An Easy 5-Step Guide to Establishing a Meditation Group
It has been proven that meditating in a group makes it more likely that you will form a habit of meditating. This is because having a community of people to meditate with makes you more accountable. It also allows you to meet like-minded people and it can therefore improve your social life and make meditating more enjoyable. There is strength in numbers and powerful synergy is created when people come together to meditate harmoniously. If you have felt inclined to form a meditation group and want to know how to do it, then look no further.
1. Start Small In the beginning, it is ideal to have a closed group format, whereby the number of people within the group is limited. This allows each member to get to know each other and begin to feel comfortable with one another. This could be a mixture of friends and family, initially before you begin to welcome new members. Once you become more confident as a leader, it would then be a great idea to initiate an open group format, allowing new members to register into the group. 2. Finding a Space In the early stages, your meditation group does not need to be in a studio if this is out of your budget. Any environment that is peaceful and tranquil will do; this could be your living room, your garden or a nearby park. Additionally, in light of the recent pandemic, virtual meditation groups have become very popular and take place on various social media platforms such as Skype, YouTube or Instagram Live. 3. Create a Format A format is essentially a general programme. For example, before each session, each member could introduce themselves and there could be a brief social period before the meditation begins. Afterwards, people who feel comfortable could choose to share their experience and any emotions that they are feeling. A format allows the group to generally know what to expect for every session. 4. Lead the Group Leading the group can be extremely rewarding and fulfilling. However, it can seem like a challenge in the beginning. Using helpful tools like a meditation script can make it easier for you to lead your meditation group. From loving kindness meditation scripts to body scan scripts as well as many others, there is an abundance of guided mediation scripts available for you to use. Therefore, it is important to pick a high-quality script that will add extra structure to your meditation sessions. Try your best to use the scripts as a guide and try not to read directly from the script during your sessions as it may result in you sounding too robotic in your delivery. 5. Establish a Schedule Establishing a regular meditation practice is a great way to make habits stick. When a task has a specific time, it becomes easier for your group members to implement it into their lives and makes it more likely for them to attend. Choosing a set time and day within the week is a good way to ensure that people will remember exactly when the session will take place.
