Bringing a workshop to your home, community or team

Some of my favorite evenings have taken place in other people's living rooms. A circle of friends on a couch, a few folding chairs pulled in from the kitchen, a pot of tea going cold because everyone is too busy talking. A private workshop has a warmth that a public event rarely matches, because the people in the room already know each other, or want to.

Over the years I have brought workshops to homes, to community halls and to small offices. Here is how it works, so you can picture it before we ever speak.

Who hosts a workshop

There is no typical host. A few of the groups I have worked with:

• A circle of friends. A birthday, a new home, a reunion, or simply a group that wants an evening that is different from dinner and a movie.
• Synagogues and community centers. A sisterhood evening, a talk before a holiday, a series for a women's group, a gathering for new members.
• Small teams. A design studio, a salon, a family business, a group of colleagues who share a workspace and want to spend an afternoon looking at it together.

What these groups share is curiosity. Nobody needs to know anything about Feng Shui, BaZi or Kabbalah before we begin. Some of the best questions come from the person who arrived as the skeptic of the group.

Formats and lengths

I shape each workshop around the group, but most fall into one of these:

An introductory evening (about 90 minutes)

A relaxed first taste. We talk about one tradition, I share stories and examples, and everyone leaves with one or two small things to try at home. This works well for mixed groups where not everyone knows what to expect.

A half day (about 3 hours)

Enough time to go deeper and to work hands on. For a Feng Shui theme, that might mean sketching your own floor plan and finding its sectors. For a BaZi theme, it means opening each person's chart and looking at it together.

A short series

Two to four meetings, a week or two apart. A series suits a community group or a team that wants to try something between sessions and come back with questions. It is also the format I enjoy most, because I get to see what people noticed in the time between.

In English or in Hebrew

I teach in both languages, and I am happy to switch between them when a group is mixed. Many of the communities I work with in South Florida move between English and Hebrew in the same sentence, and the workshop can do the same.

Choosing a theme for your group

The theme is where we spend most of our first conversation. A few that groups often choose:

• Feng Shui for the home. How the entrance, the bedroom and the kitchen shape the feeling of a home, and what simple changes people can make on their own.
• Feng Shui for a shared workspace. Where people sit, how the door and the desks relate to each other, and what helps a room feel calm and welcoming. I wrote more about this in Feng Shui for a small business.
• BaZi and the five elements. Each participant receives their own chart, and we explore the Day Master, the element at its center. If you are new to it, What is BaZi is a good place to start.
• The Jewish calendar and its seasons. Kabbalistic ideas tied to a month or a holiday, a natural fit for synagogues and community evenings.
• Clearing and renewal. A gentle look at energy clearing, intention and the small rituals that mark a fresh start, such as a new year or a move.

A good theme answers the question "why are we gathering?" A housewarming suits Feng Shui for the home. A team that has just moved offices suits the workspace theme. A group of friends who love comparing personalities usually ends up with BaZi, and a great deal of laughter.

What the host prepares

Less than you might think. Here is what helps:

• A space where everyone can see each other. A circle or a horseshoe works better than rows. A living room, a meeting room or a corner of a hall are all fine.
• Seating for everyone, plus a small table near me for materials.
• Birth details, for a BaZi workshop. I ask each participant for their date, time and place of birth a few days ahead, so their chart is ready when they arrive. If someone does not know their birth time, we can still work with the rest. Anyone can also make a free BaZi map on my site beforehand to get a first look.
• A floor plan, for a Feng Shui workshop. A simple sketch is enough. For a team workshop, a plan of the office helps a great deal.
• Light refreshments, if you like. Tea and something small to share always make the evening feel like a gathering.

I bring the rest: printed materials, charts, and anything we need for the practical parts.

How booking works

It starts with a message. Write to me on WhatsApp, in English or in Hebrew, and tell me a little about your group: who they are, roughly how many people, and what you are hoping for. From there:

1. We talk. A short call to choose the theme, the format and the language.
2. We set the date and place. I come to you anywhere in South Florida, and we can discuss other arrangements for groups further away.
3. I send what is needed. A short note for participants, and a request for birth details or a floor plan if the theme calls for them.
4. We meet. You host, I teach, and the group does the rest.

A workshop is a space for learning, reflection and conversation. It is not a substitute for professional advice of any kind, and I keep it that way so everyone can simply enjoy it.

If you would like to know what a typical session feels like from the inside, I describe one in What happens at a workshop. You can also read more about the format on my workshops page.

I would love to hear what your group has in mind.