Mass Meditation, "Mediclub/The Big Quiet" │ Jackie Cantwell, Director/Social+Sounds

Wise Millennial

JOIN US IRL: www.instagram.com/wisemillennial
Jackie Cantwell, Director of "mediclub" and partner of "The Big Quiet" (founded by Jesse Israel), sits down to discuss her journey from Pratt Institute, running away and battling depression, excessive drinking and partying, being homeless (living out of a car/friends' couches), owning two art galleries, and becoming director of Mediclub. We discuss her tour with Jesse and Oprah, the science behind sound bowls, why Millennials struggle with acceptance, the impact of COVID19 on virtual community, how to get past "surface level" conversation, and marketing ("attracting" vs. "selling").
LEARN MORE ABOUT MEDICLUB: @mediclub
THE BIG QUIET: https://thebigquiet.com/
JACKIE CANTWELL: @itsjackiecantwell
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS:

• You went to Pratt institute to study art. You’ve been involved with, and founded, many different things, mostly related to the art world. SHIM, the Bishop, project remember, just add bacon, to name a few. What is the big picture goal for you? And why art?
• How do you go from art to meditation? Can you briefly share your story of how you originally discovered mediclub and how you eventually became the director?
• I’m curious, what was it like going from being in front of 200 people to 15,000 in packed stadiums?
• how did you get into sound bowls? What are sound bowls?
• Topics
• Mental health and millennials. Why do millennials struggle so much with acceptance and belonging? Did previous older generations not have this issue? Or they just pretended not to and sucked it up?
• I have to ask you about community and covid19. So much of the spirit and soul of mediclub is about meeting people in person and having that intimate connection. Is it possible to have a real sense of community virtually? Are we just filling in time until things get back to normal, or is this a longer term societal shift that you think is going to stick around?
• Communication. Interestingly i hear a lot of my millennial peers struggle with making connection and making or keeping friends. People struggle with communication, and getting past surface level conversation. How have you personally broken through that? What advice can you share?
• Branding and messaging. Authenticity is a big component to mediclub and the big quiet. It seems to have a very cool vibe. You don’t pay for advertising. Its all word of mouth. You use a basic google forms doc to sign up. You don’t have a website. You don’t try to sell people on benefits. You’re very careful in the language you use, only really stating your purpose and why you gather. In a world where we’re constantly being sold things and everyone tries to create hype and exclusivity as marketing gimmicks, how do avoid that temptation? What strategy are you using when thinking about promotion?
• What personal struggles or fears have you had to overcome in your journey through mediclub and the big quiet?
• Other than oprah, What is your personal all Time favorite mediclub or big quiet moment?
• What is something you wish someone had told you 5 years ago, or you had told yourself, that you had to learn on your own? But would have made life so much easier had you known.
• How can people get involved and learn more about you?