
CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
Curriculum and requirements for certification
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The certification course meets for six weeks on consecutive Tuesday
evenings from 7 to 930 pm. Each class is two- and one-half hours long and is currently held at the Samara Healing Center in Taneytown, MD.
The course fee is donation based with a suggested donation of $300. You can visit our calendar and/or sign up to receive an email notification of our class scheduling. (Sign Up Here) The only recommendation in terms of who this course is appropriate for, would be that potential participants have the current skill or willing to develop that skill of singing/toning in front of a group. This is not like being thrown into singing a solo at Carnegie Hall, but rather toning with a shruti box or other drone instrument with nature sounds accompanying you in the background. The second skill that is helpful, is your capacity to hear a note and match the pitch. This ability makes your class experience much easier. Musicians of all skill levels are welcome as I am encouraging people who train with me to use their own skill set and inspiration to create their unique version of In Unison with the Earth guided, sound and toning meditation.
If you feel unsure about joining the class based on your musical experience, please contact me so we can chat to see if this is an appropriate pursuit for you.
Students will learn how to:
- Structure a customized guided, sound and toning meditation
- Gain confidence in using the voice as a healing instrument
- Use musical intervals to create unique meditations
- Take an In Unison with the Earth program effectively into their community.
After registering for the class, you will receive a “required reading, watching and listening list” as well as a recording of the full In Unison with the Earth meditation. The required materials are spaced out over the six-week course but expect to spend an average of at least two hours a week doing course work. As the saying goes, “you will get out of it what you put into it”.
The other thing I want to talk about is other “requirements” I have put together for the certification course. I say “requirements” for several reasons. My goal for everyone is that you develop a minimum competency and confidence when we’re done so that you can facilitate an In Unison with the Earth event in your community. The requirements I have put together I hope will insure that outcome. Depending on your particular background I am flexible about what might be needed to achieve a level of comfort for each of you to do this publicly.
Here is what I‘m asking. Before officially “graduating” each of you would:
- keep a working notebook of your class notes and other materials you might be using in your presentation. This can serve as a reference guide for you when you are leading an event.
-Put together you own guided meditation based on the principals I have taught and lead a meditation on a Friday morning at samara or via zoom for myself and other classmates.
-Facilitate three events in your community and observe your classmates three times facilitating an event. Your observations must be with a minimum of two different people. I am asking that you write up a summary of each of these experiences about what you have learned (what worked and didn’t work). In putting together your own presentation, it is fine to partner with a classmate or past graduate from the program. There are no limits to your creativity about how to put this together. I do not have an expectation that your first presentations will be ready to go at the end of 6 weeks. We will stay in touch as needed via zoom to support your development and sharing of the work. When the above requirements have been met, you will receive a certificate and a listing on this web site as a certified facilitator. I will post the events you are leading on this site for no charge. One last note. I am asking that my graduates keep this community meditation donation based, and suggest the following split when you contact possible venues:
-60% goes to the facilitator
-30% goes to the hosting venue
-10% goes back to In unison with the Earth musical instrument bank so we are able to lend instruments and small sound systems as needed to facilitators. As the community of facilitators grows, I hope to set up more instrument banks regionally to make them more conveniently available.
WHAT STUDENTS ARE SAYING
R.O
“ I did not know I needed to do this until I said yes to it. The compassionate sense of community resonated deeply, and it allowed a level of vulnerability that had been missing in my life. I would encourage anyone to participate in this experience.”
S.B
A great class! It helped me see how I can facilitate this style of meditation and lead willing participants out of their minds and into a deep meditative state. This state of mind has helped me release subconscious memories and stored energies. It has supported me in my personal growth in discovering new insights and intuitive knowledge.
I have felt how musical sounds, ancestral rhythms and the group energy can bring about a unified experience. Being effortlessly in unison together was very spiritually elevating and deeply relaxing. In this space, time felt unimportant, and I felt deeply connected to the moment. I could feel myself as being a small part of the universe but at the same time feeling connected to the whole universe.
I am excited about learning and facilitating the In Unison With the Earth
meditations in my community.
K.M
“I attended all 6 classes that Jim offered to learn how to facilitate guided sound meditations 'In Unison with The Earth'. The classes provided me with the foundation and confidence to be able to create my own meditation to lead. The classes were fun and educational. Jim spent time at each class practicing our harmonization with the droning of the Shruti Box which always makes me feel connected with the others in the group. Our field trip to play instruments and harmonize at Mount St. Mary's chapel was amazing! I love every part of it and I look forward to connecting with the community by facilitating this type of guided sound meditation to spread HARMONY and well-being.”