The "what" and the "why":I am so excited to share this project with you! In the Seeds of Connection group cycles I facilitate, we use a framework of 5 Practices. Over the next 6 months, this project invites us to deep dive into the concepts in these practices. We'll be having community conversations and lots of chances to step into these practices together. There are so many things we know we "should" do - be kinder to ourselves, be less judgmental, do more self-care, try not to be such a perfectionist - the list could go on and on. There are books about these things, blog posts, podcasts and more - all giving us theory and ideas. We can read about these things, think about them, maybe even write about these topics ourselves, but are we actually putting these things into PRACTICE in our lives? How do we move things like self compassion out of the realm of something we "should" be doing, and into taking action in our lives? We need spaces and ways to PRACTICE. We need to have conversations with each other about how we are doing it, what we are wrestling with, why it feels challenging, and to share ideas. We model the practice of these things in community and learn from each other. When I watch someone else practice self-care through good boundaries, I begin to learn how to better do it for myself. These concepts need to exist in the real world, with real people, so that we can really begin to practice them in our lives. What are the 5 Practices?This is just the briefest of overviews! Each practice will be explored more deeply throughout the next 6 months. Curiosity & Care - the practice of cultivating curiosity about ourselves and others, and offering care to ourselves and our community. (June) Wholeness & Organicity - the practice of recognizing ourselves and others as whole, wise, capable, creative, and intuitive beings. With the right support, people will naturally move toward healing and growth. (July) Recognizing Connections - the practice of seeing our deep connectedness to our community, our world, our bodies, our inherent creativity and intuition, and more. (August) Compassionate Witness - the practice of recognizing that human attention is a doorway to healing. Every person deserves for their experience to matter, be seen, be believed, and be held with compassion. (September) Non-Violence - the practice of reducing the ways we cause harm to ourselves, others, and our world. (October) You can read more about the 5 Practices here. The "Practicing Together" project will include:
How to Participate:
Community Calls - info & scheduleIn each call, we will take a look at the practice for that month. We'll have a juicy group discussion, ask questions, and share our thoughts. Then we'll do some creating together using the format I created for the Seeds of Connection groups. These calls will also be a great chance to check out what a Seeds of Connection group cycle is like. Supplies needed will be something basic to draw/write with - colored pencils or markers, or just whatever you can find around the house. You can participate with the back of an envelope and a couple of highlighter, OR bust out your art journaling goodies. "Not-artists" are very encouraged to participate!! There is no artistic "talent" or previous experience necessary. You can register for whichever calls work for your schedule. Calls are not recorded. Cost for Community Calls is $12 each, free for Seeds of Connection alumni. (No one turned away! If you want to attend and the cost is prohibitive, please reach out!) Community Calls are a come-as-you-are environment, and will be structured for maximum FUN, learning, and connection.
It doesn't have to be about trying to do this stuff on our own, and then beating ourselves up when we inevitably fall short. "Through practice, gently and gradually we can collect ourselves and learn how to be more fully with what we do."
- Jack Kornfield
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AuthorIt's me, Crystal. I need a place to put all my extra words. Archives
March 2023
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