Local Meditation Groups

[Seiko]

I am sorry, this post will be over three sentences.

The office I work in employs around 500 people locally. In early 2021 my employer's 'Mental Health First Aiders' and 'Health and Welfare Team' invited me to begin a meditation group in my workplace. As I have been working from home since March 2020, this will initially be via Zoom or Facebook Live, and eventually in-person or in-person+remotely. The start was delayed due to my illness this year, but I feel ready to begin now.

I have set up a Facebook group to provide people with a place where announcements about times and dates will be made. I have made it clear that I am not a Zen Teacher, and I signpost people to Treeleaf.

Has anyone else here already gained experience of facilitating a similar group? Please can you share your experiences? Are there particular things that you recommend I do? Are there definite pitfalls to avoid?

Thank you

Bows

Seiko
stlah

[Kokuu]

Hi Seiko

That sounds like a great thing to do for your workplace colleagues.

I used to facilitate a sitting group here in my flat which I advertised in a local wholefood store and online. I don't really have any suggestions other than offer clear instructions both on how to sit and how long sits will be. Also, any etiquette you would like people to observe.

With both a Zoom group and in-person sits you might also want to think about how you deal with late-comers. Are you okay with people coming in quietly and just joining in during the first few minutes? Is there a cut-off after which people cannot join?

Enjoy!

Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday/lah-

[Jundo]

Sekishi had a similar group around work, I believe, and we prepared some materials for that (basically, instructions on sitting Zazen with all the "Buddhism" taken out, as is more fitting for a work place group). I have no idea if those will be useful to you, and the style of the group, but you are welcome to use them. I will have Sekishi contact you or post here, and he can write about his experience too.

Gassho, Jundo

STLah

[Suuko]

Hi Seiko,

I have been facitating groups for the last three years. A few things to consider:

Health status of participants.
Appropriate clothing for the session.
Description of what you are proposing and possibly non allegiance to sects/gurus etc.
Entry to the place in silence if they come late.
On Zoom, mute everyone when the meditation starts.

I wrote a corporate training program on mental health this year and it got approved by the local authorities. However, so many words couldn't be used in the manual..

Take care,
Guish.

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[Soka]

I think that a set of materials and general guidance for this would be useful for many people.

A former work colleague of mine is doing a similar role in their new work. I occaisionally have some of my students approach me and ask about meditation. I usually say I have nothing to teach about the subject and give them a list of a couple of places such as Treeleaf, a local group, an online course, that sort of thing. Often, they then don't make the next step or bother following the links, whereas if I sat and went through things with them, maybe they would feel more encouraged.

It would be nice to have the appropriate materials and be able to be a bit more supportive, but I am also wary of overstepping the boundaries of my competence.

Gassho,
Sōka
sat

[Shinshi]

The Thich Nhat Hanh folks (Plumb Village) have a Sangha in a Box and a handbook for starting a new Sanga.

https://thichnhathanhfoundation.org/sangha-building-resources

It looks the Sangh in a Box is on hold for the moment. But you can see it is basically some of Thay's books, a bell, some recordings. But it gives an idea of where to start.

The handbook also gives a blueprint of how to set things up. It is very Plumb Village centric but it might serve as a starting point/ general guideline on how to start a sangha.


Gassho, Shinshi

SaT-LaH

[Onka]

Jundo, I'd appreciate a look at those resources too if they're quite different from the ones at Plum Village that Shinshi mentioned.
Gassho
Onka
ST

[DanM]

A couple of years ago a meditation group was started at my workplace but the pandemic put a stop to it. I was way too inexperienced to facilitate it, so I can’t really offer any advice there, but something to be aware of was that the first one was well attended with around 20 people, but this dwindled to 2-3 pretty quickly and I even sat on my own a couple of times. I hope that’s not the case for you, but don’t feel too bad if it does happen.

[Jundo]

Sekishi, can you post a link to our materials for facilitating a workplace group? Thank you.

Gassho, Jundo

STLah

[Sekishi]

Sekishi, can you post a link to our materials for facilitating a workplace group?

That actually wasn’t me (I’ve been self-employed for 23 years now). But I’m 99% sure I know who it was. I’ll check in with them tomorrow and see what I can dig up.

Deep bows,
Sekishi
#sat #noboss


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[Seiko]

That actually wasn’t me (I’ve been self-employed for 23 years now). But I’m 99% sure I know who it was. I’ll check in with them tomorrow and see what I can dig up.

Deep bows,
Sekishi
#sat #noboss


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Hi Sekishi,
If you can find the person or the resource material, that would be a big help. Thank you.

Bows

Seiko
stlah

[Jundo]

Hi Sekishi,
If you can find the person or the resource material, that would be a big help. Thank you.

Bows

Seiko
stlah

We found it, and are going to update it a bit for you (it referred to another company, so we need to take that out). Please stand by.

The content of our is geared more toward a Shikantaza style of "meditation" than probably found in materials from Thich Nhat Hanh/Plum Village, I would assume.

Gassho, Jundo

STLah

[Seiko]

We found it, and are going to update it a bit for you (it referred to another company, so we need to take that out). Please stand by.

The content of our is geared more toward a Shikantaza style of "meditation" than probably found in materials from Thich Nhat Hanh/Plum Village, I would assume.

Gassho, Jundo

STLah

That's great! Thank you.

Bows Seiko
stlah

[Jundo]

Seiko,

I updated the text, and now we are working on some issues about the photos. Hopefully, we will have something for you this week. Is that timely?

Gassho, Jundo

STLah

[Seiko]

Seiko,

I updated the text, and now we are working on some issues about the photos. Hopefully, we will have something for you this week. Is that timely?

Gassho, Jundo

STLah

Hi Jundo,
Whenever you can. Thank you.

Bows
Seiko
stlah