Preparations and guidelines for your online mindfulness course
An online course means the course or workshop takes place in your home. Therefore, some preparations are needed so that we can perform all the exercises properly and feel safe.
Remember: this is a moment for you to rewind and recharge and learn some new tools. In order to make the best out of it, it is important that you consider it as some time off and make sure you are undisturbed. Therefore, you might want to set up an out of office the session and switch off your mobile phone or use the airplane mode.
There are a few things to keep in mind so that we all feel comfortable in front of the screen.
Preparations
- Ideally, you join the session in a separate room so you can feel at ease to share and sit comfortably for the entire duration. You might want to arrange a cozy corner in your house or office where you are undisturbed.
- Make sure to have your syllabus or a notebook and pen at hand. We will need the writing materials for almost every course date.
- For the sitting meditation a (straight) chair is better than a sofa/soft armchair, so that you can sit upright as well as possible. If you already have a meditation cushion or bench, you are of course welcome to use it.
- Please have a mat at your disposal (or a sofa) so you can do a lying down practice.
- You might also prepare a nice cup of tea and some water and a snack for in the breaks.
- If this is your first time with Zoom, please scroll down to the FAQ on Zoom to get prepared in advance
Online Guidelines
- In the course, confidentiality is important so that everyone feels comfortable and safe. Please make sure that you are alone in your room and that no one can hear or see the other participants. Should this not be possible please wear headphones so that the other people in the room can only hear you (not the participants). Everything that is shared in the course is confidential. By signing up, you have agreed not to record the Zoom sessions at any time.
- A course in your own house invites you to become aware of the many distraction possibilities that make it difficult to pause in everyday life. To prepare for the course, make sure to create a distraction-free environment as much as possible, such as muting phones and putting them aside along with books, to-do lists, and paperwork. Close the email program, Facebook, and social media as well as other windows open on your device.
- Please use a notebook or PC so that you can see all participants. A tablet or smartphone is too small in terms of display.
- If possible, please make sure to always switch on the camera so that we can be together in the "room". (If this is not always possible for you, please let us know.) It is not recommended to join the course from the car or public transport.
- You can switch between gallery and speaker view. Most of the time during the course it is nicer for a good group feeling to stay in the gallery view.
- During the session you will have the opportunity to mute your microphone on Zoom. It is recommended that only the person who is speaking has switched on the microphone to avoid disturbing background noise.
- We will also work in small breakout groups during the course in order to facilitate interaction.
- Feel free to provide drinks for the session and a blanket to keep you warm. This is already lived self-care. Drinking something during the course is perfectly fine, but please eat only during the break
- We invite you to come with an open mind and an extra dose of curiosity.
We wish you an inspiring and good course. If you have a question or remark at any point, please feel free to contact us at info@brusselsmindfulness.be.
Frequently Asked Questions about Zoom:
How do I get started with Zoom?
If you have never used Zoom before, you will need to sign up (for free) here. Once you have signed up, the desktop app will auto-download. To download on your phone or another device, search for the Zoom app in Apple Store or Google Play.
To join the course, click on the link the email you received with the practical details. You may be prompted to enter a display name, which will appear next to your image and helps to identify you to others in the session.
You will then be prompted how you would like to join your audio: by computer or telephone. To join by computer, click on the "Join Audio by Computer" button.
How can I change my name in zoom?
If you right-click with the curser on your picture you will see three dots. click on these dots and it will give you the option to change your name. please out your full name so we can easily recognize you.
How can I see others in the session or adjust it so I just see the speaker?
In the top right-hand corner of your screen, there will be a button that says either "Gallery View" or "Speaker View" - this is the button you click on to switch between the two views.
How can I chat with others or ask a question?
If you would like to ask a question, use the Chat window: click on the "Chat" icon in the toolbar to make the Chat box visible, then type a question where it says, "Type Message Here". Your question will be visible to all participants, and the teacher will decide which questions to answer.
If you'd like to chat privately to another participant, click the arrow next to "Send to" and choose who you want to send the message to. However, we do not recommend you to do so during the course as it will distract your from what is being said.
To turn off the chat window, click on the down arrow next to the Zoom Group Chat and select "Close."
Can I adjust the volume of the person speaking?
Unfortunately, no. Please make sure that the audio on your device is on and turned up all the way (or to the level you prefer). If you are still not able to hear, please try using headphones, making sure the volume is up.
For a more comprehensive FAQ about working with Zoom, click here for Zoom’s support page.