The BIG Collective

of Social Changemakers

A little about The BIG Collective and how it works:

This service offers live, virtual mindfulness and guided meditation sessions to a diverse collective of organizations with social impact missions in joint practice. Sessions run via Zoom every Monday (excluding holidays). Eight sessions run throughout the workday, and are 30 minutes in length.

Your organization will send out a weekly reminder containing: a reminder of session times, a short note about the upcoming Monday’s theme and the secure Zoom link which changes weekly. Just use your link on Monday to join your desired session. You can register at any time up to one hour before each session. No cancellation needed.

Your participation is optional and at your convenience. There is no record kept of attendee names, and sessions will not be recorded.

Why is this service needed?

This service is uniquely designed to support leadership, staff, board members and volunteers who dedicate themselves to the inherently heavy work of creating positive and impactful change in society. Your work of creating positive transformation is massive, and deserves as much compassionate, holistic and uplifting fortification as possible for the mission to flourish.

Neuroscience says mindfulness practice is a powerful way to impact many facets of the human experience— why not harness that research to supercharge the substantial work of social changemakers? This is Stanford Social Innovation Review’s report on mindfulness for conscious social change. And here is why Harvard Business Review explains we should practice collective mindfulness.

You can expect a consistent structure with different content each week:

  • Opens with inspiration from global and local changemakers and universal, complementary mindfulness concepts. (approximately 5 minutes)

  • Related guided meditation follows. (approximately 15-20 minutes)

  • Closes with prompted contemplation space that permits private and public shared reflection.

    (approximately 5-10 minutes)

Sessions are facilitated by Stacey Mandel, a seasoned and professional certified mindfulness teacher (CMT-P) with the International Mindfulness Teachers Association. Stacey’s training and experience can be found here

Session times are:

8:30-9am ET

9-9:30am ET

9:30-10am ET

11-11:30am ET

2-2:30pm ET

2:30-3pm ET

3:30-4pm ET

4-4:30pm ET

*Times may be adjusted if feedback indicates a need.

 

A note regarding Zoom cameras…

You are strongly encouraged to keep your camera on for the opening and closing, but are welcome to turn it off for the guided meditation.

Beginners to experts are welcome.

All levels of experience are welcome and should feel comfortable. A few meditation tips and reminders are offered at each session. The closing time for shared reflection and inquiry is intended to hold space for all perspectives and experiences, including challenges.

Newcomers should do well with the bite size concepts, short lengths of guided practice and a community presence. Seasoned practitioners will likely appreciate “beginner’s mind”, mission-centered comradery and the chance to integrate more practice into their work.

If you are unsure about mindfulness or meditation, or have had previous negative experience…

Mindfulness is a way of paying attention here and now with kindness and curiosity. Research on mindfulness, particularly meditation practice, shows changes in brain structure and a wide range of benefits. Meditation is just a formal way of practicing mindfulness— like practicing swim strokes in a still pool. You can practice mindfulness without meditating— like swimming in water with more movement. Regular practice of both mindfulness and meditation will help you when in rough seas.

There is no “right or wrong” way to meditate, no matter what you have previously experienced, and there is no “objective” except for practicing paying attention in a particular way. Unless life-threatening or part of a special mental health consideration noted below, any challenge that arises is a typical, healthy and authentic part of “practicing” and can be useful. Keep in mind (pun intended) that mindfulness is a skill taught in various styles by different teachers, so it might make sense to try something new. Research also shows that practicing with a group benefits individual practice.

Please read this note about special mental health considerations.

Meditation can be beneficial for people who suffer from depression, but it’s probably NOT a good idea for someone to learn to meditate at times they are profoundly depressed. It’s best if they wait until their depression is in remission and they’re feeling more emotionally balanced. People who have serious mental illness that involve delusions should not participate either.

 

Any further questions?

Please contact your organization regarding internal logistics.

Feel free to send a message to stacey@yourbigmind.com about anything else, which will be kept in confidentiality.