Learning PODs are an optional part of our programs, and a very valuable one. When you opt in, we put you in a random subgroup of 2-4 participants, and you meet on your own to explore your personal experiences through the lens of what you’re learning in class.
The soul speaks its truth only under quiet, inviting, and trustworthy conditions.
~ Parker Palmer, Let Your Life Speak
The POD is a rare opportunity to learn with others who are sincerely interested in excavating their interiority. That said, we need to say a few words about psychological safety.
The way you listen affects how others talk and what they are willing to talk about. Please monitor the quality of attention you give to your pod-mates. They will only share what is most deep within them if you are listening with presence in your body, heart, and mind. This is a learned skill, and the POD is an opportunity to practice.
At some point(s), you might ask for feedback about how "safe" your presence is for your POD-mates. You may resist doing this, and others may resist being fully honest with you. But the conversation is a gift to you and others. There are precious few places in our culture in which we are invited to give and receive this kind of feedback.
Learning PODs are entirely self-managed. We place you in a POD, and the rest is yours. We do not enforce anything. POD members decide when and how they meet. Below are some guidelines to help you get the most out of the experience.
In person is best, zoom second best, phone third best.
We recommend weekly during the program and a final one after it ends.
You can email/text, but we recommend that someone create a Doodle to find a time that works for everyone.