Mar 11 commemorates two years of daily meetups and the bringing together of people from every continent for over 215,000 person/minutes of quiet reflection together.
@2:50 was initiated on 12 March 2020 at MIT as a temporary reaction to growing anxiety surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic. The daily mindful reflection period was shared widely within MIT and across the globe. It has become a daily staple for participants and viewers ranging in age from their teens to their 70s and from all walks of life. On Friday 11 March 2022, the group celebrates two years of meeting (or 730 consecutive days). The meeting starts at 2:30 pm with music by soprano Laura McHugh, followed at 2:40 by ‘Breathing with Nature’ in memory ofThích Nhất Hạnh, a practice led by MIT’s Natalie Hill. The celebration completes with the usual ten-minute silent practice starting at 2:50.
On a usual day @2:50, participants and viewers begin to show up around 2:45 pm. There are currently two meetings each day. One in Eastern European Time, and one in Eastern Time US and Canada. Returning participants greet each other and welcome new joiners. At 2:49 guests are invited to participate in a way that suits them best from a handful of suggested mindfulness practices. From 2:50 to 3:00 pm every day, everyone sits quietly together. Quiet music and nature scenes play on the screen for those who wish to watch. At the top of the hour, participants may leave to resume their days or sometimes remain to talk.
For more on the happening:
- Mindfulness? Chances are you already practice it.
- How might we make mindfulness the new bio break?
- Simple mindfulness practices you can use anywhere.
- Four insights from 250 days of MIT@2:50.
The @2:50 practice has become a regular part of the day for a core group that keeps the momentum going. A rotating population of participants and viewers come and go over time. To date, the group has held over 215,000 person/minutes of silent reflection. Participants claim, “Living alone, MIT’s @2:50 has eased the pandemic & given me a community to greet each day.” Or, “I come away feeling like a complete human being: accepted, seen, and appreciated–not for what I can do but for just being.” MIT@2:50 convenes live every day at https://at250.mit.edu and https://at250.org currently in two time zones.
Media Contact: Arthur Grau 617-253-4592 agrau @ mit.edu, art @ at250.org
