A simple ritual that amplifies human connection in everyday work

Alongside the tremendous suffering this pandemic has brought to the world, many of us have been surprised to find new opportunities that have emerged in the way we work, connect, and collaborate with others.

Shelter-in-place deeply challenged some of our deep assumptions about work and human connection.

Assumption being challenged: Physical proximity is necessary for building trust and connection in relationships, teams, or community. In movies and social media, we often infer loneliness from physical distance and equate human connection with crowded house parties. When I no longer could go to group gatherings in this pandemic, I had to ask myself: what makes me feel connected to others? If I can’t shake hands with someone, what helps to build trust and rapport? Gradually, with a little patience and tolerance for uncertainty, new ideas and opportunities started to emerge.

One simple and yet powerful ritual that came about is called Collective Breather. Two colleagues (Laura and Pankaj from Awake In Business) and I coined the term to literally mean that we take a few breaths together with each other in the middle of our work day. We started to do it during our lunch break over Zoom. The primary aim is to practice our “mental muscles” to cultivate a relaxed form of focus and openness for connection with the present moment as well as with each other. It mainly consists of 15 minutes of guided meditation and 8 minutes of mindful presence and deep listening in pairs. Thirty minutes in total.

In this virtual space, we encourage each other to put aside our to-do lists, troubles in our past, and uncertainty about the future. We invite everyone to use our natural breathing as an anchor to relax in the present moment. We breathe together in spacious silence to cultivate clarity and a deeper sense of connection with ourselves and each other.

We have been facilitating Collective Breathers for our friends, colleagues, and family for more than a year now. It seems to have taken on a life of its own! A high school principal has invited Collective Breather into the school’s community. A Harvard Medical School graduate student started to facilitate Breathers for her community… Collective Breather has such a simple format and yet it has helped to generate connection and understanding between myself and others in ways I would never have predicted. We keep hearing from other participants expressions such as “It’s strange that I can feel such deep connection with people I have never met in person!”, “This short ritual has provided a counter-balance for the erratic and scattered energy I often feel when I work”, “I hope to channel this relaxed and yet focused attention into the rest of my day.”

Now we are excited to share this simple yet powerful collective experience with the world. If you are interested in this human connection amplifier tool, feel free to join a Breather and experience it yourself. As the stewards of this practice, we don’t intend to charge fees or claim ownership of the virtual space. We’re delighted to welcome all of you and hold space that amplifies the innate, natural human connection which won’t be taken away by physical distancing.

Register here for how to participate: https://www.startercultures.us/creative-offerings/collective-breather