Tactical Mindfulness for Quakers

BYM Annual Session 2025

Duration: 90 minutes

Audience: Friends

Facilitator:  Breyette Lorntz

Format: Interactive workshop with guided practices, reflection, and discussion.

 Workshop Goals

  1. Introduce “tactical mindfulness” as an intentional, skillful approach to clarity, courage, and conflict navigation.

  2. Practice techniques that balance inner stillness with outer action.

  3. Explore how mindfulness can support leadings, witness, and resilience.

 

0:00–0:10

Welcome & Framing

  • Light introductions. Overview of the concept of “tactical mindfulness” — blending contemplative practice with courageous, skillful presence in the world.

  • Name tensions: stillness vs. activism, discernment vs. reactivity.

0:10–0:20 Centering Silence & “What is Mindfulness?”

  • Begin with a 3-minute shared silence.

  • Brief teaching: mindfulness as non-reactive awareness.

0:20–0:30 Practice: Tactical Breathwork

  • Teach a short, repeatable breathing practice to use in stressful moments (e.g., “4-7-8” or tactical box breathing).

  • Practice it. Then discuss: “When have you needed this?”

0:35–1:05. Reflection: Inner Compass Check

  • Guided journaling (or partnered reflection): “Where in your life do you need tactical mindfulness?”

  • Invite queries:

    • What pulls me out of presence?

    • Where am I called to show up more skillfully?

    • Where is fear dictating my reactions?

  • Switch roles. Debrief together.

1:05–1:15. Courage, Clarity, & Conflict

  • Explore how mindfulness can be a tactical tool for navigating conflict. Examples from activism, meetings, or ministry.

1:15–1:25. Practice: Grounding Before Action

•     Silent visualization: Preparing to walk into a hard conversation, courtroom, protest, or meeting.

•     How to embody peace and power simultaneously.

1:25–1:30. Closing Silence

•     End with a 3-minute shared silence.

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Example Tactical Mindfulness Practices

1. Box Breathing (4-4-4-4)
Use when: You feel tense, anxious, or are about to speak or lead.

How:

  • Inhale for 4 seconds

  • Hold for 4 seconds

  • Exhale for 4 seconds

  • Hold for 4 seconds

Repeat for 3–5 rounds. Let breath anchor your presence.

2. Five-Sense Check-In

Use when: You’re overwhelmed, distracted, or need to return to your body.

How: Pause and silently notice:

  • 5 things you can see

  • 4 things you can feel (touch, temperature, texture)

  • 3 things you can hear

  • 2 things you can smell

  • 1 thing you can taste

3. Ground–Gather–Go

Use when: You’re on the edge of a hard choice, bold truth, or moment of witness.

How:

  • Ground: Feel your feet. Breathe into your spine.  Where does Light reside within me?

  • Gather: Ask inwardly: Is this faithful? Am I ready?

  • Go: Speak or act, centered on Light.

6. Micro-Blessing Walk

Use when: You’re walking to a tense meeting, call, or encounter.

  • As you take each step, silently offer a phrase:

    • “Peace before me.”

    • “Peace behind me.”

    • “Peace within me.”

  • Sync the words with your pace.

  • 30–60 seconds of this pattern creates a moving meditation.

7.  I am here now

Use when: Any time

How:  Gather light and energy into each of the three centers.

  • I  - “head center”

  • Am  - “heart center”

  • Here  - “root center”

  • Now – All of me “snap”