Groups

Group Practice. Personal Liberation.

Intimate. Long-term. Held with care.

Are Groups for me?

Groups can be powerful containers where people with differences - different personalities, different systemic identities - and with something in common - as made clear by the group's intention - practice together. Groups thus have the potential of becoming a space where members can experience the intertwining of communal practice and personal liberation.

Groups work best for those seeking longer-term engagement — the potency of the container develops over time.

What is the approach?

The objective of the collective work in Groups is personal liberation. It is not finding ways to become more comfortable with a reactive life (samsara or reactive patterns in Buddhism). The labor is dreaming what freedom looks like specifically for us, and figuring out what we need to do to remember that we are already free. That labor looks different for each of us in different parts of our journey. It might be the tedium of practice. It might be touching into and mourning what has been lost. It might be noticing and celebrating moments of liberation.

Each person's path is unique and not known to anyone but them. There is no hurry, no pressure.

The intention of each group is unique. The goal is common — uncompromising personal liberation.

FAQ

  • Maximum 12.

  • The format of each group is specific to the group. In some groups, we start with a guided meditation, members are invited to offer a check in of how the practice has been the last week, and I offer a response.

  • Some groups have prerequisites. Please check the specific group's page.

  • The tuition for a group is $150/month if paid monthly, $120/month if paid annually ($1440). If you are paying the full fee for one group, the second group is $100/month if paid monthly, $80/month if paid annually ($960).

    A limited number of sliding scale spots are available for each group. These are usually reserved for Trans People of Color.

  • Please see East Bay Meditation Center's Agreements for Multicultural Interaction.

  • Item desGroups offer members the opportunity to tune into their own intrnal experience while also staying regulated and present to others in the group. This means that while we do refer to trauma, groups are not therapy and not suited to actively process trauma. If a member is actively processing trauma, I will work with them to modify how they are participating. In the rare case where I evaluate it's necessary, I will ask them to step back from the group and get support to process trauma to the extent needed to engage in a group.cription

  • Sessions are also not recorded to protect privacy. In some groups the opening meditation is recorded and shared with the members. In such groups, recordings are temporarily available to download for 4 weeks.

  • Yes. Some members find doing both supportive. It is not necessary.

    Dual Relationships can be supportive, and call for care and clarity.

    This is my Dual Relationship policy.

    CONFIDENTIALITY: That a member is doing 1:1 work with me is confidential. What is shared in 1:1 sessions is confidential.

    NO BIAS, NO FAVOR: There is no structural favoritism or insider positioning from being in a dual-role relationship.

    If there is difficulty between two members and one of the members is also a 1:1 client, I do not show favor or bias toward either member. It would not be fair to either member, to other group members, or to the group.

    All group guidelines apply equally to all group members, regardless of whether a member is also doing 1:1 work with me.

Interested to join?

Check out the existing groups, and if you see a fit, email me to explore joining.