Last night I was invited to a gathering with a friend this coming Friday, which I declined because I am already participating in, and co-facilitating, a number of ‘telegatherings’ at the same time.
This led our conversation to the topic of teleseminars, teleconferences, teleclasses, teleforums or telegatherings etc. they go by many names but basically it is where people ‘meet’ over the telephone for various reasons. Some people use them for business meetings, I use them for education – to host classes where participants are spread so far and wide geographically that having everyone physically in the same room would be impossible. My associate Anya Sophia of Conscious Journey, uses them for ‘gatherings’, for various purposes, for focus groups, education and/or coaching.
Feel the connection!
So my friend asked me ‘what is it like’? and I replied ‘it is exactly like being in the same room except we all have our eyes closed’. Imagine sitting in a room with a group of people and the only difference is that you just can’t see them. This is where our conversaton became interesting, because as we spoke I realised why telegatherings have become so important to me, and such an important part of my life. For me every time I join in, it validates my sense of connectedness.
It is very easy for me to ‘rationalise’ things away. For example if I’m in a group meditation with a group of people in the same room, and I ‘feel’ or ’sense’ something… then my mind can easily explain that well of course, it is because we are all sitting in the same room, so of course I would feel people’s energy fields. But when those people are thousands of miles away? It is not so easily rationalised away.
Every month, as Anya Sophia and I co-host monthly telegatherings, my sense of connectedness to everyone on the call is re-affirmed. Earlier this year we co-facilitated a telegathering for ‘Earth Day’. Rather than some calls which are discussion based, this one was intentionally more ‘meditative’ in nature. We intended to create a feeling of appreciation for the Earth, and hold this space for a period of time. It is especially when we participate in telegatherings that are more meditative in nature that I feel connectedness. It is a powerful, spiritual experience for me.
It is all the more meaningful because some years ago I used to have a phobia, well a couple of phobias actually! They were both related. I had a fear of people I didn’t know, so experienced anxiety if I had occassion to speak to new people, also I had a fear of answering the telephone, because of course that often entailed speaking with people I didn’t know. I didn’t know it at the time, but both of these phobias are symptoms of the same ‘dis-ease’ which is the illusion of our separateness. The solution is to experience our very real connection to each other, so we are no longer ’strangers’.
Thanks to Anya Sophia and the Conscious Journey I have a wonderful ‘healing’ opportunity every month to experience this very real connection, in a telegathering. The very fact that it is a telegathering, and we are not in the same room, is what affirms the sense of connectedness. My mind just cannot rationalise away the feeling of connection with people who are together on the call yet geographically very ’seperate’.
If you are wondering what this feels like I can only say try it for yourself and see. I found it pretty amazing, but that’s my experience.
It is not the same as a webinar, or web conference. There is no visual component and a computer is not involved. That feels important to me. Maybe the fewer distractions makes it easier to ‘tune-in’ to the people on the call, I don’t know. But all you need is a normal telephone and the ‘bridge’ number ( a special phone number that allows many people to be on a call together at the same time) If you haven’t dialled in before, why not try it and see? You may well be surprised, as I was!
I am hoping to offer more teleclasses and telegatherings in future. Especially now living in the Highlands and Islands region of Scotland, with fuel prices rocketing, there is huge potential here for connection and education through telegathering.
If you’d like to join us just out of curiosity, you are very welcome, and we’ll be glad to have you on the call. Here’s what we’re up to this week: Friday July 18th 2008 – pick a topic that appeals to you and just dial in to join in!
Medical & Health Care SIG (Special Interest Group)
Friday July 18th 10 – 11 am ET (3-4pm UK)
Bridge Number: (001) 407-649-8983 (US)
This is for everyone who is interested in supporting the transformation of health care culture: making healthcare a happier, healthier place to live and work, through deeper awareness and emotional intelligence. This month’s theme: “Watch your language:. it affects the care of health, in Healthcare”
Emotional Intelligence and Consciousness
Friday, July 18th 11am-12pm ET (4-5pm Uk) Bridge Number: (001) 407-649-8983 (US)
This is for everyone who is interested in deepening emotional intelligence and consciousness. In this group we focus more on simple and practical aspects of emotional intelligence rather than theoretical models.
CoachingNow: Musing in the Moment with A Lifecoach with Anya Sophia
Friday, July 18th 12-1pm ET (5-6pm UK)
Friday, July 18th 11am-12pm ET (6-7pm UK)
TO REGISTER:- CLICK HERE and join in time for this month’s call. Make sure you check the boxes for “CoachingNow” and/or “Soul Astrology”
You can also click on the above links and listen to an mp3 recording of previous calls. It would be wonderful if you would join us on these telegatherings this month.
Warmly, Ruth
