Inspiration Lounge
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If you are a dreamer,
come in,
If you are a dreamer,
a wisher, a liar,
A hope-er, a pray-er,
a magic bean buyer...
If you're a pretender,
come sit by the fire
For we have some flax-golden
tales to spin.
Come in!
Come in!
—Shel Silverstein
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Inspirare (Latin, verb):
To breathe life into.
—Merriam-Webster
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Lounge (noun):
A place for lounging.
—Ibid.
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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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I dwell in possibility.
—Emily Dickinson
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It's a strange invitation.
—Beck
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Welcome to Inspiration Lounge!
Inspiration Lounge is a free monthly(ish) online drop-in-&-out-whenever-you-like community space held via zoom video the first(ish) Saturday every month from 1-2:30 pm Pacific / 2-3:30 Mountain / 3-4:30 Central / 4-5:30 Eastern.
The intention of Inspiration Lounge is to offer a virtual space in which folks longing to do their inspired thing, whatever that inspired thing may be (see examples below), can gather to engage in whatever wants to happen for you, either solo or in collaboration. It is also a space in which to share your inspiration, a space for folks seeking inspiration, as well as a space to simply seek nourishment and rest with others present. Inspiration 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 gathering with folks briefly sharing a microscopic intention, then go do our inspired/nourishing thing(s), either solo or in collaboration (e.g. in a breakout room). At the 45-minute mark we will briefly break, then regather to share and receive optional offerings & appreciations.
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Inspiration Lounge was originally inspired by the dharma art teachings and practices of the meditation master, artist & poet Chögyam Trungpa. The original intention was to co-create a space in which one could give oneself unbridled permission to engage in the creative process—that is, 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 rest, or go outside and observe the hummingbirds, or be in the same space with others who are doing inspired and 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 while still in community, 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?
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First 45 mins:
Do your 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 a jog through the woods, while Jesse is reading op-eds, 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 sporadically livestreaming her & the girls skiiing, while Scotter is sporadically 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 45 mins:
Receive & offer {completely 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—followed by Andrew’s recitation of a verse from the 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 upcoming 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 at any given Inspiration Lounge: rest 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 and chairs · 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 · 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 · donate to a worthy cause · call your representatives · listen to the rain
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I will send a confirmation email and zoom link the morning of each monthly(ish) gathering.
And with that… maybe catch ya at the next lounge!
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Among other muses breathing life into Inspiration Lounge:
In the space where there is nothing
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What inspires,
nourishes
or otherwise breathes life
into you?