Surrender Project
**PLEASE POST YOUR PROJECT SUBMISSION (Your Essay and Link to Your RecordedPresentation) TO BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE IN THE COMMENTS SECTION! THANK YOU!**
Surrender Project Outline
Assignment Due: Sunday, December 8th
The following three assignments are due by the start of class on Sunday. This class will be conducted asynchronously, allowing everyone to view each other’s work online rather than meeting in person. Please ensure all assignments are posted on the website by the class start time to facilitate timely viewing and feedback.
NOTE: Please take some time to explore the new Teaching Dharana focal point for the week. This week’s topic is the essay writing process, with an emphasis on bringing more joy and playfulness to the practice while letting go of the pressure to finish the product. I hope reading it inspires your work process for the week and infuses a little joy and surrender into your presentation preparation process.
1. Written Essay on the Topic of Surrender
Write a 500-word essay on this module’s topic of Surrender. The essay should reflect your personal experience, insights from curated resources, and the unique aspects of Surrender you’ve found beneficial. Post your essay in the comment section below this entry, this will allow your instructors to read the essay more fully and your fellow students to benefit from reading your work as well. Detailed instructions for recording and sharing your video presentation and guided practice will be provided below.
2. Self Recorded Video: Presentation of Essay on Surrender
Before the start of class on Sunday, please record yourself presenting your essay, as if you were teaching it to a class. Detailed instructions for making this simple recording on your phone are provided below. Once recorded, upload your video to YouTube and share the link in the comments section along with your essay. This will allow everyone to view and provide feedback on each other’s work. Again, detailed instructions on this are written out below.
Present your essay as naturally as possible, aiming to connect with your audience. Try to speak from the heart rather than reading directly from the page, as if you were sharing this teaching in a live setting. We recognize that this level of comfort takes practice, but it’s an inspiring goal for us all to work toward.
3. Self Recorded Video: Guided Surrender Meditation Practice
After completing your five-minute presentation on Surrender, you can smoothly transition into a guided Surrender practice lasting five to ten minutes, based on your preference. Ideally, you will utilize aspects of your presentation in the guided practice to give it even more depth. Through this shared experience, we’ll all have the opportunity to benefit from one another’s guidance and presence.
Submission:
Post your essay in the comment section below this entry, as well as the Link to your YouTube video presentation and guided meditation. This will allow your instructors to read the essay more fully and your fellow students to benefit from reading your work as well. Detailed instructions for recording and sharing your video presentation and guided practice will be provided below.
Additional Notes on Uploading to YouTube:
Before delving into YouTube's format or usage, it's crucial to clarify that all the work we undertake on YouTube will be unlisted. This means that it won't be searchable or accessible to the general public without the exact URL. This approach prioritizes your safety and security, especially in the learning environment we're creating which can be a vulnerable space. The pages we're working on as a group are password-protected, ensuring only students can access them, and the videos on YouTube will be unlisted as an additional layer of privacy.
That being said, it should also be noted that this setup offers some really unique benefits. For instance, while the videos won't be publicly available, you can still utilize your own video at a later time to show a prospective student, or as an additional resource in your classes. Additionally, having access to recordings of your teaching sessions allows for self-reflection and learning, while also offering insights from other students' experiences. This setup enhances the learning process and provides a valuable resource for your personal growth and development as a teacher.
We've opted to utilize YouTube as our platform for sharing videos due to its accessibility across all devices, including phones, tablets, and computers. While YouTube offers convenience, it's important to acknowledge that no sharing format is perfect. Each platform requires some level of patience and willingness to delve into technical details to ensure smooth operation. If you encounter any issues, such as a presentation not uploading correctly, please reach out to us, and we'll assist you in resolving the issue. We appreciate your patience and persistence as we navigate this process together. Rest assured, YouTube remains the simplest format we've found for sharing this type of work collectively.