No experience is necessary for the Summer Bookclub course. For other courses, some experience is required and will be clearly stated in the course description.

Class meets one day per week and class length is generally 90 minutes. This allows for time for the dharma talk, the guided meditation, and for sharing and/ or discussion.

Most classes meet online. There will be opportunities for “pop up” in person meditation sessions and for longer in person retreats. Those opportunities will be announced in advance.

We mostly meet online, so you will need an internet connection.

You will need to acquire several books for the Book Club course. For other courses, we will work with only one book. You can borrow any of these books from your library or buy them, as you are able and in the format that you prefer.

There are options for meditation and yoga, such as cushions and mats. I have a list of suggestions, but none are necessary. A simple chair and another surface to sit and stand on are all that you need.

I have a list of books, meditation cushions, yoga mats, etc. available through my Amazon Affiliate link. I make a small commission off of these sales, which I use to support the free Summer Book Club.

While appearing on camera is preferred, turning off your camera is always an option, as you feel comfortable. No permission needed. No questions asked.

Sharing or not sharing, both are fine. Listening is a gift to the group as much as speaking.

"Sharing" is done after the guided meditation. It is an opportunity to share what came up for you during the meditation and to connect it to the week’s reading and/ or dharma talk if that connection is present. Sharing is done mindfully and does not include "cross talk" or giving advice or even commenting on what someone just said. This includes sending DMs regarding what someone has shared.
When someone volunteers to “share”, it is the responsibility of the rest of the class to listen and sit with the person and what they shared. Sharing is a practice in and of itself.

I recommend that you commit to the class time for the course, but life happens. You can come and go as your schedule allows and make up the class by watching the recordings.

For the seasonal Book Club Circles that last 12 weeks, each 4 week module can be considered a stand alone course. Sign up for all 3 modules or just the ones you are most interested in. Your choice.

Each course I offer is designed as a 4 week course, with each week building on the prior week.

For the seasonal Book Club Circles, which is 12 weeks in full, each week builds on the prior and each 4 week module builds on the prior module. For example, in the Summer of Stillness and Strength Book Club Circle, Weeks 1-4 build the foundation of mindfulness and the basics of sitting and walking meditation. If you want to stop there, fine.

Weeks 5-8 go a bit deeper and explore themes such as letting go, grief, body image/ food, etc. This is really practical and most people look forward to this part.

Weeks 9-12 provide an overview of the type of work that can be done at the deepest levels using IFS inspired meditations to help you get in touch with your parts, for example your inner critic and what is common referred to as your inner child. You can only sign up for Weeks 9-12 after either completing Weeks 1-8 or by permission of the instructor based on your prior meditation experience.