Ever-changing lounge
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Inspirare (Latin, verb):
To breathe life into.
—Merriam-Webster
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Lounge (noun):
A place for lounging.
—Merriam-Webster
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Come together.
—Beatles
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Come as you are.
—Nirvana
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What makes you come alive?
—Howard Thurman
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Welcome to ever-changing lounge!
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Ever-changing lounge is a free online drop-in-&-out-whenever-you-like (and for however short or long you like) community space held bi-monthly (every 2 months) via Zoom video from 1-3 pm Pacific / 2-4 Mountain / 3-5 Central / 4-6 Eastern.
The intention of ever-changing lounge is to offer a virtual space in which folks longing to come together around a commonly-inspired theme can engage in that inspired theme, however you like and whatever that theme may be.
Ever-changing lounge is a place to come together and engage in whatever wants to happen for you, whether solo or in collaboration. It is a space in which to share your inspiration, a space for folks seeking inspiration, and a space for folks simply seeking nourishment and rest with other humans present.
More than anything, ever-changing lounge is a space where you are encouraged to follow your inspired and nourishing impulses and muses, with other folks following theirs.
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We will open each ever-changing lounge with folks briefly sharing a microscopic intention, then go do the ever-changing inspired or nourishing thing, either solo or in collaboration (e.g., in a breakout room). At the 1 hour mark we will take a brief break, then regather to share and receive optional offerings and appreciations.
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If curious, holler and I will add you to the email list: tylerthemindfultherapist@gmail.com
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Next ever-changing lounge,
Sat Feb 7:
Inspiration Lounge
1-3 pm Pacific
2-4 Mountain
3-5 Central
4-6 Eastern
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Inspiration Lounge was originally inspired by the dharma art teachings and practices of Chögyam Trungpa. The original intention of inspiration lounge was to co-create a space in which one could give oneself unbridled permission to engage in the creative process—to create with abandon, to let the child inside be free free free to play play play. Then I realized my own child inside sometimes didn’t necessarily have the energy or desire to create or play, but instead longed to pause and take a nap, or go outside and observe the hummingbirds, or be in the same space with others who are doing creative things but not necessarily want to engage or even be seen (i.e., permission to be offscreen)... So the vision expanded beyond the creative realm to whatever would feel most nourishing, in the spirit of the prompt my own therapist has offered me time and again:
Nothing needs to happen here;
what wants to happen here?
Along with the question I have learned to ask inside:
What do you need, little one?
What would be most nourishing,
right here and now?
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First hour:
Do the inspired/nourishing thing
What the first half of Inspiration Lounge might look like on any given occasion: I am taking a nap with one eye open to welcome folks into the zoom room, while Dina is collaging, while Dave is baking, while Malika is composing a song on the harmonium, while Andrew is memorizing a poem, while Sam is meowditating (meditating while getting a massage from the cat), while Rex is painting, then composing an “unshackled” haiku, while Jamie is creating a new page for her website, while Graham is sporadically filming himself on a jog through the woods, while Jesse is reading an article in the Times, while McNew is ironing out his Beethoven’s 6th chops on the trombone, while Mike is prepping a talk for an astrology conference, while Sandra is dancing to music only she can hear, while I am now rising from my nap, feeling nourished and newly inspired to compose a cut-up poem, while Ellie is livestreaming her & the girls skiiing, while Scotter is filming the kiddos snorkeling, while Zuggy is mixing, while mom is walking the dogs, while dad is building a swing, while on the train home Kiersten is filming the landscape rolling by, while Ari is writing down the bones, while Sara is starting a new book, while Winkie is making calls to representatives, while Carli is practicing Qigong, while in a breakout room Christina is being asked by Mia, “If I really knew you, Christina, what would I know?”
Second hour:
Receive & offer (optional) inspired/nourishing things
For those who might like to share out or make an offering to the group, an example of what the second half of Inspiration Lounge might look like on any given occasion: Dina’s sharing the Death Box she made while collaging—followed by Dave’s reveal of his freshly baked rare sourdough crust pizza—followed by Malika’s performance on the harmonium of the song she’s been working on for weeks—followed by Andrew’s recitation of a verse from the Yeats poem he has been memorizing—followed by Sam’s share of insights uncovered during her meowditation with her cat Bodhi—followed by Rex’s reading of an original “unshackled” haiku inspired by the painting he is halfway to completing—followed by Graham’s panoramic view of the Bay from his phone at the trail’s end of his run—followed by Zuggy’s playing a taste of his most recent seasonal mix—followed by Winkie’s offering of tips on contacting and persuading representatives—followed by Carli’s offering of a brief grounding Qigong practice.
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Examples of what you might do on any given Inspiration Lounge: take a nap with others around · blow out the candles · smell the flowers · taste the tea · be touched by a rock · walkabout search for moss and lichen · sketch the horizon · find animal shapes in clouds · write an unshackled haiku · non-dominant hand doodle without lifting your crayon · build a fort out of blankets, chairs & pillows · play the trombone · fingerpaint · color by numbers · collage · cook · dance · cut up poetry out of old newspapers · seek great quotes & poems · read diaries of yore · go outside and sense, look, listen, feel the trees, bushes, birds, plants, wind, sun, dirt, sky · workout · garden · do nothing · meditate · meowditate · rest · breathe · be · research · organize · make a playlist · make a podcast · start a website · blog · collaborate with others in a breakout room · film the landscape rolling by · plan a trip · sit in a peaceful place · write a thank you card · listen to an audio book · walk the dog · play with the cat · fix something · clean something · stretch · decorate · create a résumé · journal · do the thing you’ve been avoiding · wish an old friend a very merry unbirthday · listen to the rain
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I will send a confirmation email and zoom link a few days prior as well as the morning of.
Drop in & out at anytime and stay for as short or long as you like!
Thus… maybe catch ya at the next lounge!
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Among other muses breathing life into ever-change Lounge:
In the space where there is nothing
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What inspires,
nourishes
or otherwise breathes life
into you?