Community Conversations
with Madison Mallett
1st and 3rd Thursday Each Month • 7:30-9:00pm
In-Person or Online • Free to All
Throughout the Winter Season, we will have soup and snacks provided as an opportunity to share a meal as we settle into our time together
Community Conversations is a way to build community through conversation. Coming together as a community is something we highly value at Satya. While each of us leads lives across a diverse array of experiences, beliefs, and backgrounds, the practice of yoga is what unites us all – building a greater connection with ourselves, and each other.
Community Conversations is a space where members of the Satya community – and beyond – continue the unifying practice of yoga through purposeful, facilitated conversations. Much like the physical practice of yoga asana (poses), the practice of intentional conversation is a practice of connection and awareness. As we exercise our capacity for purposeful and patient communication, we gain a greater understanding of ourselves and others, build a stronger sense of community, and carry compassion forward into the rest of our lives.
This practice integrates fundamental tenets of yoga philosophy, namely ahimsa (nonviolence) and satya (truth), while using the framework of Community Building Circles (CBCs) to facilitate the intentional time together. In each 90-minute gathering, Madison will guide participants through thoughtfully prepared questions that center around a particular theme, to which all participants have the opportunity to respond. In order to ensure a respectful space for all, conversations follow community-established guidelines. Read more about these down below.
CURRENT THEME THROUGHOUT WINTER 2026: Quiet Creativity
This season of Community Conversations will center around the theme of Quiet Creativity.
Creativity is often thought of as an entirely generative happenstance. The process of creativity is something admired because of how it unfolds, with appreciation of one's creativity being dependent upon experiencing their product of self-expression. Yet so much of the creative process is just that -- a process. One's creativity is often quiet, imperceptible to others. Much like the roots of a tree expand beneath our feet and beneath our awareness so that it can grow itself to greater heights, the creative process endures incredible challenges underneath the surface as we contemplate how our unique expression of the self can be shared with the world.
The season of winter serves as a reminder for us to draw inward and cultivate a self-awareness that is intimately connected to the process of creativity. Together, our community will reflect upon this unique form of self-expression through intentional dialogue guided by compassion and curiosity. As we share our sense of self with one another, we will build awareness around the complex yet quiet nature of creativity.
Conversations in this theme will start January 15th and continue through the end of winter.
Registration Available for In-Person or Online Attendance
You will be prompted to login to your student account to register
PREVIOUS THEMES
Building Trust: Establishing the foundations for community through compassionate conversation.
Attunement to Awareness: Deeply listening, to ourselves and each other, with the intention to understand.
Growing Together: Developing relationships with ourselves and each other through compassionate conversation.
The Courage to Be: Acting intentionally as we navigate the many challenges and uncertainties of life, together.
PRACTICE STRUCTURE
Community Conversations utilizes the structure of Community Building Circles (CBCs), a restorative practice rooted in Indigenous and first peoples cultures around the world, designed to facilitate meaningful conversation within the community. In each practice, all participants, including the facilitator, are comfortably seated in a circle facing each other. The format of every conversation consists of: Opening, Discussion, Movement & Breaks, and Closing.
Opening: Facilitators begin each conversation by guiding participants through a short meditation before honoring the history and intention of the CBC practice. Once connected to the purpose and moment of the practice, facilitators review the community-established guidelines for conversation (these guidelines are available in the section below for you to review).
Discussion: After agreeing to the conversation guidelines, facilitators then guide participants through a series of thoughtfully prepared questions related to the current theme. Conversations are mediated by a talking piece: an object passed from person to person that signifies the roles of who is speaking (holding the piece) and who is listening (everyone else) at any moment. This allows every individual equal opportunity to speak without interruption, as well as respectfully listen to others. As it moves around the circle, the talking piece signifies the roles of speaker and listener.
Movement & Breaks: Staying seated for the full 90-minute practice may be possible for some, but can be uncomfortable (or simply not possible) for others. To ensure everyone can remain present and comfortable during the conversation, facilitators will offer some time for breaks and guided movement between prompts, though participants are encouraged to do whatever they need to do throughout the practice to take care of their bodies.
Intentional Closing: Once all questions have been asked and everyone has had the opportunity to share, the facilitator will close the conversation practice with another meditation.
CONVERSATION GUIDELINES
Community Conversations is intended to be a welcoming and respectful space for purposeful discussion in our community. To honor this intention, all conversations will follow community-established guidelines for participation. These guidelines are essential to the practice of intentional conversations: they are a deliberate, mutual agreement for community dialogue to ensure that every community member listens to--and is heard by--others with compassion.
We will begin with the following guidelines, adding more as the practice grows:
Respect the talking piece. Remember that the talking piece serves as a symbol of reverence for the intentional conversation. Throughout the conversation, the talking piece designates who is speaking (holder of the talking piece) and who is listening (everyone else).
Speak from the heart. Remember that this space is for everyone to speak honestly, without worry for how others may feel as a result. This practice of intentional conversation encourages us to speak truthfully, to practice satya.
Listen to understand. Remember that this is a space for compassionate understanding, not a space for judgment. This practice encourages us to listen to our fellow community members, without defensiveness, judgment, or impatience.
Take the time you need, knowing that others need time as well. Remember that speaking honestly requires patience, from both speaker and listener. The practice of intentional conversation is a space to practice patience in communication.
Honor confidentiality. Remember that this is a space of confidence for our community., and what other participants share here is not yours to share with others. What happens in community conversations, stays in community conversations.
‘Pass’ at any time. Remember that you are not required to speak during this conversation, only listen. At your turn, you have the autonomy to pass the talking piece instead of sharing.