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Step inside the shoes of a visitor to the mikveh to see things from their viewpoint...

What might the visitor know, understand, or believe about mikveh immersion?

What might the visitor care deeply about?

What might the visitor wonder about or question?

What might the visitor be looking for in a mikveh guide?

Share your responses in a new post by clicking on the pink circle.

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We’ve certainly heard the adage ‘Simply showing up is xx% of life.‘ the percentage varies... but the concept remains...
So imagine if when we show up we find ways to bring our authentic self along for the ride . Life can be even more glorious when we can be in the moment.
Note this was intended to be included I the padlet  for Monday. Not sure how to do that.

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Inside the Shoes....

Each visitor comes with unique beliefs and understanding if Mikva and immersion. Listening will tell a lot about what this immerser requires if the guide.

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What might the visitor know, understand or believe? Nothing and everything! There is no way to know in advance what someone imagines or fears or hopes for....this is where listening carefully comes in...
The visitor might care deeply about privacy, discretion, acceptance, having a meaningful experience, whatever that means to each individual...
The visitor might wonder about the tachlis aspects (does anyone see me naked? What do I do? What do I say? Will I be able to pronounce the Hebrew correctly?) or things such as "do I have to keep doing this?", "is this experience confidential?", "did it work?"., "I do/do not feel different after immersing"... I think that all visitors might look for certain qualities in a mikveh guide: sensitivity, respect, tact, discretion, practicing self-regulation so that the visitor's experience is in no way "highjacked" by the guide.

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Agreeing with Janet- every visitor will be different. The key is to begin with truly being a guide on the side and letting them set the stage for what they are looking for.

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I'm imagining a guest coming to the mikve for the first time before a conversion, with ideas from mikve representations in pop culture (eg movies, tv shows), maybe expecting a steaming underground grotto like Charlotte visited in Sex And The City.

Sometimes guests are concerned about the hygiene,  temperature or depth of the water.

Guests might ask if the water is cold, or if it's ok that they can't swim, or if the water is treated at all.

A guest might be looking for general reassurance from a guide even more than specific answers to specific questions.

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I'm struggling to relate with the prompts - as my comrades wrote, every visitor is different and without any context it is hard to make assumptions. (By the way, assumptions might be distracting)

Maybe points to preempt with information are nakedness (when, why, who will see them, asking if they have any concerns around this), privacy (their presence here + what happens is confidential) and process (offering to tour, etc.)

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A visitor to the mikveh may know a great deal about the experience or almost nothing. A guide should not make any assumptions and should be available to answer questions or offer resource materials to make the guest as comfortable as possible.

The visitor may care deeply about how they will be perceived by the guide and possibly the Rabbi or beit din if they will be part of the immersion. They might want to ensure that they do everything correctly and they may be self-conscious about being naked. A guide will want to make the person as comfortable as possible, showing them the utmost kavod throughout the experience.

The visitor might wonder about the process of preparing to immerse, who will actually see them in the mikveh, if the water is warm or cold and how much time they have to prepare themselves before the immersion.

If I was planning a visit to the mikveh, I would expect that my guide was friendly, professional, empathetic, discreet, kind and compassionate.

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Questions & Responses:

What might the visitor know, understand, or believe about mikveh immersion?

What might the visitor care deeply about?

What might the visitor wonder about or question?

What might the visitor be looking for in a mikveh guide?

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It is hard to know what they know about mikvah; I would make no assumptions and follow their lead and answer questions as best as I can.

The visitor may care deeply about making the most of their visit regardless of their reasons for immersing. Again, I cannot assume and need to listen.

They may want to know specifics of how to get ready for the immersion and what the steps in the process are, and what my role is.

I think the visitor would expect their mikvah guide to be kind, friendly, warm, professional, and discreet.

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Questions & Responses:

What might the visitor know, understand, or believe about mikveh immersion? The visitor might know that they are going to be immersing naked, in a pool, and believe that it "should" feel spiritual and transformative.

What might the visitor care deeply about? The visitor might care deeply about having a meaningful experience that meets their needs, having their privacy and confidentiality respected, and being listened to carefully and deeply.

What might the visitor wonder about or question? The visitor might wonder if anyone has immersed for the same reason before, if they are doing it the "right" way, if they are taking too long preparing or if they could render the mikveh unkosher, which ceremony they should use, and whether they'll have the transformative experience they're expecting.

What might the visitor be looking for in a mikveh guide? The visitor might be looking for someone who can lead them calmly, confidently, and with compassion. In addition, they might be looking for someone who is a good active listener and can meet them where they are, matching their energy and needs.

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I am the type of person who wants to know all of the details before I begin something, and I would imagine other guests may feel the same way. I think that serves as an important reminder not to assume someone's knowledge. I may have an older guest come to the mikvah but that does not mean I should assume they have immersed before. I love the leading questions from a week or two ago regarding "How can I be of service today" or some variation of that. From the questions listed, I do not think there is a standard response for each, as each immersion will be different. Overall, I hope to be kind, friendly, and open to explaining aspects of immersion and the mikvah that are within my scope.

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At some point before  scheduling an immersion in the mikveh, a conversation is suggested regarding the visitor's intention and how the mikveh guide can help make her/his immersion meaningful. The visitor may care deeply about kavanot, and/or blessings and/or personal time in the water. The visitor may have questions or be curious about physical aspects, or the process, or the structure of the mikveh, such as questions about preparing to immerse, or the water. I imagine all visitors would feel safe and comfortable with a mikveh guide that is friendly, kind, accepting,  compassionate, listens, and is understanding.

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It's hard to know what the visitor may or may not know about visiting the mikveh. What we have discussed over the course of this curriculum is the importance of not making assumptions.

The visitor most likely is looking for a meaningful experience and having a guide who can make them feel safe and comfortable.

A visitor may question or wonder about the "right" way to immerse. They may have concerns about what is going to happen (if they haven't immersed before), who will see them and how to  make the experience meaningful.

I think most visitors are looking for a mikveh guide who is non-judgmental, warm, calming, welcoming and discreet.

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Reading the other responses, I am resonating much with Faustine's. The thing about stepping into their shoes, is that indeed the crowd is so diverse. What I can do though, is stand in my own shoes and think of what would be important to me (what is, in fact, important to me) when I visit the mikveh. These are the things that come up: to feel welcome; not rushed; that there is time; and space; that I was explained beforehand how to immerse in a gentle way; that there is no 'wrong' way; that the mikveh cannot be made un-kosher by any faulty prayer or movement on my side; that going to the mikveh is a total experience, of going through those 3 levels/spaces of holiness and that for each of them I can take my time (during my first mikveh experience I was overcome with surprise that the catharsis i felt was actually in the preparation shower before immersing..); and that the mikveh guide would check in with me from time to time, if I am alright.