Curriculum.
A daily practice of nervous-system regulation* and learning is best served by a curriculum that is at once fluid and steady. Here is our curriculum for the first nine-weeks. While each session (and each week) builds upon the other, you will not be lost if you miss a session, or two, or three.
We’ll be going slowly (but it won’t be boring) and you might notice subtle repetitions—all of this is intended to offer you the chance to learn skills at an absorbable pace.
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Orient - we’ll begin with body- and space-based practices to facilitate a transition into a regular practice of observation and self-regulation
On “Live” days, I’ll guide us through a few exercises to acquaint us with our space and our body’s needs
On “Asynchronous” days, a body-centered audio-meditation will be available (for streaming or download)
Home Base - practices will layer upon the first week. As we traverse a bit deeper, we’ll add on intentional breath-feeling observations
Witness - this week’s practices will guide you through a series of oscillations between your inner-environment and the environment at large
Feel Your Boundaries - this week’s practices will aim to support you in staying close-in to your inner-experience and in recognizing your ‘edges’
Re-Orient - body and space-oriented practices will guide you through a series of reflections about the changes, insights, and frustrations that emerged in the previous weeks—a stint or two of journaling will be offered as well
Home Base - practices will focus on refining your sense of your subtle patterns and we’ll also delve into observing those ‘neutral’ moments (we’ll be focusing on seated meditation more so than in previous weeks)
Observe - practices will focus on building a steadying internal presence
Feel the Sticky Stuff - practices will focus on resourcefulness and personal agency
Listen and Stay - practices will focus on growing our capacity for observation and returning back once we’ve veered off track
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*What is “nervous-system regulation”? There are several ways to define it, and many ways to go about it. For the purposes of our virtual daily practices, I am viewing nervous-system regulation as a series of attempts to notice what you are feeling (body-sensation wise), to enter into a sort of accompaniment with your inner-experience, and to learn skills that can support your intention of returning to a state of equanimity.
A state of equanimity, for me, occurs when my mind and body are in the same place, at the same time. During a state of equanimity I am most present, patient, calm, and attuned to my surroundings. In other words, am aware of my inner-sensations while also aware of the person(s) in front of me.