Sally’s telecourses in meditation and transformative practice offer students around the world hands-on teaching and guidance, as well as the support of a vibrant online community. They are live, interactive workshops that are conducted over the telephone like a conference call. All participants call into a single conference line at the designated time. Usually regular long distance charges will apply, but there are no additional fees for using the conference line. However, if you are unable to attend the classes live because of time zone or other obligation, the classes are recorded and made available as downloadable mp3 files usually within 24-48 hours.
In addition to the once a week usually 90 minute conference call, an email discussion list runs at the same time as the call. You can ask questions of Sally and share your experiences with the other participants. Sally also uses the list to send out written guides and instructions for meditation and contemplation.
Once you register for a telecourse, you will receive an email with the telephone number and access code. You will also receive the link to a private area of Sally’s website designated for your telecourse. It will be where all material distributed during the class and mp3 audios of classes will be available. Be sure to put this information in a safe place where you can easily find it.
Tips for a Successful Call
- Sign up for the course at least a day in advance of the call. This ensures you receive the call-in information in time to participate. Those who sign up in less than 24 hours of the call we cannot guarantee will get the necessary conference line information.
- Find a quiet spot from which to take the call. This is a good time to make sure that the kids, dogs, and other distractions are taken care of.
- Disable “call waiting”. You may need to check with your carrier for directions on doing this on a temporary basis.
- Hard-wired phones are best. Cellular phones and PC phones (Voice Over Internet) often cause interference with the bridge. If you must use one of these technologies, be prepared to stay on mute for the entire call. If muting does not silence the interference, we will request that you call back on a quieter line or use the playback feature to listen to the session at a later date. Also if you use a portable phone, please stay close to your base station and make sure your phone’s battery is fully charged.
- Please call at the exact time the session is scheduled to begin. You can verify the accuracy of your clocks at http://www.time.gov.
- If your phone system plays music on hold do not use the hold function. If you need to disengage from the call, use your mute button or hang up and call back when you are free.
Instructions
Dial-in the telephone number above at the scheduled time. The automated conference system will answer and prompt you to enter the conference code followed by the pound (#) sign.
To mute your line: Press *6. To un-mute, press *7.
If you use this feature. It is helpful to make a sticky note that says “on mute” that you can put on or off your dial pad to show your current status. This saves time wasted while people figure out whether or not they can be heard. 
Teleconferencing Etiquette
If you are new to teleconferencing, you may be concerned that everyone will talk at once. In reality, that rarely occurs. In fact, we like traffic jams! Our work together will be more exciting and engaging if everyone speaks up.
So what do we do if two people do start talking at the same time? We ask that every speaker begin by saying his/her name. For example: “Sarah here. What I noticed this week… This makes it easy for us to direct traffic. (“I heard Sarah and John. Sarah, why don’t you go and then we’ll hear from John.”) It also helps us get to know one another’s voices.
If you must come late to a call, that’s fine. We do ask that you be silent and listen for a while after you join so that you don’t inadvertently interrupt an exercise or process. When you sense an appropriate break, you may introduce yourself.
Troubleshooting
- Line echoes are usually the result of a poor long distance connection. Try calling back or mute yourself using *6, then un-mute by hitting *7.
- Be ready to enter your pin code promptly, or you will hear “we are sorry but we are unable to connect you to the conference.” (Call back and enter it promptly if that happens).
