful. Usually I do it at the beginning and end of my day.  Having it in the middle of my day really refreshed me and I felt wonderfully re-centered with my heart-consciousness…the experience of the trunk of my body emanating love and openness to the other.” 

The regenerative nature of our practice feels precious in our times of eco-social crisis. Our personal and collective field are often saturated with emotions that are particularly heavy to carry alone. When we hold them together, our experience of embodied, open-hearted connection amplifies our resilience. 

Andrea, coLAB co-steward, reflects: Meditating together is play and joy and spontaneous synchronicity. It’s within and between us – in our minds, bodies, poems, movements, laughter, flow…. As we inquire together I notice my body moves and sways in connection with my partner. Relational meditation is teaching me to savor connection, open my heart, and love and trust more freely. 

In the deepening and ever-springing connection among coLABorators, we discover different ways of being in relationship. That supports our developmental work within the AR+ eco-system and beyond. Together, we expand our capacity as ARTists, and our engagement is revived to ripple out into the world.

Register at the Relational Meditation coLAB page and read further description. Registration gets you an invitation with zoom and calendar invite. If you’re ready to sign up, go directly: https://actionresearchplus.com/registration-for-participation-with-ar/

Join us throughout the summer! We meet Wednesdays for 45-50 minutes at 18:00 UTC.