• the act of sitting quietly followed by the exchange of experiences 
• a temporary silent place in an unexpected urban space (shops, museums, outdoors, etc.)
• a community building collaboration with local businesses and organizations 

Public Events

Experience the health benefits of pausing and participating in the moment.  Join us for some silence followed by a special group activity customized for each of these evolving urban settings. These events are one hour long.  There are two formats:  

sit (20 min) + play (40 min)

sit (40 min) + play (20 min)

Check out our schedule of current, future, and past events in the side column.  

Private/Corporate Events

Invite us to create a CITYSIT for your conferences, parties, gatherings, etc.  Set the tone of your event with an interesting ice-breaker designed specifically for your theme or location. 

Customize a CITYSIT or CITYCAMP for your office. Our programs help your team assess physical and interpersonal aspects of their current work environments then provide tools that will enhance their productivity through observation, creativity and teambuilding.

What is urban silence?
It’s an environment where people experience a little quiet space and community building. Urban life can be kind of noisy sometimes. We’re not trying to shut out the noise, just co-exist with it comfortably. It’s simply taking a moment to observe where we’re at, more of an interior space really…with a great view.

"Why should I take the time to sit quietly? I'm a busy person. I sit quietly when I'm working in front of my computer. Why is CITYSIT any different from what I do already?"
We’ve all had that experience when we’re working on a project and reach a road block. When we step away from it and come back later we see things we couldn’t before. Sitting still quietly on a regular basis leads to a life of ah-ha moments. We’ve seen this stuff in action. It’s a lot like going to the gym to build muscles or stay fit. Regular sits build resiliency, patience, and creativity. They also reduce stress, decrease drama, and increase physical health. It’s similar to working out; you get results that are relative to how much you practice. Or think of it like compounding interest, the more you put in, the more you get out. This kind of paying attention really pays off. 

This sounds like meditation, so how is it different? 
Well, it’s not really that different. A lot of people have associations with that word that conjure up philosophies, religions, uncomfortable physical poses (ouch!), secret techniques, etc. We just want to keep it simple and fun. There’s no one to follow (unless you like to Twitter) and we’re not here to teach you anything you don’t already know. We’re just here to help you remember.  Anyone can do this regardless of your beliefs or your shoe size. All it takes is a willingness to try it.

What’s with the exchange of ideas/experiences? Is this like group therapy? 
No, we’re not here to change anything or anyone because, we think we’re all pretty cool the way we are. We offer ice-breaker questions and activities to give us practice at staying open to new experiences and viewing things with a fresh perspective. This is an activity without an agenda, just participating, right here and now. We used to do this naturally as kids and we can still do it as grown ups.

Why isn’t there a regular location and how do I figure out when & where it is?
We are opening a permanent space in Austin next year and have plans to expand to other cities. In the meantime, we are contributing to the urban fabric by collaborating with local businesses and organizations to bring you experiences in their spaces. We continuously scout new locations to keep things exciting and customize each CITYSIT to the environment we are in. We post sessions as spaces become available on our calendar and you may pre-register online. You may also just show up and register at the door if space is available. You can join our email list or follow us on Twitter or Facebook to receive updates.

How much does it cost to sit for a one hour CITYSIT? 
It ranges anywhere from $7 to $15 depending if you choose a onetime event where you just show up, if you pre-register as a member, or if you attend a private/corporate event.  If you become a member you get discounts and support the outreach work we do with non-profit organizations. We also offer several FREE public events throughout the year.  No matter how you participate you are always one of our silent partners.

What if I can’t sit still? What if my mind won’t stop racing?
We’ve heard this before and even said it ourselves. We actually spend many hours a day in activities that require us to sit for long periods. But, most of the time we’re engaged in an activity like driving, computer work, watching movies, etc. So, we know it’s physically possible. 

Many people have the notion that this is about getting the mind to stop wandering. That may happen and it may not. Some of us have pretty active minds and bodies. What does happen through daily sitting is that we stop trying to make it quiet. We stop trying to make it something it’s not. We accept it for what it is. This starts to spill over into other aspects of our lives. It’s pretty amazing stuff.