A Circle of Support
Join Amy on Fridays at 9:00 am edt for a community check-in and brief mindfulness practice.
I have an amazing opportunity coming up this fall – the 3-month retreat at Insight Meditation Society in Barre, MA. This is a deep dive into the dharma and meditation practices I have been doing for 15+ years, and I consider it an intensive training in all that I do and all that I am. It is also a huge privilege to be at a point in my life where it’s possible to do this, and every day I feel a sense of awe and gratitude.
Doing the 3-month requires some sacrifice and a whole lot of faith. It’s like deciding to hike the entire Appalachian Trail or swim the English channel. I know others have done it, so I can do it too. But you don’t just drop everything and start hiking or swimming. You have to train for the training.
To begin my preparatory period before arriving at IMS on September 12, I have decided to meditate twice a day instead of once, and to seize spontaneous chances to do mindful movement or shorter meditations throughout the day. When I’ve set intentions like this in the past I often don’t sustain them, largely because there are no immediate consequences. There’s nobody to hold me accountable and no one to cheer me on. Like many of you, I thrive on recognition and become more responsible when there is someone to respond to.
That’s where you come in. This is your invitation to join a circle of support that will help me be more disciplined about honoring my good intentions. This isn’t a big commitment on your part, and you can do as much or as little as you wish. There are several ways you can support me over the coming weeks, such as:
1. Send me a good thought whenever you might think of me.
2. If you have a meditation practice, you can do a little metta or send positive well wishes at the start of a sit. If you pray, pray for me.
3. You can join me in meditating (or exercising or whatever) each day. Piggyback off my intention and get more regular with whatever you want to practice.
4. Send me encouraging quotations, memes, cartoons, and your own words of positive support. Email amy@wayopenswellness.com.
5. Join me once a week for a report on how it’s going, followed by a short guided group practice, via Zoom and livestreamed in the Way Opens Community on Facebook. (Everyone in the circle will get a short email report once a week too.)
6. Make a donation to my Go Fund Me campaign. Any money raised will cover the remainder of my tuition, provide income during the 3 months when I will not have any, and increase the amount of teacher dana (donation) I can give.
It is not easy for me to ask for help and support. One of the things I’m transforming is my habit of thinking I need to do everything by myself. That’s not really possible, for anyone. More importantly, it’s not necessary. Or optimal.
You know that African proverb: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to far, go together.” That’s what the circle of support is all about. The 3-month retreat is a long, deep journey and, as an experienced 3-month yogi explained to me, it starts before you get there and continues after you return.
I want to go far, so will you please be a part of the posse that goes far together?
Even if you do nothing but add your name to the list, you’ll be helping me, because just knowing there’s a group of people who care will sometimes be enough to sustain me.