Topics to Explore

These ideas take shape through practice.

A set of simple practices you can step into at your own pace—each offering a different way to pause, listen, and engage more thoughtfully with others and with yourself.

Listening [to heal]

Dialogue [ to relate ]

How the Practice Works

Pause to
Reflect

The practice begins with a pause.
On the fourth of the month, participants “fast” by setting something down in order to create space. What is set down is self chosen and may change from month to month. The pause may last a few minutes or extend longer. It may be practiced alone or with others. The purpose of the pause is clarity. It slows attention and creates room for reflection.

Dialogue to Relate

Dialogue follows the pause.
Dialogue in The Freedom Fast centers on listening and presence. It may take place between a few people or within a larger group. The purpose of dialogue is relationship. Some participants will choose to gather others for conversation. Guidance and resources to support these gatherings are available on our website at freedomfast.us and later in this guide, including reflections on how to hold space for dialogue within the practice.

Serve for Renewal

Service completes the practice.
Participants are invited to offer an act of care, repair, or contribution within their own context. Service is self defined and locally expressed. It may be visible or quiet, relational or practical. Over time, these acts of care form a larger story. As the months of The Freedom Fast unfold, attention will turn toward how people across communities and regions are serving in ways shaped by what they have paused to notice and listen for. The purpose of service is renewal. It renews attention, relationship, and shared life, both locally and, over time, across the wider civic landscape.

Participate
On Your Own

Many people will participate in The Freedom Fast on their own.

Participating on your own may begin with a quiet pause, a moment of reflection carried through the day, or a small shift in how you respond to what you notice. These moments do not need to be set apart from daily life. They often take shape within it.

For many, solo participation includes an internal conversation. This may involve noticing patterns, questioning assumptions, or becoming more aware of what arises when you slow down. Reflection does not require writing or sharing. It happens wherever attention is placed.

From that reflection, acts of care may follow. These may be visible or quiet, relational or practical. At times, service appears simply as restraint, patience, or a choice to act with greater care.

Participate
In Groups

Some participants will choose to experience The Freedom Fast with others. This may happen in homes, classrooms, workplaces, faith or values-based communities, or in formal or informal civic gatherings. These gatherings may be small or larger, planned or spontaneous.

The purpose of coming together is to practice presence in shared time. These gatherings create conditions where people can pause, listen, and carry care forward in relationship with others, without pressure to perform, persuade, or resolve differences.

How Gatherings are Designed

The fourth-of-the-month practices leading up to July are intentionally designed to be held in simple, accessible ways. If you are gathering others, keep in mind that this practice is about creating space where people can engage with attention and dignity. You are not responsible for specific outcomes, agreement, or resolution. The practice is not about reaching a particular conclusion.

For this reason, your role is not to teach or explain the practice. Your role is to hold space. Holding space may include:

naming the intention of the pause
protecting time for listening
allowing silence without rushing to fill it
opening and closing the gathering with care

Participation is always self-chosen. People may speak, listen quietly, or participate inwardly. All of these are valid forms of participation.

Deepening Facilitation Over Time

These monthly gatherings are meant to be human and relational. They offer a way to practice presence together while gradually building toward deeper shared work.

While it is not required that you have special credentials, certification, or formal facilitation training, for those who wish to deepen their facilitation skills or prepare for larger gatherings, additional support is available. Members of The Freedom Fast team can help you design a session for your context or support you as you prepare to facilitate yourself.

As July approaches, opportunities for expanded facilitator support and shared preparation will be offered, bringing many local practices into a larger collective moment.

Information about facilitator support and upcoming opportunities is available at: https://thefreedomfast.us

A Practice Held Over Time

Each month of The Freedom Fast stands on its own. Participants may join once or return across multiple months. There is no required sequence and no expectation of continuity. What matters is the willingness to engage the practice with care, honesty, and attention in the present moment.