Guided Meditations with MJ

I have been a member of the St. Ignatius choir/cantor for the past 3.5 years, a “food fairy” in the Neighbor-to-Neighbor program and a new member of the Anti-Racism Committee.

For the past eight years I have worked with several organizations who use the arts to mitigate trauma in the veteran community. Since March 2020, I have offered over 250 free one-hour guided meditation sessions via Zoom, creating a secure space for people to share in community. I would now like to offer this practice to the St. Ignatius community. I was moved to create this series in response to the potential stress of the upcoming midterm elections and the trauma of seeing attacks on the lives and dignity of our immigrant siblings across the country. We are bearing witness to the daily suffering of strangers and in some cases, our friends and neighbors as they face injustice, intimidation and cruelty, resulting in our collective anxiety, depression, and hopelessness. Our collective nervous systems may be on high alert. In the guided meditation, we start with 'theatre as medicine” tools: grounding, breathing and observation without judgment. Next is a guided journey where imagination is stimulated, as it is one of the elements that goes offline when dealing with trauma. After returning the participants to the present moment, I offer a few minutes to jot down notes, and then anyone who wishes is invited to share their insights.

You’re invited to join me in this 1 hour guided meditation! Sessions are limited to twelve participants to foster sharing and community building. The practice will build upon each session. Participation in all 3 meditations is encouraged, but not required.

• Tuesday, October 20 at 5 pm

• Tuesday, October 27 at 5 pm

• Tuesday, November 3 at 5 pm

Register with this link!

Register

By taking care of ourselves first, we are enabled to come to the aid of others. Join me in this healing practice in collaboration with the Anti-Racism Committee.

Please note: MJ is not a mental health professional, and anyone needing intervention should contact their medical provider. You can learn more about MJ and access her CD “A voice for healing” at maryjomcconnell.com/meditations

Mary Jo “MJ” McConnell

RN, BSN, Health Coach, MFA, Actor/Singer/Filmmaker, Guided Meditation Leader and Military Veteran