Hosting a Night of Mindfulness
Maybe you’re a seasoned wellness practitioner looking to get others involved with the positive benefits of mindfulness. Or you’ve only just recently adopted a daily meditation habit and want to gather inspiration with friends.
Whatever the case, there’s no wrong time to get yourself and others involved in becoming more present. While there are endless ways to learn, we’ve created a handy how-to for hosting a night everyone will be talking about. Whether it’s adopting a meditation practice, or just finding the right incense, we have the tips you need.
Be Prepared.
You’ll want to know the length of the event—is this an introduction to mindfulness, or are you inviting an experienced group of gurus? With newer crowds, it’s better to opt for a shorter event–90 minutes or less.
Get a Head Count.
Whether it’s getting on social for a digital invite, or good old-fashioned hand-written notes, having an expected turnout is essential for seating, eats, and room size. It’s a good idea to create a buzz long before the event—people are more likely to attend if they’re prepared!
Emphasize Comfort.
Pillows and mats are a must if utilizing floor space. Incense can accentuate the experience, but make sure to check for allergies among your guests before putting on the sage.
Sound.
Calming sounds may also add to the experience—ambient music and nature sounds may help create an atmosphere. The use of singing bowls and light percussion before a meditation may help guests to get acquainted with an extended period of silence. For more in-depth ideas, check out our meditation must-haves here.
The Event.
Once everyone has settled in, gather everyone together for a guided meditation session. There are a wide variety of effective techniques, just be sure to stick with one and be consistent. Explain that the goal of mindfulness is true presence in the moment. Set a timer for between 5 and 15 minutes, depending on the audience. Have everyone sit comfortably in a circle and practice breath awareness. The most common method is counting—each time you notice your mind wandering, acknowledge the thought, let it go, and begin again from 1.
Share.
Afterward, go around the room and have everyone share their experience—try to get everyone to share one moment of success, and one challenging moment. Some common concerns might be difficulty with focusing on the breath, feeling “bored,” or even reconciling negative thoughts that may appear during the meditation. Just remind guests that it’s normal for the mind to stray, and stress the importance of letting go and returning to the breath. Share the meditation tips we gathered here from Mallika Chopra.
Ask Why.
Remind your guests that the reason why it’s so difficult to be present is because all sorts of distractions are constantly bombarding us—whether it’s our emails, text messages, social media, or a looming project—it often takes huge amounts of stimuli for us to bring us back to the present moment.
Think about the last memorable experience you had: maybe it was reaching the summit of a great mountain, or witnessing the birth of a child. At that moment, you were aware of everything that was happening—no email could take you away from the beauty of the sights below, or the newborn’s smiling face. The goal of meditation is to treat every moment like it’s just as important and engaging as the experiences that steal us away. It will be difficult at first; just like a lifetime of sugar can desensitize the pallet to whole foods, a lifetime of chasing thoughts desensitizes us to the beauty of the moment—but we can return.
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