Hello dear Imagine community,
This message goes to all of you, those who joined us this year and those that have been with us for some years already, perhaps from the very beginning 7 years ago. We are so happy to continue our journey together, as we grow and change. This year is the first time I am writing to you on behalf of the whole Imagine team, as the President of our nonprofit board. When I started in the Fall of 2017 as a student myself, falling in love with the people and the intention, this was not even an idea. And yet here we are, seeing this magic unfolding, with all of you who allowed us to come here!
We are in a time of the year where here in the Northern hemisphere pause and stillness have traditionally been welcomed. With the lights on in our homes and workplaces no matter what time of day or year, the inner calling to take this rest might be difficult to hear. And yet from our practice together we’ve discovered over and over again how pausing is an essential part of moving forward. Let this letter draw attention to this potent cycle of the year, to pausing and becoming aware of the stillness between two breaths, the stillness of the transition to the new year. Pausing together as a community is a powerful gift to us, to the world.
In this pause we find ourselves also contemplating. This year has been rich in surprises and connections! We taught 3 full cycles of MBSR classes with around 160 students, 17 trainees of different levels were part of our classes, Imagine Connect took place every first Saturday of the month, and we explored with new volunteers how the gift model, the foundation of our work, can work. We have learnt and pivoted along the way, to show up to each moment the best way we could. And we have learnt also from the wisdom and experience of all of you, making these changes possible and supportive. Thank you for everything and anything that you have brought to the Imagine community!
Looking ahead into a fresh 2024, a lot of amazing things will come into existence too! I’d like to mention few of them:
In March, we are launching Mindful Self Compassion led by John Walker, a certified MSC instructor from Modestly Mindful. This program runs for 6 weeks, offering another perspective on how to look at our lives through the mindful lens. You will receive more details within the next couple of weeks.
In June 2024 we are planning our first in-person retreat, 4 days of practicing together in the beautiful countryside of Southern France. This has been our dream for a long time, and hopefully announcing it many months in advance will bring it all together. Expect an email about this by the end of January.
More and more volunteers are joining us and we invite you to reach out to us if this would be a way for you to give back, returning the gift. We are specifically looking for alumni with experience in grant writing and fundraising. The gift model is a foundation of how we are showing up in this world and we thank you all for taking your unique part in it!
We also wish to reach more students in Asia and Oceania by experimenting with different times/days of our classes. This is why both the Winter and Spring Programs feature a Sunday class that is time-wise focused on this part of the world (and also works Europe and the East Coast of Northern America). There are still places available if you’d like to join again or refer it to someone.
Thank you again for being part of the Imagine community! We appreciate your energy, gifts, donations, wishes, prayers, and commitment to keep coming back to the present moment, becoming aware where our personal comfort zone lies. We hope to see many of you in 2024, in our traditional MBSR classes, Imagine Connect sessions, or new programs!
With love,
Barbora