[SportsandRec] Need for Meditations Specific to the Blind Community?

[Kendra Schaber]

Hi Tina! 
During the convention itself, there are the quiet rooms which are there for folks with sensory overload and angziety issues. Whenever they get triggered, folks who are affected have to leave the main hall or any other event for a while just to physically and mentally function. For example, if someone has Autism, with or without Angziety, often has issues with sensory overload so these quiet rooms are there to allow this group of people a chance to get away before they have a total meltdown.  Not even meditation takes care of these problems, even though it could reduce them, but they can get this problem so bad that they need abselute silence for a half an hour or more, depending on the person in order to physically function again. I think these quiet rooms are even better than meditation for these folks. I’d explore extending the hours of the quiet room because sensory overloads can happen at random, but usually with a set of triggers such as loud beeps or the fire alarm going off are triggers for most with Autism. If they have some sight, light can do it too, but I think that’s more of a problem for sighted Autistics than for blind ones. If you were to use meditation, you’re better off sticking strictly to nature sounds, bubbles and things like that, though I wouldn’t recomend thunder since that can trigger those with Autism and a fear of thunder for instance. The ocean is one of the best sounds out there for these folks. As for tackling the airport, there are apps like Calm, The Way; podcasts, YouTube videos, and even the old school nature sounds that are in sound track albums that one could find on ITunes or Amazon Music. They don’t have to be blind specific in less you are looking for Yoga technique descriptions, but I doubt that Yoga would be needed here in less there was enough interest in Yoga specifically. Yoga and Tie Chi are out there and great, but not everyone likes them nor knows how to do them. For these kinds of meditative exersizes, they would be a better fit for the offerings alongside the seminars and devition meetings because there, you could bring in a Yoga or a tie chi teacher. Such things would fall under the sports and reck department. I’m not saying that folks wouldn’t take part in a Yoga session or a tie chi session if one is offered at convention, but they would be a better fit next to the tech seminars for example for those who might want to learn about Yoga before they’d ever touch a computer, or that the computer might not be the right one for them so they could take on the Yoga instead in this hypothetical scenario. As far as I know, there is no rule that banns someone from bringing their Yoga mat to the quiet room so long as they also brought their headset equipped device along with their yoga mat. Also, most folks wouldn’t want to bring a yoga mat on the airplane since it does take up some space anyway. Speaking of space, one might have better luck with bringing a set of resistance bands instead of weights to convention because they don’t take up much space. I had that little thought regarding exersize equipment while I was at it here. As for meditation Audio, that shouldn’t take up any space either because there is a tun of it already out there, if you know where to look. Most of the meditation audio is not blind specific, but as far as I’m concerned, most of it doesn’t have to be just for the blind because it’s either just sounds like white noise, nature, or other kinds of ambient sounds that different folks enjoy. Some sources of audio offer guided meditations which anyone can do so long as they can follow directions. I have found all kinds of podcasts and YouTube videos out there that are free, but you also have apps, albums, and other sources that are not free, but come with a wider set of offerings or have a specific set program to get someone into the habbit of meditation in of itself. The options are endless when you know where to look. I think a resource list would be very useful here because if one is offered in the convention stuff like the agenda for instance, then someone can check out the stuff in that list for themselves. I don’t think the whole convention delegation has enough time or a real need to sit through a meditation during a main seminar, especially since we already have to apply the fit break, the fundraising info and updates and other random announcements at President Ricobono’s desgresion as it stands now. I’m not sure if we would be allowed to offer even one of the little 5 minute meditations that are out there due to these time restrictions and other convention required activities. Now, there is such a thing as doing a bigger presentation about meditation, but I think that would take some planning ahead and permition to borrow the stage, which you could explore that possability for next year if you so desired, but remember, that if you took this route, you do have to be semi-pro at your presentation and that you have to fit it in their strict time requirements. I would think that would take someone who’s a bit less experienced more time in the planning phase than it would for someone like Jonathan Mosen.  
Kendra 
Sent from my iPhone 

> On Jul 12, 2025, at 22:56, Tina Hansen via SportsandRec <sportsandrec at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> I hope everyone in New Orleans is having a good time. Due to unfortunate circumstances, I ended up doing it online.
> 
> I had an idea running around in my head last night. I know we get new people at these conventions every year, and newcomers probably get a bit stressed. Is there a need for a toolbox of pre-recorded meditations that could be used throughout the conference? I'm thinking a themed set.
> 
> Before you leave
> As you travel to the conference, including layovers
> When you arrive
> A focus meditation. Q few quick resets
> Time to reflect
> Final night
> Departure
> At the airport or on the plan as you go home
> Layovers
> At your home airport waiting for your shuttle
> On your shuttle
> Once you're home
> Unpacking
> 
> I'd be interested in helping out with something like that. I'm thinking we could make this a series of meditations, anywhere from 1-20 minutes.
> 
> Is there a need for something like this? Thanks.
> 
> 
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