We have exciting news to share—the Be Virtual Studio is now open! This online studio will provide quick and impactful meditations for anyone in need of a break no matter where they are. The studio offers a variety of classes throughout the day hosted by different teachers, so you can choose what meditations work best for your practice.
And the studio will offer activities beyond meditation—like movie nights and happy hours—to help participants build community and build a network of people committed to living mindfully.
You can find more information on the studio, including class schedules and sign-up information, here. Read on for an interview with one of the studio teachers, Rick Gage, and stay tuned to the blog for more interviews this week.
Rick Gage
- Tell us a little about you.
My name is Rick Gage, and I’ve been living in the Seattle area for almost 40 years now. This is home. I’m most proud of the seven amazing young people who call me “grandpa” (and of course, their amazing parents). A friend once introduced me as the most accepting man on the planet. I can think of no higher praise and I have come to hold that as one of my superpowers. Another gift is that “I see you”. I easily fall in love with the magnificence of the people who are part of my life for even a few precious moments. I love tending to living things – mostly people and plants. Sitting and circle with other humans and working in the garden both bring me joy. - If you had a magic wand, how would you change the world?
I stand for a more human connected world that works for everyone. My heart longs for a world in which many, many of us stand united in the service of that dream. - Why did you start meditating/practicing mindfulness and what keeps you returning to your practice?
I started meditating as a teenager. At that time I called it prayer – finding stillness within. It came both when sitting alone and when walking alone in nature. My practice has matured largely through informal modeling and personal growth. I return again and again because it sustains me. It is as necessary to my well being as air and water. - How does meditation affect your sense of belonging, community, and connection?
My practice alone builds within me the presence to sit with others in the joy of connection. By belonging first to myself and to something timeless beyond me, I am able to be a space of belonging for others and feel the love and joy of connection and community. - What is your hope for Be Meditation?
For me, Be Meditation is a lighthouse, a beacon that can help people who feel adrift to find their way home. It is a gathering place of people who value inner stillness and the creative, sometimes chaotic creativity of being connected in community – collaborating with others.