Gathering Experiment: Mindful Start

If you’ve been a long(er)-time subscriber, you know how much I value intentional opening (and closing!) rituals. Today, I’d like to focus on one in particular: the mindful start.

My favorite way to start a gathering (doesn’t matter if it’s a weekly team meeting or a conference for 100+ attendees) is taking time for stillness.

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?

Check out this comparison of brain stress levels between two scenarios: attending back-to-back meetings without breaks vs taking short breaks between meetings. Sobering, yea?

Whether it’s a guided meditation (either led by you/someone on your team/you recruit an attendee to do so) or simply leading the group in taking 5 long breaths together, the shift is often palpable.

PRO TIP

Encourage people to focus on lengthening their exhale (vs inhale). Doing so activates our parasympathetic nervous system, telling our body it’s time to rest and digest (vs be in the sympathetic system's flight/flight/freeze mode).

YOUR TURN

What’s an upcoming gathering in your world that could benefit from a mindful start?