It is hard to believe that we have been continuously offering the SCS Daily Digital Meditation for over three years! What began as an immediate spiritual care response to the stress and anxiety experienced at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic has persisted and become a stable and durable virtual community of meditators from across the SCS community. In this post, I would like to remind all members of SCS about this daily resource (sign up here!) and offer some encouragement about the benefits of participating.
As a reminder, the SCS Daily Digital Meditation takes place each day of the workweek at 12 pm ET. The sessions all occur on Zoom (registrants receive the link and instructions for joining via email) and last around 15 minutes. From Monday through Thursday, the session is organized as a mindfulness meditation that consists of a short body scan, intentional breathing, and then a period of silent, centering meditation with a melodic piano track playing in the background. The Friday meditation is reserved for an inclusively presented Examen meditation, modeled on the reflective practice arising from the Ignatian tradition of spirituality. The Examen consists of five reflective prompts that invite participants to notice with sacred awareness the significant events of their past week, exploring in more reflective detail times of gratitude, consolation, desolation, and hope for the week ahead. I lead these daily sessions and am typically joined by a handful of SCS students, staff, and faculty members. Some participants are regular, daily attendees while others come more sporadically. How often you come is entirely up to you!
Over the last few years, Mission in Motion has reflected on the importance of such a mindfulness habit by making connections with the Spirit of Georgetown value Contemplation in Action. Here are some helpful posts that might give you more insight about the considerable benefits of joining this meditative practice:
- Curious About the SCS Daily Digital Meditations? Some Frequently Asked Questions
- The Value of Inner Silence: Participants Reflect on the Benefits of SCS Daily Digital Meditations
- Digitally Caring for the Whole Person at SCS in a Time of COVID-19
Just this week, a member of the SCS meditation community reached out and expressed gratitude for the offering, saying this ongoing experience “has made a big difference in my life.” I have heard similar input over the years from a range of participants and the Georgetown Faculty & Staff Assistance Program has recommended the SCS meditations to their clients. Others have noted how the meditations provide “deeper inner strength,” “help center and relieve frustrations,” and give the sense that “none of us are alone.” There are many other spiritual, physical, and emotional supports I could name about developing a regular habit of mindfulness meditation and reflection. But I hope you will come check it out for yourself!
If you have any questions about the SCS Digital Daily Meditation, please reach out to me, Jamie Kralovec, SCS Associate Director for Mission Integration, at pjk34@georgetown.edu.