For many of us, ‘mindfulness’ conjures up images of solitude and meditation. While mindfulness can indeed take this form, it extends far beyond solo meditation practice. From peer groups to corporations to school groups, there are a variety of settings that mindfulness can be woven into. If you’re an intermediate to advanced meditation practitioner yourself, you’ve likely come across mindfulness in group settings, or at the very least wondered how you might incorporate mindfulness into gatherings or organizations of your own.
Mindfulness exercises for groups are tools we can use to strengthen our sense of community, wellbeing, concentration, and more – on both individual and collective levels. Understanding the unique characteristics of mindfulness in these settings is the first step to bringing greater awareness into your community.
What Makes Mindfulness Exercises for Groups Unique?
The fundamentals of mindfulness in group settings and those of personal practice are no different from one another. Both are built on a foundation of non-judgment and compassion. What makes mindfulness for groups unique is the number of external factors to consider when sharing mindfulness in this way. Some of the categories these factors fall into include:
Various levels of mindfulness experience
Within a group setting, you’re likely to have both complete beginners and those with pre-existing experience, which can influence the approach taken. If we are guiding such an experience, we might ask ourselves: is there a way to make the exercises applicable to people of various experience levels?
Making Mindfulness Age-Appropriate
Mindfulness exercises for adults are different from those we would introduce to children and teens. The techniques we explore as a family have to be age-appropriate and applicable to everyone in the group, especially for the children. As parents, we can explore mindfulness exercises for adults in our own time. while also holding time and space to practice techniques and skills that our little (or not so little) ones might be more comfortable with.
Factors to consider when introducing mindfulness to children include:
Duration of exercises
Just as adult beginners need time to get used to the techniques and ideas in mindfulness activities, children and teens will be better off with short mindfulness exercises to start. Extend the length of time you explore these activities as your child becomes more comfortable, and use your intuition to guide you.
Different personal histories and backgrounds
Individuals within a group each bring their own stories to the table, which presents both challenge and opportunity. A group with different personalities, capabilities, and histories asks two things of us. First, as with varying levels of mindfulness experience, we must find a way to bridge gaps. Second, we need to make our teachings as relatable to everyone in the group as we can. Despite these differences, the diversity of a group can help us grow more compassionate. As we begin to see our shared humanity in the face of our differences, our sense of loving-kindness and oneness can grow.
Potential setting limitations
Depending on the size and nature of the group, the location of the practice may be limited, which can limit the types of exercises we can explore or the number of people we can include. However, as mindfulness is an inner practice, this likely won’t pose an insurmountable challenge. We can make do with whatever space we have available to us.
What the unique circumstances of group settings boil down to is lack of control. With so many people participating, it is impossible to predict what dynamics, emotions, and energies will arise. A challenge? Perhaps – although it can help to look at this as a learning opportunity and an indication of the nature of reality. In life, where we might think we have control we likely have little. Life offers us continual twists and turns, and nowhere is this more evident than when a group gets together to practice. Embracing whatever arises is how we come to see our shared humanity.
The Power in Numbers
Given the challenges that can arise when we explore mindfulness exercises in groups, why do we do it? Humans are social creatures, and while many of us enjoy mindfulness practice in solitude, there is benefit in coming together. Some of the reasons to practice with others are that group mindfulness may:
- Enhance our sense of community
- Boost motivation and focus
- Increase understanding and compassion
- Spark new ways of communicating
- Bridge gaps and strengthen interpersonal relationships
- Heighten creativity
Depending on the nature of the group, mindfulness practices can be tailored to meet various goals and needs. Creative mindfulness exercises for groups can spark mindful dialogue, critical thinking, and new insights in professional or educational settings. On the other hand, fun mindfulness exercises for groups, like nature reflection and visualization exercises, can shift ways of thinking and support meaningful relationships.
Mindfulness exercises for groups remain a collection of personal practices, which can lead to a collective shift in energy and influence the functioning of the whole. Each individual in the group will shift in unique ways through the practice. As we practice together, we gain the opportunity to share our experiences, our challenges, and our triumphs with one another. This is the power in numbers.
Leading Mindfulness Exercises for Groups
Whatever your group and whatever your role within it, there are a variety of creative ways to incorporate mindfulness into your community, group, or organization. If you are interested in bringing mindfulness exercises to those in your circle, you might take the following steps to determine the right approach:
1. Define your group and your goals.
Whether you are an elementary school teacher, a parent, a CEO, a social worker, a yoga teacher, or a mindfulness explorer (or of any other title for that matter), consider who your group is and what your goals are. What are the goals of the individuals within the group? How might what you hope the group gets out of the practice influence the exercises you choose to share? What are the limitations of the setting you have to work with?
2. Consider the needs, experience, and background of those involved.
An extension of defining your group, take a closer look at the needs and experience level of those you will be leading through this work. What considerations do you need to make based on any known personal or collective histories or traumas? How might you incorporate mindfulness exercises in such a way that helps to bridge potential gaps between group members’ capabilities and expectations?
3. Consider the wide range of mindfulness exercises that might be applicable for your group.
There are many ways to introduce mindfulness in a group setting, from sharing circles and journal exercises to guided meditations and interactive group activities. The right approach will vary based on the needs and level of experience of the group you’re working with. Use the previous questions and your own mindful assessment to determine the most fitting techniques.
4. Reflect on how you will hold safe space and manage any challenging emotions that arise.
Group and individual comfort comes from both the setting of the room and the energy held by the facilitator. Consider how you might ensure that your group feels safe to explore your chosen practices. If emotions or difficult questions arise, how might you navigate this safely and authentically?
If you are interested in deepening your understanding of how to work with groups beyond these general considerations, you might also consider taking a mindfulness teacher training course, whether you are a parent, educator, health or wellness professional, or an evolving mindfulness explorer.
7 Mindfulness Exercises for Groups
Many personal mindfulness exercises are applicable in group settings, often with only a few modifications (such as introduction and integration). These seven mindfulness exercises are a launching point for mindful group activities. Use them as a starting point as you explore ways to work toward the mindfulness goals of your group.
1. The Power of Vulnerability
One of the greatest barriers in mindfulness practice is the fear of vulnerability. Brené Brown, researcher, author and speaker, explores the power of vulnerability in her work, highlighting what can come with the courage to be vulnerable. This video can be watched with a group to encourage openness, honesty, and compassion in professional or family settings, or used by leaders to self-assess their own openness to vulnerability before they delve further into their offerings.
2. Working with Difficult Emotions
Group settings, whether corporate, familial, or otherwise, can spark strong emotions, and difficult ones can strain the wellbeing of a family or organization. There is nothing inherently wrong with our emotions. Through this talk and similar teachings, we can become more mindful of our needs, our emotions, and our ways of communicating, which can support cooperation and compassion.
3. Dealing with Busy Schedules
In corporate, family, or school settings, stress and busyness can stand in the way of productivity and wellbeing. This mindfulness worksheet can be used in groups to help spark self-awareness and meaningful dialogue around how we might ease the effect of our busy modern day lives.
4. Loving-Kindness Meditation
Loving-kindness meditation can open us up to greater understanding, compassion, and acceptance of those around us. When practiced in a group setting, this mindfulness exercise can also open us toward our shared humanity and strengthen our interpersonal relationships and communication skills.
5. Breathing Into Stress
Stress is a natural part of life – it’s what we do with it that matters. This worksheet is a mindfulness exercise that can be used with groups to explore healthy ways of working with stress when it crops up. This might be particularly useful in corporate or school groups.
6. Nature Walks
Getting into nature is a way to form stronger connections between individuals and with the natural environment itself. By taking a mindful approach to the natural world around us, we might find a greater sense of harmony within, along with more creative energy and a stronger connection with all living things. This exercise can be modified according to the group’s needs and is applicable for children and adults alike.
7. Time Management
For corporate and school settings, mindful time management exercises, such as the one outlined in this worksheet, can spark greater awareness of how we use our time. By getting clear on the day’s priorities and uncovering our own personal struggles to be efficient, we can gain more say in how we spend our minutes and hours, which may support focus in the workplace.
Once we are clear on who we are working with and what the group’s needs are, we can choose creative mindfulness exercises that help us reach the goals of both individuals and the collective community. Each mindfulness exercise is an opportunity for greater connection, personal growth, and learning.
