Weekly: Silent Introspection
One of the shared practices that all participants do is a weekly 30-minute period of silent introspection. This is a regular time set aside for sitting quietly and focusing internally (i.e. not listening to music, reading, watching TV, etc.). Each participant schedules a weekly time, and finds an appropriate location (perhaps a quiet room at home, a chair on the porch, or a bench at a local park). Some participants might use this time to quietly reflect on what's going on in their lives, others might do some type of secular meditation, others might simply relax and sit quietly, enjoying the chance to slow down and unwind. Participants can do this alone, or together with their family or friends.
After these periods of silent introspection, members will hopefully be more relaxed and focused. Instead of immediately diving into a busy schedule, it might be a good time to enjoy a more slow-paced, relaxing activity: reading some poetry, gardening, or just spending some "quality time" with family or friends. Maybe parents would want to read and discuss an ethical story with their children, or couples might want to use this time to look at their schedules for the week. One benefit of this weekly practice is to create a mood of relaxed focus (during the silent period), and then to enjoy this mood in a more active way. Participants are encouraged to customize this weekly ritual, finding and developing what is most beneficial and enjoyable.