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Let's Meditate: Monday Morning Sound Sessions
Let's Meditate: Monday Morning Sound Sessions
This year I join the ranks of mindfulness meditation facilitators in the Cornell University Let's Meditate Initiative; a program which brings mindfulness meditation and moments to pause to the university community.
This initiative has been extant for over a decade and includes sessions of guided meditation, across the sprawling campus. During fall and spring semesters there are multiple daily sessions, each weekday. In the summer at least one daily meditation occurs. My offering is a 30 minute sound bath, with a full complement of instruments (including shruti box and zills).
Dual-Facilitator Session at Studio/Gallery
Dual-Facilitator Session at Studio/Gallery
Facilitators are at many different levels, and can work together to create a calming and beautiful soundscape for clients. This session was facilitated with the Kemetic Yogi in her studio/gallery. I welcome the opportunity to share my practice and learn from other facilitators, whenever possible!
Relax and Revive session, held on 22 December
De-Stress in December
De-Stress in December
My goal this season was to bring sound baths to as many college students as possible, so I joined the #Destress revolution!
In early fall I wanted to bring the soothing sound of singing bowls to as many campuses as possible. Working with several staffers I planned Welcome Week visits for the start of the semester at just three schools. My master plan was hatched well after fall schedules were finalized. So I put on my most flexible cap and pitched including in finals week events. University of Baltimore offered me spots in their De-Stress Fest, and then throe other schools followed suit. These sound bath meditation sessions occur during or before finals week. They are designed to give students and faculty moments of calm, relaxation, and meditation in a stressful part of the term.
As I broke down from the hour-long session, the director of Student Life popped in and asked if I'd consider making my presence at all upcoming destress events regular...of course, I'd do anything for my alma mater !
Rejoining My Favorite Team
Rejoining My Favorite Team
Coming back to Notre Dame of Maryland University, for a different type of professional development.
I left the Notre Dame of MD School of Nursing as their instructional designer in 2021, and returned in winter of 2022 for a different type of training.
Years prior, I provided expertise in course development, multimedia design, ...... Although my past role included providing faculty development workshop to enhance education, this was much different. To the team I brought a different expertise, my years of playing Tibetan singing bowls.
#SoundBathMeditation #PD
"Sound Bath and Meditation in community is beautiful.
Sound Bath and meditation at home is divine."
-K.B.
Sound Bath At Home
Sound Bath At Home
K.B. and I met fourteen years ago, and kept in touch via social media. Early last year, she attended a public sound bath session at the WaveScape community arts festival, and grabbed my card. Weeks later I was invited into her home for her first private sound bath.
Once I setup the basic reclining space for her, using a thick yoga mat, plush pillow and a knit blanket, we pulled out more pillows and blankets, and settled in for the session. Immediately as we started, the storm that was threatening hours earlier, broke. Thunder rumbled around us and rain tattooed on the windows...I pushed my ocean drum and rain stick to the side...wouldn't be needing those.
In the comfort of her home, at 7:30AM, K relaxed fully and was lulled into a meditative state by the sounds around her. When my hour of spinning and percussion ended, she kept reclining with her eyes covered. As I packed away Tibetan and crystal bowls, she rolled onto her side and we both listened to the downpour. Eventually K. uncovered her eyes and took me by the hand to say goodbye. Her eyes were shining with unshed with tears. She whispered 'thank you'. I thanked her and withdrew to my car. Later in the week, we talked on the phone. She described the experience of floating, and the well-being that followed her for the next several days. It was magical, she said. It was magical for me too.
Sound Meditation & Art at the Arc
Sound Meditation & Art at the Arc
We started on Zoom...
Sound Meditation sessions followed by art-making , is exactly what we needed after 2 years of Covid-19 lock downs
At The Arc Baltimore: Meditation and art making sessions run up to an hour. Each art class begins with a seated sound meditation, for groups of 6-8 participants. After several minutes, the group is guided in a variety of creative techniques, from paper making, to collage, and nature art. Each session is unique, and each artist expresses themselves differently.
This spring I received the Volunteer Service Award for my efforts to bring meditation and art to this organization and the communities that it serves. Later in the fall, several of the artists I worked with had pieces up for auction in the annual #ArtInTheRound Exhibition!
What to Expect:
Common Responses to a Sound Bath
What to Expect:
Common Responses to a Sound Bath
Expect Variety: In truth, the responses are almost a varied as the people you may meet in a day, numerous. I have facilitated group sound baths where each person has had a different experience or response to the hour-long session:
one person may fall asleep and dream,
another feels deep relaxation but is aware of every sound,
another drifts into meditation and becomes unaware of the percussive sounds,
another sees swirling colors behind their closed eyelids that changes with each tone,
another is overcome with laughter, and
another is filled with strong emotion and weeps,
and much more.
Each sound bath experience is unique to each person, and different each time.” The responses vary. Clients have reported even more responses than just these.
Sunday Sound Baths: Montpelier Orchard
Sunday Sound Baths: Montpelier Orchard
Weekly summer-thru-autumn morning sound bath sessions for neighbors and gardeners at this beautiful community green space.
#Waverly #CommunityGreenspace #SoundBathMeditation
As one of the community stewards of the orchard, I worked to clean, plant, build and harvest the space. In the height of summer, I opened up our Sunday workday to include an early morning sound bath for volunteers and other community members.
The 10 am start meant that we avoided the hot sun, and got in a reasonable amount of work before we ended our workday. The sound bath is one tradition that we'll continue throughout the 2023 growing season.
Community Connection
Community Connection
Building the Path
Building the Path
The original plan was to build out the walking path over a weekend, but it ended up taking the entire month of August and one Sunday in September. Volunteers worked a leisurely hour or two each week. We eventually built an easy-to-maintain walkway. This meant less mowing and weed-whacking for all, and easy access to the fruit trees and vegetable beds.
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