When it became clear at the start of the pandemic that a lock down was likely and that people would need support, both Kristine and I had the same idea. Some online guided meditation sessions on Zoom. We agreed with the team that we could provide this every evening at 7pm and our first daily sit was on Monday 16 March 2020, led by Kristine.
Soon we were asked, particularly by parents who were putting their children to bed at that time, could we provide some morning sessions and so from 14 April 2020 we added weekday mornings at 10.30am.
In January 2022 we dropped the weekend evening sessions, but to this day we are still providing two online guided meditation sessions on Zoom, each weekday at 10.30am and 7pm.
I know that the daily sit was a lifeline for many during the pandemic and for some it still is. We cover every weekday, even Christmas Day and New Years Day, as this can be a time when people feel especially lonely, if they are on their own.
I am very proud of the Mindfulness Association and our tutors that we have the heart to provide this support, for free, for anyone, without any commitment required. Not even the provision of an email address. Our strapline is:
“Compassion is the heart of what we do.”
And I feel that the provision of the daily sit is the biggest example of this. Our tutors volunteer their time each month and I am so proud of them too. They are also some of the best mindfulness and compassion teachers in the UK, so the quality of the sessions we offer are excellent (even if I do say so myself!)
Some of our tutors have been leading the daily sit from the very beginning, and are still volunteering to do this: Choden, Fay, Jacky, Jan, Kristine, Rosina, Tina and Vin and then in addition in our current team we have Alan, Amy, Audrey, Ellie, Karen, Rachael and Tracey. We remember our dear friend and colleague Chloe fondly, who led the daily sits from the start, but sadly died.
One of my favourite things to do is to lead the daily sit. I love connecting with our community and guiding the practices. I have to say I enjoy how appreciated the sits are and I always leave with a rosy heartfelt glow of kindness and joy.
In the early days we had a couple of Zoom bombing incidents. I had a couple, which I found intensely stressful. Mainly kids wanting to be disruptive, say rude words, etc. As time went on Zoom and the tutor team made the sits more secure and so at times there have been people coming into the Zoom room to be disruptive, but we have managed them so that the sit proceeds as normal.
One time I was leading the sit and I let two people were in a bit late, something I am always sensitive to as a potential for disruption. As they were muted and they could only chat to me, their scope for disruption was limited. So, they both sent me private messages that they wanted to ask a question in the group at the end of the session.
Not wanting to throw someone innocent out of the Zoom room, I messaged them about whether their question was about meditation, and they said it was. Then I messaged them to put their cameras on so I could see them…..all while leading the meditation. One did and the screen was blank, the other did and their hair was combed over their face. So, telling them I was going to do this, I put them both in the waiting room of the meeting and said I would let them come back to ask their question when the meeting ended. So, after the meditation and the group conversation, and everyone had left, I let these two back in to ask their question. All they did was to blow a raspberry, which I thought was hilarious. They didn’t bother us again.
The other problem with the daily sit is that sometimes we tutors forget. I have done this a couple of times over the years and it is always embarrassing and I feel like I let the group down. However, everyone on the Mindfulness Association team and those who attend the daily sit are beautifully gracious about this. So, I have an alarm on my phone that goes of each weekday before the morning and evening sits, so that I can double check whether it is me leading the sit today. It works……mostly!
What has resulted from the daily sit is our supportive and welcoming community of practice. We had been trying to build a community, with our membership and other initiatives, since the Mindfulness Association began in 2010. Nothing else really worked. So, we have the blessing now of our community. Many people attend sessions regularly, many attend sessions when they need to, and many tell me that even if they don’t always attend, they gain great solace from knowing that we are there for them should they need it.
Long may this continue!
Kind Wishes
Heather