Emily Tuttle, of Wilton, is launching an on-line guided meditations program. Friday, June 5, 2020, in Schenck's Island Park, Wilton, Conn.

Emily Tuttle, of Wilton, is launching an on-line guided meditations program. Friday, June 5, 2020, in Schenck's Island Park, Wilton, Conn.

Photo: H John Voorhees III / Hearst Connecticut Media

Emily Tuttle, of Wilton, is launching an on-line guided meditations program. Friday, June 5, 2020, in Schenck's Island Park, Wilton, Conn.

Emily Tuttle, of Wilton, is launching an on-line guided meditations program. Friday, June 5, 2020, in Schenck's Island Park, Wilton, Conn.

Responding to reality: Wilton woman adjusts to coronavirus to keep meditations program alive

WILTON Mindfulness savante Emily Tuttle swore she would never bring her meditations online, where that in-person connection can be lost.

But when the coronavirus hit, her thinking had to shift.

This year, the Wilton resident was preparing to launch a venture called Pause + Purpose: A way for people to participate in guided meditations with friends and without the intimidation of wondering, Am I doing this meditation thing right?

With shelter-in-place laws in effect, Tuttle thought she would have to pause her program, like she had to for the many weddings she was scheduled to photograph.

But her communications director, Alexa Ramirez, told her this pandemic, when people need a positive outlet more than ever, might be the perfect time to release a series of guided meditations. She and her team would have to adapt and make the best of the coronavirus.

Its been an interesting exercise in responding to reality of situation, versus lamenting what isnt, she said.

Launching Pause + Purpose during stay-at-home orders seemed to contradict her vision for something offline, in-person and community-oriented. The series of exercises in set locations would connect people with meditations in the community, and allow groups and businesses to meditate and discuss deeper topics together.

These are happening, but with a twist. There is no Pause + Purpose location right now, and instead, people are hosting sessions in-person among close friends, or over Zoom, like Ashley Scavotto.

Scavotto sets aside her Monday nights for a Zoom call and guided meditation with her four mom-friends. All cozied up in pajamas with wine or tea, they talk through the discussion and finish with the meditation.

When she initially pitched the idea to the group, Scavotto worried her friends, who all have different tastes and temperaments, would not bite. Even though none had experience with meditation, they agreed to start.

It became the thing we were looking forward to, she said. It was so wonderful that because were meeting together holds you accountable.

Otherwise, after a long day, collapsing on the couch and not thinking is more tempting, she said.

The accountability of meeting with others is a hallmark of Pause + Purpose. These interactions break the addictive cycle of having 24/7 access to devices for work and for pleasure, which ultimately leaves people feeling anonymous, isolated, drained and not like themselves, Tuttle said.

In creating something structured in real time with real people you know thats either outdoors or on a Zoom call, youre focusing your energy on something really positive that you cant look away from, she said.

Scavottos pajamas and wine meditation show how these sessions dont have to seem intimidating, Tuttle said.

And, Scavotto said, it holds more power than other forms of self-care that women seek out, such as getting their nails done.

You uncover stuff and it has you thinking and processing, she said. I think its special. It brings communities together.

Tuttle is opening an online shop this month for people to buy memberships. Like Audible for audiobooks, monthly or yearly memberships grant members access to guides created by different professionals in the mental health and mindfulness world.

Tuttle said these memberships are helpful for people looking to host at home or with their businesses, and are great for social workers, fitness instructors, and anyone who does mental health work with clients or in the community. But anyone from a basketball coach to a religious group could benefit, she said.

When the Pause + Purpose team heard some summer camps were canceled, they knew they had to expand their reach to children, too.

So Susan Verde, a New York Times best-selling childrens author, is holding a childrens mindfulness session. It can supplement what parents or educators do with kids this summer, and it could be an antidote to all the online enrichment out there, Tuttle said.

Parents can feel like theyre doing something enriching thats not just staring at a Zoom call, she said.

Other guides are written by Aimee Elsner, of Stamford Power Yoga, and Westport-based psychotherapist Merritt Juliano. Elsner will guide men and women in a meditation that hones in on values, so practitioners can determine what they want in life through meditation and discussion. Julianos aims to connect practitioners with nature.

Verde and Elsners mindfulness guides will be released in July, and Julianos comes out in August.

The other resolution Tuttle softened on is launching an app.

Meditation apps such as Headspace and Calm help people who need meditations in the moment, but there is little-to-no personal engagement and if users have questions about if they are doing it right, they do not have anyone to turn to in real time, she said.

Tuttle said she is trying to make the anti-meditation app. A developer is working with her to make an online shop that is automated and seamless so people are not spammed with extra information. And maybe an app could be a nice companion to this in the future.

I want to make something that supports this and makes it seamless for people to use so that it doesnt feel like the tech is getting in the way and disturbing you, she said.

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Responding to reality: Wilton woman adjusts to coronavirus to keep meditations program alive - Thehour.com