Ritual Outside Religion: The Power of Group Meditation

A few years back I discovered that meditation or contemplative practices done in a group setting are quite different than practices done alone. At the time, I was reading Steven Strogatz book 'Sync' about the science of synchronicity (the phenomenon of naturally arising sync in nature) and saw that the group experience was a syncing of individual transformative experiences.

The acronym SIT (Synchronized Individual Transformation) seemed perfect for describing this effect as it often arises when we sit together in meditation or contemplation.

Religious rituals likely arose because they provided a means to experience synchronized individual transformations. Rituals support individuals in their own inward investigations by providing a group experience that can strengthen it. Furthermore, they play a vital role in giving people an experience of being 'part' of something larger than themselves, particularly at times when this is needed most (times of great change - birth, marriage, death).

However, finding community rituals outside of religion is challenging because so many are circumscribed within belief systems.

Three years ago, my friend and I began a 'Friday morning SIT' at my house. A group of us meet each Friday to 'sit' together in meditation for 30 minutes. No one leads the group, no ones teaches. We merely come together, someone reads an inspirational quote from a glass jar full of quotes we each submitted, we sit together for 30 minutes (with a timer to keep track of time), then go our separate ways. In this weekly ritual, we experience synchronized individual transformations (and deepen our friendships as well).

In the convergence of science and spirituality (by that I mean the recognition of two viable ways of knowing, one objective and focused on the outer physical world, the other subjective and focused on the inward experience of mind), non-religious and fluid sorts of rituals are needed.

By fluidity, I mean that a ritual may be shaped by the members creating it; not by rigid doctrine of the past. Over the summer I performed a marriage ritual for two very close friends. Their marriage was secular (by that I mean without reference to God or any religion) but the content drew all participants together in a synchronized experience of love and connection.

Perhaps Synchronized Individual Tranformations (SITs) is a useful term for describing non-religious community rituals that enhance our individual growth by the group experience.

Comments

[stoneleigh]

I'm atheist, but I often go to Quaker meeting for one reason: an hour (more or less) of shared silence. I'm not looking for - or finding - any kind of transformation at all, it's just supremely comforting to sit in silence with a group of people also willingly silent. Quakers are encouraged to speak in Meeting only if moved by the holy spirit or something beyond themselves and their concerns of the moment. Of course this rule is observed, as most rules are, more in the breach than otherwise; nevertheless the truly magical thing about their meetings is the prevalence of silence itself. Your Friday morning sits sound even somewhat better, since there are, I assume, no interruptions at all.

[Pema]

I am a little confused. Is the author a psychologist? New Age practioner? Buddhist dabbler?
are these chants for stress relief? or is there a stronger spiritual focus. Centering and stress reilfe can do alot to quiet our egos and allow for our more natural spiriual self to come out....Please follow up with an expanded artical. i would like to learn more. ty

[cultureoflife]

Wonderful! This is the same powerful idea as the "Meditating Every Day to Create Peace by Being Peace" espoused by the Peace Every Day Initiative. If you are allowed to post links, please let people know that SIT people are invited to link up with over 200 groups meditating with a collective intention at www.peaceeveryday.org Thanks!

[Anne Naylor - Huffpost Blogger]

Dear Susan,

I love the sound of your SITs. I do something similar on Sunday evenings - not every week. A group of us come together to chant for an hour. There chant is spiritual but there are no rules or rigid doctrine about it. When we have chanted, we simply talk about ordinary things happening in our lives. Sunday evening is good because it is a bridge between the weekend and working week. A time to be together, chant and be peaceful for an hour is very nourishing,

With the practice of chanting aloud in a group, I find my mind becomes quieter and I am more in touch with my spirit. The energy that builds within and around us is tangibly peaceful.

Thank you for your post. I enjoyed reading it.

With love,
Anne