Monthly Columns

ZOOM IN!

Tips and Techniques for Effective Zoom Events

 

COVID-19 and new protocols for safety has resulted in canceled festivals, rituals and workshops leaving many within our community feeling isolated and yearning for interactions with others. Fortunately, we live in a technologically booming age and since creativity is a staple of pagans, these two together can form a winning partnership…..

 

Basic Virtual Etiquette

Now that we are using virtual platforms more often there is the need to establish guidelines for appropriate behavior during the virtual event/call. This month’s post provides some of the basic rules of etiquette you may wish to employ.

 

Muting Microphones

When you sign into the virtual space, please mute your microphone. The Host can also set this function –mute participants – upon entry, so don’t be surprised if you are muted when your video screen appears. This is especially helpful if you have a large number of attendees, but can also be useful for any number. This eliminates unnecessary noise and distractions, especially when attention needs to be focused on the work and instructions being given.

 

Unwanted Noise: Hosts/Roles And Others Who Will Be Unmuted

Please silence your phones, as you would do when attending in-person. Please be aware that most microphones are VERY sensitive, so even the movement of papers or other items, opening packages of food, etc. is amplified and can be very jarring. If you must enter session after it has begun, please be sure that you are muted when you first enter. Often, “waiting room” will be enabled, and instructions should be given in advance regarding late entries.

Tech Issues: Glitches, Delays, Freezing Screens And “Sounds Like Robot” Speech…..

These can usually be resolved if all participants, other than the speaker or screen of focus have stopped their video stream using the “stop video” option.

View Options: Unless otherwise instructed, it is suggested that you select “Speaker View.”

When “share(ing) screen” is enabled by the presenter, the participants are able to select the size of the presentation on their individual screens. This is particularly helpful when the slides are small print or you are using a device with a small screen. You may wish to give this information as a helpful FYI at the beginning of your event.

 

 

ZOOM RECORDINGS: VIDEO AND AUDIO

Decide before hand if you wish to record your event. This is an especially nice feature if you have participants who are unable to join in real time or you wish to use it as a learning tool for yourself in seeing exactly what your participants saw in the presentation. There are two options for recording when you click the “record” button. Recording and saving onto your computer or having the recording uploaded to the cloud. Be aware that the folder contains large files that will take up a lot of space on your computer. When you save to the cloud you then have to open your ZOOM account on the webpage and access the files there. This means that valuable computer space is not taken up. Conversely whatever is saved on your computer does NOT upload to the online account access.

I like to have the recordings saved to my computer for immediate access. This also means that I usually look at them immediately, keep what I want to use and in the case of the video file, which takes up a lot of space, I upload it to Dropbox, FB or my youtube channel and then save it to a portable hard drive and delete it from my computer to free up space.

 

 

Once you have begun recording it will continue to record until you choose the “stop recordingfunction and/or when you select “End Meeting for All”.

 

 

When the window closes out for ZOOM this message pops up and the conversion of the recording begins.

 

 

Longer ZOOM sessions take much longer for conversion so don’t be surprised if it takes 10-30mins.

 

 

Once converted the files contain an audio selection, a video selection and playback support. Audio is the smallest of the files, video the largest in terms of storage space required on your device. I use both the audio and/or the video depending on the intention for distribution.

 

IMPORTANT NOTE: When you select the video option, for the most part, all of your participants will either be shown as their cameras displayed them at the event. Even if they “stop video”, whatever name is associated with their account displays. This is potentially a privacy issue depending on where you are sharing the video. Because I often share on social media the content of classes and occasionally an Esbat, I only use the audio portion.

 

Next Month

Specific Events: Virtual Ritual

Part One

***

About the Author:

Robin Fennelly is an Elder within The Assembly of the Sacred Wheel Tradition and serves as High Priestess of Coven of the Mystic Path, the 12th Coven within the Assembly of the Sacred Wheel Tradition. She teaches and facilitates classes for the Pagan Experience Study Group that serves as foundation for membership within Coven of the Mystic Path.  

Her spiritual journey is strongly rooted in both Eastern philosophy and the Western Magickal systems from which she has formed a core foundation that is diverse in knowledge and rich in spiritual practice.  A life-long learner, her practice has evolved from the classical and philosophical teachings of books, practical experience and enrichment of this knowledge base by attending workshops of various spiritual traditions presented by master teachers.

Robin formally came to the Wiccan path in 1994. Following a practice as a solitary for 2 years, she dedicated to Oak and Willow Coven of The Assembly of the Sacred Wheel Tradition in November of 1996. She received her 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th (Elder) degrees within the Assembly Tradition and has served as High Priestess of two ASW covens since Samhain of 2001 and the Winter Solstice of 2015.

As a teacher of esoteric and magickal studies she uses Energetic Anatomy, Tarot, Astrology, Hermetic Qabala, Eastern Philosophy, and Numerology as the foundations of her diverse selection of workshops and writings for more than 25 years. Exploration of varied energetic protocol has been the focus of her work for some time now and the information gained through direct experience informs all of her magickal and spiritual work.

Robin’s writings have been featured online, and in print Internationally.  She has authored several books incorporating her unique style of writing making use of poetry, prose and pathworking to enhance the concepts presented.  She has taught extensively throughout the Pagan community, including Sacred Space Conference, Spring Magick, Between the Worlds Interfaith Conference and Free Spirit Gathering Festival. Her most recent projects include a channel on youtube: A Journey to the Inner ChamberShe also shares audio pathworkings and ritual on her bandcamp site: Teachings on the Path with Robin.

Robin is the owner of Holistic Embrace providing services for mind, body and spirit such as Tarot readings, Astrology reports, Spiritual Guidance and other related offerings.  She lives in Eastern Pennsylvania and her life is blessed by a 40+- year marriage, five children and the opportunity to work in the field of public education.

Robin’s Websitewww.robinfennelly.com

Coven of the Mystic Path, ASWwww.covenofthemysticpath.org

Her books can be found on Amazon or purchased directly through her website:

For more infohttp://www.robinfennelly.com/books.html

The Inner Chamber, Vol. 1 It’s Written in the Stars-Astrology

The Inner Chamber, Vol. 2 Poetry of the Spheres-Qabalah

The Inner Chamber, Vol. 3 Awakening the Paths-Qabalah

The Light of SELF: Consciousness, Spiritual Practice and Learning to Breathe

Magickal Verse: A Collection of Poetry and Prose

A Year of Gaia: The Eternal Cord

The Elemental Year: Aligning the Elements of SELF

Temple of the Sun and Moon: Luminous Devotions

Sleeping with the Goddess: Nights of Devotion

A Weekly Reflection: Musings for the Year

The Magickal Pen: A Collection of Esoteric Writings

The Enchanted Gate: Musings on the Magick of the Natural World

The Temple of the Sun: An Astrological Solar Year

Writings in the Shadow: An Exploration of the Shadow Nature