Meditate and Connect: A Monthly Lunchtime Pause for Reflection and Community

Meditate & Connect is Compassionate Houston’s long‑running monthly virtual gathering — a simple, 30‑minute pause in the middle of the day to breathe, reflect, and reconnect. Beginning in 2026, we’re introducing a refreshed format that brings a different partner organization or community leader to guide each month’s session.

This rotating model allows us to offer a rich variety of voices, practices, and perspectives while staying true to the heart of the program: a welcoming, inclusive space for recharging your mind and spirit, and connect with our larger community. Whether you join every month or drop in when you can, Meditate & Connect offers a gentle uplift and a moment of shared presence in the week.

Date: Monday, November 9 | 12-12:45 PM (45-minute session)

Led by Marci Sharif, who guided Meditate & Connect during its first two years and returns as part of Compassion Week.

Registration closes on Sunday, November 8 at 6:00 PM

NOTE: You will receive your Zoom link at 8:00 AM on November 9

Each 30‑minute session follows a simple, consistent flow:

  • Welcome

  • Intention or Reflection to guide the session.

  • Guided Meditation. A secular and inclusive practice suitable for a diverse community.

  • Connection & Sharing

> Register Here

After you register once, you’ll stay on the list for future months (with the exception of our November program). We’ll email the Zoom link the morning of each session. To be removed from the list, email us at info@compassionatehouston.org

NOTE: Special Registration required!

Because November’s gathering is included in the Compassion Week schedule, all participants must register, even if you usually receive the automatic monthly Zoom link!

As we step into 2026, this renewed format reflects our theme:

Find the Good. Put It in Motion. Add Your Voice. Each facilitator brings their own voice, and each participant adds to the collective good we’re cultivating together.

All are welcome, whether you join every month or drop in when you can.

We look forward to seeing you in one of our upcoming monthly gatherings.

Facilitators & Community Partners

Here’s a look at the facilitators and partner organizations leading Meditate & Connect in 2026. Each month features a different voice from our community, offering their own approach and perspective.

  • January 28: Rev Michael Gott, Unity of Houston

  • February 12: Rev Gena Davis, YogaMass

  • March 18 : Farida Meguid, The Jung Center/Mind Body Spirit Institute

  • April 16: Ryan Makhani, Ismaili Council of SW USA

  • May 12: Travis Hicks, Insight Meditation Houston

  • June 10: Octavio Hernandez, The Houston Bahá’í Community

  • July 8: David Brown, The Change Lab

  • August: Summer Break

  • September 10: Stuart Nelson, Institute for Spirituality and Health

  • October 8: Rev Laura Mayo, Covenant Church Houston

  • November 9: Marci Sharif

  • December 2: Nathanial Rich/Rigzin Sherab Gyatso, Dawn Mountain Center for Tibetan Buddhism

A previous program on “Greeting the Unwelcome” was inspired by Rumi’s poem The Guest House. Enjoy a reading of the poem by actress Helena Bonham Carter, filmed during the lockdown summer of 2020 in Wiltshire, England.