“The purpose of practice is not to increase knowledge but to scrape the scales off the eyes, to pull the plugs out of the ears.”
The Habit of Clear Seeing
Mindfulness meditation is about cultivating a habit of clear seeing. When we meditate, we practice seeing our thoughts and emotions more clearly. As a result, we see ourselves, the world and everyone in that world more clearly. When we see things clearly, we make better decisions about our lives and experience less worry and confusion. We find ourselves swimming upstream less often. We make room for joy and peace in our lives.
Our approach to mindfulness meditation is quite standard. We do not offer a new or specifically Black way of practicing meditation. What we offer is an environment in which Black people can learn to meditate without ignoring cultural and political realities that shape our experiences.
Each Session
During each 90-minute session, our facilitators will lead a “check-in” (everyone briefly describes how they are doing), a group meditation, and a short talk and/or guided discussion. Each facilitator will manage their group a little differently. However, we will all be able to answer questions about meditation and offer advice about applying mindfulness meditation practice to one’s life. While we do not offer psychological treatment or assessment, we invite participants to bring their real-life concerns to the group.
Meeting Online
Meeting online allows us to congregate across geographic distances. With an online platform, we can include Black folks who, otherwise might not have access to in-person mindfulness meditation instruction. This could be people who live in small cities and rural areas or people with mobility challenges.
Secular Mindfulness
Sometimes secular mindfulness meditation is taught as a thinly veiled approach to Buddhism. That is not what we are about. While many of our facilitators learned to meditate in Buddhist environments, we are all deeply committed to a secular approach that opens the door to people from different religious traditions and to people who have no connection to religion at all.
Tiny Sangha Project groups: led by Black people, for Black people.
- Learning to meditate as a Black collective allows us to talk openly about life issues that are hard to broach in mixed-race environments.
- All our facilitators have several years of meditation experience.
- We embrace our common heritage as we explore our many differences.
Frequently Asked Questions
No single healing modality works equally well for everyone all the time. However, research suggests mindfulness meditation is, for many, an effective way to manage anxiety and depression.
It can be. Mindfulness meditation is not primarily a relaxation exercise. The goal is to see ourselves, the world, and everyone in that world more clearly. Seeing reality more clearly is often a tremendous relief.
Not the way we approach it. Mindfulness meditation grew out of Buddhist meditation traditions. But the practice itself does not require religious beliefs or affiliation. The Tiny Sangha Project is committed to a secular approach that welcomes people of different faiths or no faith at all.
In our experience, a group that size is large enough to support robust discussion, but small enough to allow everyone to participate.
Yes! We welcome experienced mindfulness practitioners. We only ask that you practice what we are practicing and respect the process of those with less experience.
Yes. A generous grant from the Kataly Foundation allows us to operate the Tiny Sangha Project without charging participants a fee. We will do everything we can to keep it that way.
ABOUT US
Big things happen in small spaces!
The Tiny Sangha Project embraces the emotional intimacy of small groups.
Learning to meditate together in small communities allows us to truly know and support one another.
Connect With US
Whether you’re curious about features, a free trial, or even press, we’re here to answer any questions.