At the beginning of March, our silly little club met at the University of Utah campus for a guided group meditation activity.

A friend of the club, Joseph, has wanted to try leading group mediation for some time, and our club has been interested in participating in group meditation–the stars aligned perfectly for this Sleepy Bois Croak.

With friendly smiles, our small group sat on yoga cushions and mats on the floor of the cozy university meeting room, excited to connect to ourselves and the group, as Joseph guided our meditative journey.

A Novel Meditation Practice

The meditation we engaged in was Joseph’s own creation: a contemplation on the nature of trees. “What can we learn from trees?” is a series of questions about trees, asked in 30-second intervals for a total of 25 minutes.

It may seem like a long time to think about trees… because it is (perhaps not for a botanist, but for all of us normies it definitely is).

Joseph likes trees (as you’ve presumably gathered) and thinks there may be much we can learn from them. It could be possible that, by seeing the world through the experience of a tree, we might be able to see ourselves and our human experience in a new, illuminating, and photosynthesizing light.

If you were not able to attend this meditation activity, I have great news! Joseph allowed me to use a recording of the meditation to make it available on the Sleepy Bois Club YouTube channel. If you have 30 minutes and/or an interest in trees, give it a watch.

YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klA-GngYmUY

Group Discussion

After completing the guided meditation, we shared our experiences with the mediation in a group discussion. This feedback was useful for Joseph as the creator of the practice and is an important aspect of the SBC Mission as we conduct experiments like these in order to find personal and communal meaning and wellness.

One participant commented on the dynamic of our meditation activity, which included a group discussion. They expressed that the comprehensive structure brought more meaning to their experience. In other group meditations, they had noticed the points of ceremony around the practice that gave it a clear separation from the monotony of everyday life. As they have tried to incorporate the practice of meditation in their life, they have encountered a feeling of emptiness. This mediation activity gave them a comprehensive experience that provided a feeling of fullness by touching many aspects of what they seek through meditation.

In discussing Joseph’s meditation in particular, many expressed feelings of anxiety at the onset of the meditation. At first, the 30-second space between questions felt long, allowing some to feel a sense of accomplishment as they reached a conclusion in their mind with time to spare.

The questions start with simplicity, focusing on the superficial nature of trees, lending themselves to seemingly simple answers. As the meditation moves forward, the 30-second space starts to feel small as questions add more complexity to the meditative practice.

As the meditation moved from a few minutes to several, participants agreed that a meditative state was accomplished as they considered, sat with, and even sympathized with trees. Feelings of anxiety were relieved as one viewed their wandering mind as a child who could be encouraged with gentle guidance back towards the task at hand. The steady pace of questions created a feeling of flow for many who found stillness in the practice of thinking about trees. Overthinking was overcome by simplicity.

One participant recalled a study where individuals were tasked with a series of questions that were intended to make the couple fall in love in one session. They said this meditation felt like 20 minutes of questions to make you fall in love with trees. Our group of nature-loving participants agreed.

Personal Reflection

I was seriously impressed by this meditation. When Joseph first told us that he wanted to lead a mediation, I assumed there was a standard cannon of meditations that leaders typically pulled from for group practice. But this mediation was entirely Joseph’s creation that takes a form that he is not aware exists anywhere else. Its effectiveness in accomplishing the feeling I get from other practices I’ve done was really striking to me.

The practice itself was rigorous and fun, but the group discussion was a wonderful place to share experience, validate thoughts and impressions, as well as learn more about the practice of mediation and the potential fulfillment that one could attain from it.

Through the course of the discussion, the range of experience and expertise among the group became apparent. In a meditation about trees, we had experts in both botany and horticulture, but also other realms of expertise such as artificial intelligence, hypnosis, meditation, shamanism, and art–all found the mediation valuable.

As the Sleepy Bois Club moves quickly through a variety of activities and practices, I find myself hoping that we will come back to each one at some point in the future. With the limited time that the club has for activities, it is likely that much time will pass between repeated activities, and that perhaps we won’t return to some at all.

The guided group meditation was special in terms of the activity, the venue, and the people. An activity just-so may not happen again. But this experiment in fostering community and meaning was successful for a night. Though people, venues, activities, and clubs change, moments like these can give that change meaning.