2026
We will gather in our regular grove of trees, where we will share activities and reflection around ecospirituality and eco-meaning making. What draws us to deeper connection with the world we are a part of?
Join a playful outdoor event celebrating the longest day of the year with this ancient practice to reflect and center. It’s our seventh annual Summer Solstice Labyrinth Walk, this year on the beach! This family-friendly event features 5+ labyrinths, a station for crafting your own finger labyrinth to take home, and a solstice bonfire.
We will gather in our regular grove of trees, where Beth will be leading us in activities and reflection around sacred time.
Gather to honor Spring Equinox and the change of the seasons with a half-day retreat.
Somatic movement, reflection, conversation, and connecting with nature and seasonal cycles.
Holding space together for a deeper dive into Brilliant Imperfection by Eli Clare and what it evokes in our own hearts and lives. A drop-in friendly, reading optional book club.
All are invited to our Community Reflection Gathering. Gathering Ground is a community that comes from many lineages, and is not formally aligned with any lineage. For example, our decision-making structure, Sociocracy, was developed out of Quaker consensus decision making practices. At this gathering, we will be exploring and reflecting on our relationship to lineage, as a community and as individuals. What does it mean to be a space that does not formally align with one lineage but that is, inevitably, in relationship with lineages? How do we as individuals and as a community relate to the lineages we are in relationship with?
Holding space together for a deeper dive into Brilliant Imperfection by Eli Clare and what it evokes in our own hearts and lives. A drop-in friendly, reading optional book club.
We'll be playfully and reflectively learning from stones and connecting with the earth element.
Holding space together for a deeper dive into Brilliant Imperfection by Eli Clare and what it evokes in our own hearts and lives. A drop-in friendly, reading optional book club.
2025
Let’s welcome the season of darkness and share light around a beach bonfire (or online). We’ll celebrate the Winter Solstice with community and connection to nature. We’ll watch the sun set on the longest night of the year and reflect on the earth’s position and the cycles of our natural world. We’ll be led in simple solstice songs (singing or listening are equal choices) and gentle contemplative practice and share reflection.
Holding space together for a deeper dive into Brilliant Imperfection by Eli Clare and what it evokes in our own hearts and lives. A drop-in friendly, reading optional book club.
Holding space together for a deeper dive into Brilliant Imperfection by Eli Clare and what it evokes in our own hearts and lives. A drop-in friendly, reading optional book club.
Join us on Hallowtide to observe one of the great rituals of our piece of the planet: the return of salmon to their birth streams to spawn the next generation as their lives come to an end. Let’s gather on this ancient sacred day to reflect on the beauty, joy, grief, and challenges of cycles of death and new life in the world around us and in our own life.
Ableism is often made invisible in our society, while at the same time fundamentally shaping every aspect of our lives. It shapes how we structure our society, how we share wealth, power, and opportunity, and how we think about, relate to, and value ourselves and our loved ones.
By turning to the wisdom of disabled people, we can come into a deeper understanding of the ways we collectively struggle under ableism and how we can work towards greater freedom and deeper love for ourselves and others.
Holding space together for a deeper dive into Brilliant Imperfection by Eli Clare and what it evokes in our own hearts and lives. A drop-in friendly, reading optional book club.
Gather to honor the Autumn Equinox and the change of the seasons with a half-day retreat. Somatic movement, reflection, conversation, and deepening together in our relationships with nature and the seasonal cycles.
Holding space together for a deeper dive into Brilliant Imperfection by Eli Clare and what it evokes in our own hearts and lives. A drop-in friendly, reading optional book club.
We’ll be reflecting on the lineages we want to honor, nourish, and carry on to the future. We’ll be rooting into the strong, beautiful, and nourishing qualities of our lineages.
Join us for a hands-on, playful exploration of our connection with the earth. Come prepared to get your feet or hands messy, if you desire.
Join a playful outdoor event celebrating the longest day of the year with this ancient practice to reflect and center. It’s our fifth annual Summer Solstice Labyrinth Walk, this year on the beach! This family-friendly event features 5+ labyrinths, a station for crafting your own finger labyrinth to take home, and a solstice bonfire.
Spiritual traditions often speak of walking a path, and practices are how we walk that path. Practice can be a source of nourishment and a refuge in difficult times. Through practice, we grow and transform ourselves and the world around us. We’ll be collectively exploring our curiosity, questions, and wisdom around practice.
Gather to honor Spring Equinox and the change of the seasons with a half-day retreat.
Somatic movement, reflection, conversation, and connecting with nature and seasonal cycles.
We'll be playfully and reflectively learning from stones and connecting with the earth element.
We'll be appreciating this moment in time together. The winter holidays are over, and we're beginning a new year. What is our relationship with this moment in time, this winter season, the year 2025, this period of our lives, this day, this moment?
2024
Let’s welcome the season of darkness and share light around a beach bonfire (or online). We’ll celebrate the Winter Solstice with community and connection to nature. We’ll watch the sun set on the longest night of the year and reflect on the earth’s position and the cycles of our natural world. We’ll be led in simple solstice songs (singing or listening are equal choices) and gentle contemplative practice and share reflection.
Abby will lead us in exploring liminal space: being in the in-between and unknown. We are facing so many transitions and so much unknown. We will share what supports us in times of being in between and in the unknown. What are things we take with us, and what do we hope to find? What is it like to hold uncertainty?
Join us on Hallowtide to observe one of the great rituals of our piece of the planet: the return of salmon to their birth streams to spawn the next generation as their lives come to an end. Let’s gather on this ancient sacred day to reflect on the beauty, joy, grief, and challenges of cycles of death and new life in the world around us and in our own life.
Join us on Zoom for community, meditation, somatics, and reflection. Lily will lead us in mindful movement and share practical ways to weave pauses and rest into our lives. We’ll explore mental, physical, and spiritual forms of rest, and the interplay of them all.
Gather to honor the Autumn Equinox and the change of the seasons with a half-day retreat. Somatic movement, reflection, conversation, and deepening together in our relationships with nature and the seasonal cycles.
Join us for a light community potluck, conversation, and reflection. If you’d like, bring finger food to share.
Join us for a light community potluck, conversation, and reflection. If you’d like, bring finger food to share.
Join a playful outdoor event celebrating the longest day of the year with this ancient practice to reflect and center. It’s our fifth annual Summer Solstice Labyrinth Walk, this year on the beach! This family-friendly event features 5+ labyrinths, a station for crafting your own finger labyrinth to take home, and a solstice bonfire.
Join us for a light community potluck, conversation, and reflection. If you’d like, bring finger food to share.
Join us for a light community potluck, conversation, and reflection. If you’d like, bring finger food to share.
Join us for a light community potluck, conversation, and reflection. If you’d like, bring finger food to share.
Gather to honor Spring Equinox and the change of the seasons with a half-day retreat.
Somatic movement, reflection, conversation, and connecting with nature and seasonal cycles.
For the rainy winter season we will be gathering in the homes of community members rather than outdoors. Join us for a light community potluck, conversation, and reflection. If you’d like, bring finger food to share.
For the rainy winter season we will be gathering in the homes of community members rather than outdoors. Join us for a light community potluck, conversation, and reflection. If you’d like, bring finger food to share.
For the rainy winter season we will be gathering in the homes of community members rather than outdoors. Join us for a light community potluck, conversation, and reflection. If you’d like, bring finger food to share.
For the rainy winter season we will be gathering in the homes of community members rather than outdoors. Join us for a light community potluck, conversation, and reflection. If you’d like, bring finger food to share.
Join the community in a poignant and powerful moment: transition of leadership to a new generation. Beth Amsbary (she/her), our founding Convener will bless and release the community. We will bless and release her. Then we will formally welcome Kiran Frank (they/them), our new Convener. And share sacred snacks.
2023
Welcome the season of darkness and release in this virtual event! We'll reflect on the earth's position during Winter Solstice, then stretch our imaginations and intentions to release into the gifts of this longest night.
The ONLINE event will take place over ZOOM, with a link sent as you RSVP.
Join us for a informal community potluck in a little-known corner of the Arboretum. We provide coffee. You bring snacks, whatever you’d like to sit on, and yourself!
Let’s gather to celebrate the end of the harvest season. Drawing on Buddhist practices for cultivating our good qualities and overcoming difficult habits, and on Gathering Ground’s theme this year of Compost and Cultivate, we will reflect on the year behind us. What seeds have we been planting, and what have we been harvesting?
We'll explore ourselves and the people in our lives as heroes. We'll name archetypes and mythology in the journeys we see around us. And we'll do it all through a lens of queerness, in a space that welcomes those who are queer, those who are not, and those who are still figuring it out. Writers of all levels welcome.
We'll explore ourselves and the people in our lives as heroes. We'll name archetypes and mythology in the journeys we see around us. And we'll do it all through a lens of queerness, in a space that welcomes those who are queer, those who are not, and those who are still figuring it out. Writers of all levels welcome.
We'll explore ourselves and the people in our lives as heroes. We'll name archetypes and mythology in the journeys we see around us. And we'll do it all through a lens of queerness, in a space that welcomes those who are queer, those who are not, and those who are still figuring it out. Writers of all levels welcome.
We'll explore ourselves and the people in our lives as heroes. We'll name archetypes and mythology in the journeys we see around us. And we'll do it all through a lens of queerness, in a space that welcomes those who are queer, those who are not, and those who are still figuring it out. Writers of all levels welcome.
Join us for an informal community walk and chat. This month, our Big Tree Gathering is a Big Water Gathering - we will be walking around Greenlake, appreciating the intersection of trees, water, and city. We will gather on the dock in front of the Greenlake Boathouse and Coffee Shop.
Join us for an informal community potluck and chat. The community provides beverages, napkins, & plates. If you’d like, bring finger food to share and something to sit on. This month, we are meeting at Volunteer Park. Our meeting space will be by a large Sequoia directly east of the Seattle Asian Art Museum, between the museum and 15th Ave E.
Join us for a informal community potluck in a little-known corner of the Arboretum. We provide coffee. You bring snacks, whatever you’d like to sit on, and yourself!
A joyful approach to awe. Connection in a small group. Join a small group to saunter through a lovely urban space, noticing things vast and tiny.
A joyful approach to awe. Connection in a small group. Join a small group to saunter through a lovely urban space, noticing things vast and tiny.
Your honesty and perspective is needed. Each year Gathering Ground invites its community to reflect together. Is our work complete? Are we called to continue? And if the group says yes, what are the most important values to carry into the coming year? Your input is even more important with the transition of our founding Convener, Beth, who will step out of that role in January 2024. Please join into this important moment of our community life. You may weigh in by joining the Zoom meeting or by sending thoughts in advance.
To receive the Zoom link, please email GatherinGround.Seattle@gmail.com or call 206-880-3641 . Not available at that time? Please send your thoughts to the questions above by email or phone message.
Join us for a informal community potluck in a little-known corner of the Arboretum. We provide coffee. You bring snacks, whatever you’d like to sit on, and yourself!
Join a playful outdoor event celebrating the longest day of the year with this ancient practice to reflect and center. It’s our fourth annual Summer Solstice Labyrinth Walk! This family-friendly event features 6 labyrinths, along with stations for chalk art and crafting your own finger labyrinth to take home. The evening culminates in a simple circle dance at 8:40pm.
Bring your questions and curiosities to coffee! Look for our reserved table with our Gathering Ground banner.
Join us for a informal community potluck in a little-known corner of the Arboretum. We provide coffee. You bring snacks, whatever you’d like to sit on, and yourself!
Bring your questions and curiosities to coffee! Look for our reserved table with our Gathering Ground banner.
Join us for a informal community potluck in a little-known corner of the Arboretum. The community provides beverages, napkins, & plates. If you’d like, bring finger food to share and something to sit on. We'll meet rain or shine, trusting in the branches of those big trees and our raingear. On May 6, our region will see an especially low tide. We'll reflect on tidal pulls and discoveries as we chat informally, savor the outdoors, and enjoy Shelley's legendary Chex Mix!
Bring your questions and curiosities to coffee! Beth Amsbary will hold Gathering Ground office hours at Distant Worlds Coffee Shop each month through June. No purchase required. Just come hang out!
Look for our reserved table with our Gathering Ground banner. There is one step up to the area where our table is reserved.
This workshop is designed to be a warm, welcoming and creative exploration of our personal and collective journeys. Using music, poetry, writing, and open hearted conversation Carrie invites us to honor our history (compost), and reflect on what kind of stories actually sustain us in our journeys (cultivate). Carrie welcomes anyone with or without previous experience in writing, songwriting or creative expression to exploring new ways of envisioning our own stories through a creative and compassionate lens.
Enrollment is limited to 25 people, with 5 places reserved for folk who identify as Queer creatives. Act soon if you’d like a spot: we expect this to sell out quickly! Workshop attendance is $10 - $60 with your RSVP at gatheringround.org.
Please bring:
something to write with
And your curiosity!
Your secure ZOOM link will be sent after you RSVP.
Just in time for Spring Equinox, join into an evening of stories of transformation. Three master story spinners share their real-life tales of composting and cultivating. What happens inside a compost pile? What if life becomes a compost pile? What can be grown or cultivated out of that glorious rot? The newest edition of Gathering Ground's popular story nights features the world-class singer/songwriter Carrie Newcomer along with Queer fantasy author Elijah Merrill and creativity catalyst Shirin Subhani. Newcomer’s evocative songs, performed live for you, will hold the evening together.
This ONLINE event will take place over ZOOM, with a link sent as you RSVP. It is offered on a contribute-as-you-can basis, with options to share $0 - $40 as you RSVP. We all pitch in to keep this shared space open. This story night launches Gathering Ground’s 2023 theme of Compost and Cultivate, selected from listening to the community during this time of coming apart and growing anew.
Here are the evening’s story spinners:
Carrie Newcomer (she/her) is a Quaker activist and cultural worker whose songs fuel movements as well as meditations. Rolling Stone says: "Newcomer's material asks all the right questions and refuses to settle for easy answers." Newcomer also hosts a podcast with the master educator & author Parker Palmer on powerful responses to our fractured time.
Elijah Merrill (he/him) is a Seattle author who is fascinated by folklore from around the world, the history of United States immigrants and migrants, firsthand accounts of resistance to tyranny, and art that centers marginalized voices. His plays have been workshopped by Parley Productions, and produced by Somniterum Productions and the Bush School. Elijah has offered writing workshops on many topics through Gathering Ground, and queer folks frequently star in his fantasy novels.
Shirin Subhani (she/her): Connect-Create-Celebrate has been the thread running through Shirin's work-life experiences. Shirin co-founded the publishing group Flying Chickadee, where she edited an online zine, Courageous Creativity, along with books. For the past five years, Shirin has served as Program Manager for University Heights Community Center, where she builds collective synergy and community among people of diverse identities. Finally, she is the creative force behind Shirin’s Kitchen, cooking classes in homestyle Indian food!
Newcomer will also offer an online workshop as part of this Equinox weekend retreat on Sunday, March 26 from 2pm-4pm Pacific Time. Registration will open on Saturday, February 25 and is expected to sell out quickly. As part of our commitment to supporting Queer creatives, 5 workshop enrollments are reserved for folks with that identity.
We thank the Adult Education Endowment of University Congregational United Church of Christ, making it possible for all who wish to attend, by offering a sliding scale.
What is important to you and your communities right now? How can Gathering Ground better be of service in our mission (and be more fun)? Would you like more yummy chocolate beverages in your life? Please help us plan our next steps by joining into one of our listening circles. There will be a drawing at each event for a $15 Chocolati Cafe Gift Card!
In addition to this in person session, there will be an online feedback session Friday 2/24 over Zoom. Please email us for that link at gatheringround.seattle@gmail.com. Or fill out this online survey. Participate where it suits you best!
Distant Worlds Cafe is wheelchair accessible. Look for our reserved table with our Gathering Ground banner!
What is important to you and your communities right now? How can Gathering Ground better be of service in our mission (and be more fun)? Would you like more yummy chocolate beverages in your life? Please help us plan our next steps by joining into one of our listening circles. There will be a drawing at each event for a $15 Chocolati Cafe Gift Card!
To get the Zoom link for this listening session, please email Kiran at gatheringround.seattle@gmail.com, or call us at 206-206-880-3641.
In addition to this online session, there will be an in person Feedback Session Saturday 2/25, 11am at Distant Worlds Coffee, 6401 Roosevelt Way NE Seattle WA 98115, as well as an online survey here. Participate where it’s best for you!
2022
Welcome the season of darkness and release in this online event, suitable for ages 12 and up. We'll reflect on the earth's position during Winter Solstice, then stretch our bodies, imaginations, & intentions to release into the gifts of this longest night. Please log on with clothing suitable for gentle movement, along with 1-3 candles and matches.
The ONLINE event will take place over ZOOM, with a link sent as you RSVP.
Led by Rene De Los Santos and Beth Amsbary.
Do you want to meet the connection crisis? Join into a special gathering to experience a Gathering Ground activity, hear updates on the program, ask questions, and learn about the funding campaign to forge connections in 2023.
Beth Amsbary, Gathering Ground Convener, will lead us in a reflection on the cycles of life and cycles of gratitude, focusing on the experience of drinking your favorite beverage. Please log on with a cup of something you enjoy!
Your Zoom link will be provided when you RSVP.
There is no requested contribution for this gathering: bring your questions and good will!
Learn about the moving practices of the Mexican fiesta, the Day of the Dead, from Rene De Los Santos. He shares this powerful tradition of how to honor those who have passed on but are still important in your life. Day of the Dead is November 2, so you will be prepared to celebrate!
Please bring with you:
- photographs or favorite foods of your beloved family who have passed on, to place on the altar
- Wear bright clothing: it’s a party!
Rene will tell us about the fiesta, show how to set up an Muertos Altar, and invite us to reflect & share, as you feel comfortable. This event is appropriate for folks age 12 and up. Guests will go home with a hand-crafted marigold, the flower of the fiesta!
This event will be offered both IN PERSON on Sunday 10/16 and and ONLINE on Sunday 10/23. They require different RSVP’s, so please visit the 10/16 event if you would like to attend in person.
The ONLINE event will take place over ZOOM, with a link sent as you RSVP.
Rene (pronouns he/him) is the Bilingual Whole Person Health Navigator for YMCA of Greater Seattle and a member of Gathering Ground’s Leadership Team. Rene is an avid hiker, yogi, dancer and advocate for human rights, equity, diversity and inclusion.
Learn about the moving practices of the Mexican fiesta, the Day of the Dead, from Rene De Los Santos. He shares this powerful tradition of how to honor those who have passed on but are still important in your life. Day of the Dead is November 2, so you will be prepared to celebrate!
Please bring with you:
- photographs or favorite foods of your beloved family who have passed on, to place on the altar
- Wear bright clothing: it’s a party!
- Proof of vaccination or recent negative test is required by the venue. Masks encouraged!
Rene will tell us about the fiesta, show how to set up an Muertos Altar, and invite us to reflect & share, as you feel comfortable. This event is appropriate for folks age 12 and up. Guests will go home with a hand-crafted marigold, the flower of the fiesta!
This event will be offered both IN PERSON on Sunday 10/16 and and ONLINE on Sunday 10/23. They require different RSVP’s, so please visit the 10/23 event if you would like to attend online.
If attending IN PERSON, masks are encouraged. Seating will be set up to allow distance between households. It will take place on the 2nd floor of the University Heights Center, where there is abundant free parking. Details sent as you RSVP.
Rene (pronouns he/him) is the Bilingual Whole Person Health Navigator for YMCA of Greater Seattle and a member of Gathering Ground’s Leadership Team. Rene is an avid hiker, yogi, dancer and advocate for human rights, equity, diversity and inclusion.
Lost in the whirl? Feeling pulled in too many directions by all the turning points and cycles of our world? In honor of Fall Equinox let’s explore a gentle, playful way to get centered in the turning. Join this creative workshop for all art levels, on ZOOM. You’ll craft your own Spinner - a cross between a fidget, a toy, and meditation tool - that’s tailored to YOU with a personal centering phrase and artful imagery. Best of all, you can make it out of simple items around your home, and use it whenever you’d like to find the calm eye at the center of the storm.
Julia Field, a skilled leader of visual arts workshops and SoulCollage® facilitator, and Molly Ebert, Gathering Ground’s Curator of Crafting will lead us. There will be time for reflection and creating, as well as chances to share and listen to other participants, at a level you feel comfortable with. Please bring:
crayons, paints, or makers
glue or tape
corrugated cardboard you can cut into a circle with a diameter of 5-8”
blank paper
yarn or soft cotton string 20-30” long (a stiff string that doesn’t stretch won’t work)
And your curiosity!
Your secure ZOOM link will be sent after you RSVP.
Visit us at the University District Farmer’s Market and pick up crafting kits to make your own Fall Equinox pinwheel!
Pinwheels are a simple toy that combines fun, physics, and meaning. In this time of turning points and transitions, they offer a lighthearted way to reflect and remember. What wind of change makes your personal pinwheel spin? What is at the center of your spin? And what does all have to do with the Equinox time of the Earth’s orbit around the sun?
This family friendly activity was created by Molly Ebert, Curator of Crafts for Gathering Ground.
No RSVP required! Just find our sandwich boards and friendly volunteers as you visit the University District Farmers’ Market, 5031 University Way Northeast, Seattle.
Offered in partnership with University Heights Center.
PLEASE NOTE! This event has been postponed due to illness. We apologize it cannot take place on 8/6 as originally planned: during SeaFair as an Alternative to Loud Jets. Please take yourself on a wonderful walk that day, pausing at each fallen tree, source of water, and notable intersection to welcome alternative visions of our world. For those who would like to attend on the new date, please see the event description below.
This summer we are hosting Summer Saunters through places of transition. They'll feature historic tidbits, places of beauty, and pauses to reflect on the difficult moments that place has come through.
Ravenna Park was shaped by many conflicting visions. And it is a place of respite for many today. As we walk, we'll pause to take in notable spots and also to hear some poems and songs of alternative visions to the militarism that too-much guides our culture.
The walking route will be about 1.3 mile long to our destination. You have the option to return the same way or take a shorter 0.6 mile route back by the streets. There are restrooms and water at our destination, which is 5520 Ravenna Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98105.
Please bring something to drink and dress for the weather. Some of us will end the event by cooling off in the Ravenna wading pool.
Accessibility notes: our route goes over well-packed pathways with no steps. It is accessible for a motorized wheelchair or stroller. There are not benches at every pause point. So if standing is an issue, please let us know. We would like to work together with you to bring a folding stool or find other ways you could join in.
Free to attend. Contributions welcomed.
(This event was originally scheduled for Saturday, August 6 during Seafair.)
This summer we’re hosting Summer Saunters through places of transition. They’ll feature historic tidbits, places of beauty, and pauses to reflect on the difficult moments that place has come through. On July 23, we’ll visit Gasworks, a place that has evolved through centuries of human use, industrial pollution, and natural reclamation.
Please bring something to drink and dress for the weather. The walking route will be about 1 mile long with one optional hill, ending with a picnic chat!
Free to attend. Contributions welcomed.
You’re invited! Each year Gathering Ground invites its community to reflect together. Is our work complete? Are we called to continue? And if the group says yes, what are the most important values to carry into the coming year? Please join into this important moment of our community life.
You are very welcome to either RSVP with the link below or by emailing GatherinGround.Seattle@gmail.com or calling 206-880-3641. Stray thoughts, questions, and input are very welcome too!
A simple, meaningful community event will honor the wisdom of cycles on the longest day of the year. It’s our third annual Summer Solstice Labyrinth Walk! This event features multiple labyrinths, each focusing on different cycles of the earth and justice-making, along with stations for chalk art and crafting your own finger labyrinth to take home. RSVP below or walk up that night.
Labyrinths are a simple reflection form that allows the walker to journey inward to their truth, then outward into the world. They offer a single route in and out: no getting lost. In this time of complexity and frustration, they are a powerful tool to process challenges and find intention, clarity, and even joy.
The event will be open-house style: drop in when it works for you. Please plan to mask while walking labyrinths or waiting in line. Access: A walker-friendly labyrinth will be offered. 6 of the 7 labyrinths require no steps to access. Please contact us about other accommodations!
Free to attend. Contributions welcome.
There is limited parking at Saint Mark’s. It’s also on the #49 bus line. Please note there are NO restrooms: plan accordingly!
We are delighted to announce that this event is sponsored by Kairos Productions, a Seattle-based film production company dedicated to the creation of vibrant, idiosyncratic celebrations of life through filmmaking. We also thank Saint Mark’s Cathedral and the Western Washington Labyrinth Network for their partnership in making this event possible.
If you would like to volunteer to help host please email Rene at GatherinGround.Seattle@gmail.com or call 206-880-3641.
In this equinox season, as the northern hemisphere begins to bud, we will consider seeds: both the ones that sprout quickly in the spring and the ones that need months to crack open and grow.. As is true in the earth, it’s true in our lives and in the culture. How can we better thrive in the discomfort and promise of what’s germinating in ourselves and in the world? Join into an interactive gathering. Together we’ll learn about various seeds, write, and reflect. Folks of all beliefs (and none) are welcome.
Led by June BlueSpruce and Beth Amsbary. June is a skilled intuitive healer, mentor, life coach, Systemic Family Constellations facilitator, writer, and activist whose practice is deeply informed by ancient Irish traditions. Beth is Convener of Gathering Ground. She has been designing and holding meaning-making spaces for 30 years, weaving together practices from theatre, science, organizing, and spiritual traditions.
Your secure ZOOM link will be sent when you RSVP
Join us at the University District Farmer’s Market for a wander-by crafting experience!
What might help you discover balance right now? It’s an out-of-balance time in our lives and in the world. And yet we’ll gather on Equinox — a day of balanced light and dark. What can we learn from the earth’s day of rare equanimity?
Come play with hanging art mobiles, discovering balance through crafting play. Walk away with your own mobile-making kit. We'll have canopies in case the weather is foul. This family friendly, all-incomes-welcome event is led by Molly Ebert, Curator of Crafts for Gathering Ground.
Offered in partnership with University Heights Center.
No RSVP required! Just wander by as you visit the U District Farmers’ Market.
Show some Valentines’ Day love to someone’s feet!
On Sunday 2/13, we’ll be camped out at Sip House in Seattle's University District, enjoying a warm beverage, friendly conversation, and gratefully accepting your donations of socks, which we'll redistribute to unhoused folks in tiny home communities in the U District & Lake City. Both adult and youth sizes would be appreciated. This is rescheduled from an earlier date that was snowed out.
Come on by to share a cuppa and dry feet!
Questions? Send em our way! GatherinGround.Seattle@gmail.com.
2021
Keep someone’s feet dry!
On Sunday 12/26, we’ll be camped out at Sip House in Seattle's University District, enjoying a warm beverage and gratefully accepting your donations of socks, which we'll redistribute to unhoused folks in tiny home communities in the U District & Lake City. Both adult and youth sizes would be appreciated. Come on by to share a cuppa and dry feet! PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A DIFFERENT VENUE THAN THE ORIGINALLY ANNOUNCED SITE.
Questions? Send em our way! .GatherinGround.Seattle@gmail.com or 206-880-3641
What do you see during the longest night of the year? Star Guide Cosmic Kyle introduces the night sky that can be seen on the very night of Winter Solstice 2021. Interweaving science and imagination, he invites you to find your own pictures among the stars, then reflect on the meaning to be found in their movement throughout this special night. A planetarium-like experience offered over ZOOM.
Kyle Doane is a traveler. He has helped planetariums in Ghana, Kenya, UK, Mexico and the U.S. Each person sharing our little blue liferaft has a unique perspective on the cosmos, and Kyle wants to learn.
Online, via ZOOM
Do you want to make more meaning in the world? Join into a special gathering to experience a Gathering Ground activity, hear updates on the program, ask questions, and learn about the funding campaign that will deepen the roots of this work for the needs of the future.
Rene De Los Santos, one of our regular leaders, will lead us in deep breathing for deepening hearts.
There is no requested contribution for this gathering: bring your questions and good will!
Join Hannah Merrill to play with tools of writing that open up the possibility of joy, fun, and creativity in saying thank you.
Whether you are practicing recognizing small details or big forces, a private knowing or an actual person, Hannah's tips and practices will help you more deeply know and name the remarkable good in your life. Some of us will use this workshop as a springboard for a season of gratitude. Join us to practice and play together. Writers of all levels are welcome!
Learn about the moving practices of the Mexican fiesta, Dia de los Muertos, from Rene De Los Santos. He shares this powerful tradition of how to honor those who have passed on but are still important in your life. Day of the Dead is November 2, so you will be prepared to celebrate!
Please bring with you:
- photographs or favorite foods of your beloved family who have passed on.
- Wear bright clothing: it’s a party!
Rene will tell us about the fiesta, show how to set up an Muertos Altar, and invite us to reflect & share, as you feel comfortable. This event is appropriate for folks age 12 and up.
This event will be offered both IN PERSON AND ONLINE.
If attending IN PERSON, please plan to mask and, if you are an adult, bring proof of vaccination. Seating will be set up to allow distance between households. It will take place on the 2nd floor of the University Heights Center, where there is abundant free parking. Details sent as you RSVP.
The ONLINE event will take place over ZOOM, with a link sent as you RSVP.
Rene (pronouns he/him) is the Latino & Community Outreach Coordinator and Diversity & Inclusión Trainer for the YMCA of Snohomish County and a member of Gathering Ground’s Leadership Team.
Online, via ZOOM
Some of us struggle with our family history of white privilege and harm. Join local writer June BlueSpuce for a two-part workshop and reflection on the book Whiteness Is Not an Ancestor: Essays on Life and Lineage by white Women. Using a lens of inherited trauma and family history, this collection of 12 personal essays offers a hopeful, humanizing path for dismantling whiteness.. In 12 different ways, from 12 different backgrounds, these writers untangle innocence, grief, race, privilege, boundaries, and belonging in their families and ancestries. Finally, BlueSpruce believes, we need our ancestors; without them, we wouldn't be here. How do we find strength to reckon with and learn from them and bring healing to our lives and world?
You are welcome to join in, even if you were not able to attend the first part. To prepare, please read one essay from the book that speaks to your experience. You may find a summary of the essays here, to help you find one that reflects your family story. There are also links to the writers reading their own work. As you read, make a note of what resonates for you: where are you aware of whiteness and racism present in your ancestry.
The book is available at local independent bookstores and the Seattle Public Library. If you need to borrow the book from another community member, or assistance in purchasing it, contact Beth at GatherinGround.Seattle@gmail.com or 206-860-3641.
June BlueSpruce is a skilled intuitive healer, mentor, life coach, Systemic Family Constellations facilitator, writer, and activist whose practice is deeply informed by ancient Irish traditions. She identifies as white, queer, and cisgender.
Online, via ZOOM
Some of us struggle with our family history of white privilege and harm. Join local writer June BlueSpuce for a two-part workshop and reflection on the book Whiteness Is Not an Ancestor: Essays on Life and Lineage by white Women. Using a lens of inherited trauma and family history, this collection of 12 personal essays offers a hopeful, humanizing path for dismantling whiteness. . In 12 different ways, from 12 different backgrounds, these writers untangle innocence, grief, race, privilege, boundaries, and belonging in their families and ancestries. Finally, BlueSpruce believes, we need our ancestors; without them, we wouldn't be here. How do we find strength to reckon with and learn from them and bring healing to our lives and world?
You are encouraged to attend both workshops (but not required) on Sundays, September 12 and October 10. Participants should plan to read 1-3 chapters from the book for each workshop and do some short reflections. The book is available at local independent bookstores and the Seattle Public Library. If you need to borrow the book from another community member, or assistance in purchasing it, contact Beth at GatherinGround.Seattle@gmail.com or 206-860-3641.
June BlueSpruce is a skilled intuitive healer, mentor, life coach, Systemic Family Constellations facilitator, writer, and activist whose practice is deeply informed by ancient Irish traditions. She identifies as white, queer, and cisgender.
Join Gathering Ground’s favorite singing mystic, Carrie Newcomer and friends in the studio for release of her newest album: Until Now . “We have all lived through a time of great unraveling,” Newcomer says. “Yet, with great disruption comes a possibility for change. We can’t just be healed; we must be transformed.” Though the album is set to release in September, Carrie Newcomer, pianist Gary Walters, bassist Paul Kowert (Punch Brothers), guitarist Jordan Tice (Hawktail), and violinist Allie Summers come together to offer you an intimate, in-studio sneak peek.
Part I: Livestream Concert at 5PM Pacific. $20 admission
Part II: Special Conversation with Carrie & the Band at 6:30 PM Pacific. Cost: an additional $15 admission for $35 total. Pulitzer-nominated writer and speaker Judy Valente will moderate the conversation between Carrie, her band, and her fans. Tune in to hear the stories behind the songs.
Gathering Ground will be one host among other groups of this concert. RSVP on our unique URL below for the online event, pay Carrie’s team to attend, Gathering Ground receives 20%, and you fill your heart with songs of transformation.
Technical Notes:
On the Mandolin website, select a dropdown to chose the Concert alone, or Concert + Conversation.
Please note that the RSVP takes you to an online concert platform Mandolin. You’ll receive an electronic ticket from Mandolin, then will need to create a profile on their site to log on.
Need help? The Mandolin Team is standing by here. and we can also try to help at GatherinGround.Seattle@gmail.com.
RSVP here
You’re invited! Let’s listen and reflect together as a community, setting directions for the coming year. In light of the past year’s growth and shifts, what is today’s understanding of the value Gathering Ground offers the world? Where might we best gather to serve that purpose (online? In person? or a bit of both? )
We’ll have 3 planning times over ZOOM. Join in one or all!
Thursday, July 8, 7pm-8:30. We’ll begin with our annual question: Is the work of this community complete? Listen to those in the ZOOM room and hear responses from our other conversations.
Friday, July 9, 7pm – 8:30pm. Depending on Thursday’s decision, either plan a completion party, or surface today's needs and opportunities, based on why we feel impelled to continue.
Saturday, July 10, 9:00am – 10:30am. Select a few priorities for the coming year, from the previous days’ conversations. Agree on next steps to bring them forward.
You are welcome to attend 1, 2 or 3 sessions. We do request that folks attending on Saturday have been to 1 other session, as that will be our time to pull together previous conversations.
There will also be chances to weigh in through surveys, phone chats, as well as this community time. Here’s a survey for folks who prefer the writing group. Here’s a survey for others. You’re welcome to fill out both!
You are very welcome to either RSVP with the link below or by emailing GatherinGround.Seattle@gmail.com or calling 206-880-3641. Stray thoughts, questions, and input are very welcome too!
Join a distanced and masked outdoor open house celebrating this ancient practice to reflect and center. Folks are invited to walk a labyrinth, visit labyrinth activity stations, and to join into a community reflection together at 8:30. We’ll have a number of labyrinths set up, including one accommodating the width of a walker. Hosts will ensure only one household is on a walking at a time. Bring a mask, journal, a friend, and join us for reflective time together in community. This might be a great way to celebrate Fathers’ Day! Kid-friendly options offered.
To assure comfort and safety for all, please:
RSVP (we’re limiting attendance),
plan to wear a mask & practice distancing,
dress for the weather (we’ll go rain-or-shine),
bring your patience; you may need to reflectively wait as others walk the labyrinth.
2 labyrinths are on canvas and must be walked in sock or bare feet. Plan footwear accordingly!
This program is offered with the permission of Saint Mark’s Cathedral and the involvement of 13 community members who are preparing a safe and meaningful space. Thank you! The community reflection time will by led by Dan Niven – speaking to the math – and Catherine Foote – speaking to the poetry of the labyrinth.
“Dance like no one is watching.” Experiment with movement that simply feels good to your body. Rene De Los Santos warms up our body-mind connection, turns on the tunes, and invites us to have fun. Welcoming for folks of all abilities, including those who prefer chair dancing!
Rene De Los Santos is a Faculty Trainer in Diversity & Inclusion for the YMCA of the USA and Community Outreach Coordinator for the YMCA of Snohomish County.
What happens when you move through or step out? Over a threshold and into a new way of being and doing? Join us for an evening of real-life tales of transformation from Rachel Alquist, Rene De Los Santos and Lisa Domke. This evening culminates our exploration of Thresholds over the past months.
Rachel Alquist spent 16 years in professional theatre until a major health misdiagnosis left her bedridden for three years. After learning to walk again, she decided that she would use this experience as an opportunity to support others whom suffer with chronic pain issues. Rachel is a Substance Use Disorder Counselor with the non-profit Evergreen Treatment Services.
Rene De Los Santos is a Faculty Trainer in Diversity & Inclusion for the YMCA of the USA and Community Outreach Coordinator for the YMCA of Snohomish County. He is an animal lover, fitness nut, hiker, dancer, yogi and lover of life.
Lisa Domke used to be a lot of things: pastor/preacher, fitness enthusiast, singer, party planner/hostess extraordinaire, extreme extrovert, and general energizer bunny. Currently she is a mother and wife, a person living with chronic illness and constant fatigue, a lover of the natural world, a very slow paddleboarder, an asker of questions, a seeker of wisdom and understanding.
Rachel Alquist’s bio is coming soon!
Design an amulet/ talisman that represents the future you want to live into: More mindfulness? More justice? More self-care? More joy? Together we’ll find the symbols and colors that speak to that change for you. Then we’ll craft them from simple materials found around your home. Where might you place it to remind you as you move through the thresholds in your life? On this Mothers’ Day weekend, we especially invite moms & kids (of all sorts) to celebrate by crafting and reflecting together- and to honor our Mother Earth.
Please log on with fun crafting materials you have around your home: stones, paper, fabric, beads or cords or string, wire, foil, paints or markers.
Denise Henrikson will lead this gathering. Denise loves to cultivate community through crafting. She’s been active in many grassroots organizations that celebrate art and culture and is a founding member of Love Wins Love- an artist collective that brings unhoused and housed folks together to form relationships by making art. Denise has led creative projects regionally and internationally and currently serves as the community director of EcoThrive Housing, a group that evolved from Love Wins Love and is committed to creating vibrant, affordable, regenerative communities- where people are connected with nature and each other.
Join us for 2 hours of writing from imagination-tickling prompts on thresholds & transitions with Hannah Merrill, Curator of Writing. This month, venture in your imagination out onto new ground: what will it reveal to you? Please log on with whatever you like to write with and your favorite beverage.
Your secure ZOOM link will be sent when you RSVP
We often talk about how a mindful life travels in two directions: a journey between your deep self and the wider world – a walking back and forth between their truths in a constant loop. We’ll consider a threshold you feel called to cross (maybe even your front door!). And as you consider, we’ll construct mobius strips – curious shapes whose insides are also outsides. Led by Beth Amsbary, Gathering Ground Convener, along with Julia Field, one of our regular leaders.
Please log on with a sheet of paper, scissors, tape, and a pen.
Your secure ZOOM link will be sent when you RSVP
Getting ready to walk out into a changing world? Rene De Los Santos leads us in finding the steps toward peace, happiness, and healing through movement. We’ll explore safe and subtle movement to help you get unstuck and move forward in spirit, mind, and body. No special equipment or skills needed for these stretching, breathing, and light chair yoga moves. Rene is the Latino & Community Outreach Coordinator and Diversity & Inclusión Trainer for the YMCA of Snohomish County.
We've been talking about how to grow forward into uncomfortable conversations. This week's writing session brings that curiosity into the creative realm. Conflict is essential to evolve character and action, right? Join us to practice that creative muscle...and maybe build a bit more perspective on conflict within our own lives too.
Hannah Merrill, Curator of Writing, has planned writing prompts to write from the perspectives of two fictional people with a serious disagreement and the third who's supposed to judge between them. Join us to explore and practice together
Join Carrie Newcomer, Gary Walters and Allie Summers for an afternoon of music that acknowledges the very real challenges we face, while affirming the resilience and resources found in our individual inner work and our community and collective work. Carrie will perform songs that stir the spirit, open the heart, laugh out loud and create a sense of connection and shared community.
Gathering Ground will be one host among other West Coast groups of this concert. RSVP on our unique URL for the online event, pay $20 to Carrie’s team to attend, Gathering Ground receives 30%, and you fill your heart with songs for threshold times.
RSVP here
In this equinox season, as the northern hemisphere begins to tilt toward the sun, we will consider seeds: both the annuals that sprout every spring and the ones that take years to grow. As is true in the earth, it’s true in our lives. Let’s talk together about how to be with the discomfort and promise of what’s germinating in ourselves and in the world.
Your secure ZOOM link will be sent when you RSVP
Nests are places of transition: where creatures emerge from their embryos into the world, where they launch out from a place of safety into their next chapter of life’s adventure. Join us to craft a “nest” from simple items found around your home. As we craft, we’ll reflect on the thresholds we are leaving behind and taking flight into. Our leader Molly Ebert says, “Nests of all sorts are built for the sole purpose of being left. The old world is worn away. Conditions have reached the threshold where we know we must go out.”
Please bring some materials from around your home that could be arranged in a way to encircle something: paper, string, toothpicks, or extra wire. Look around and see what you find! Other ideas will be sent as you rsvp.
Join us for 2 hours of writing from imagination-tickling prompts. This month we’ll explore the thresholds in nature, spring, and equinox with Hannah Merrill, Curator of Writing.
Make the bed. Brew coffee. Brush your teeth. As we face the 11th month of sheltering at home, let’s find out how actions we repeat every day can be imbued with meaning – and strengthen our inner lives for the outward journey.
Rene De Los Santos returns to lead gentle yoga, reminding us to care for our physical selves in threshold times. No special equipment or skills needed for these stretching, breathing, and light chair yoga moves.
Join us for 2 hours of writing from imagination-tickling prompts on thresholds & transitions with Hannah Merrill, Curator of Writing.
Gathering Ground begins each year with a simple reflection process with stones to ground you in your most important values. On this Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, we will especially reflect on his words, "hew out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope.” We will share an activity, reflect, and share as you are comfortable.
Please log on with 3 stones before you, each different from the others.
Free to attend. Contributions to meet costs welcomed.
Join into a creative collage process that opens a threshold into one's inner life. SoulCollage is deeply satisfying art that anyone can do. Learn to intuitively collage images found in magazines together onto cards (and in SoulCollage, each card reflects an aspect of yourself!). Then get a taste of how you can consult your cards to reveal your own wisdom and help navigate life’s passageways and portals. You'll end up with something beautiful you made yourself, along with some new insights.
Attendance capped at 10 people. Reserve your spot early: crafting workshops are popular!
Julia Field, a skilled leader of visual arts workshops and SoulCollage® facilitator, will lead us. There will be time for reflection and creating, as well as chances to share and listen to other participants, at a level you feel comfortable with.
Please bring some images or magazines or calendars (whatever’s handy will have the right images), a glue stick or something else that’ll stick papers together, 5 x 8” card blanks (you can cut some from file folders or shoeboxes - get creative!), and some scissors.
Your secure ZOOM link will be sent after you RSVP.
It’s a new year! Welcome it in with 2 hours of writing on the theme of thresholds & transitions.
This is an informal group for writers of all levels. Our leader, Hannah, offers imagination-tickling prompts. Come ready to write, to listen, and to share with each other as you feel comfortable.
Not available this month? Mark your calendar: we meet the first Sunday of every month except August.
Free to attend. Contributions to meet costs welcomed. ZOOM link sent after you RSVP.
2020
Sunday, December 20, 7pm -9pm via ZOOM
What do you see during the longest night of the year? Star Guide Cosmic Kyle introduces the night sky that can be seen on the very night of Winter Solstice 2020. Interweaving science and imagination, he invites you to find your own pictures among the stars, then reflect on the meaning to be found in their movement throughout this special night. A planetarium-like experience offered over ZOOM. A huge thanks are due to Digitalis, a planetarium and astronomy education group, for making this special program possible.
Kyle Doane is a traveler. He has helped planetariums in Ghana, Kenya, UK, Mexico and the U.S. Each person sharing our little blue liferaft has a unique perspective on the cosmos, and Kyle wants to learn.
Your secure ZOOM link will be sent after you RSVP.
Free to attend. Contributions welcomed. For this special program, please consider making a special gift to support the Travelling Telescope’s Nairobi Planetariumhttps://travellingtelescope.co.uk/donate/
Hannah, our Curator of Coffeeshop writing, is musing on the fact that December can be overly filled with "tidings of comfort and joy" that aren't real. She suggests we make room for some cleansing rage as our monthly writing group closes out a quarter of prompts and imagination exercises around the power of ancestors.
An informal group for writers of all levels. Folks are invited to listen and share with others as you feel comfortable.
Not available this month? Mark your calendar: we meet the first Sunday of every month except August.
Free to attend. Contributions to meet costs welcomed. ZOOM link sent after you RSVP.
Saturday, November 28, 6:30pm - 8:30pm via ZOOM.
Join Rene De Los Santos -- our favorite fitness nut -- for an evening of dance. Rene introduces moves, turns on the tunes, and helps us all to shake it out. Modifications will be shown for all fitness levels and abilities. A chair can be used for addition stability if needed. On the weekend of Thanks-Giving, let's reconnect with our bodies, with each other, and with the joy of movement.
Rene is a fitness trainer and the Latino & Community Outreach Coordinator and Diversity & Inclusión Trainer for the YMCA of Snohomish County.
Your secure ZOOM link will be sent after you RSVP.
In this stormy season, join us to deepen our personal and collective roots: to recall the ancestors who inspire us and to become the ancestors that the future is grateful for. With reflective questions, shared stories, & creative play, we’ll take a night to accept the gifts that nurture the ancestors we are becoming.
Laura O’Neill will lead our session. Laura is a therapist, creator, and channeller of culture shift, with years of experience serving people who are low-income and face housing instability.
Your secure ZOOM link will be sent after you RSVP.
Please bring with you as you log on:
A candle and lighter/matches.
Something that connects you to the natural world--this could be a leaf, a dream, a stick, a memory, anything that comes to mind. Remember, the first thing that comes to mind is often the best, go with it and trust it.
Something that connects you to an ancestor you admire -- either biological or chosen. This could be a picture, an object, a memory, or a body sensation. Remember, go with what first pops into your mind.
Something to write with – laptop or pen & paper.
These are times that need heroes. Join us and use classic writing techniques to create a heroic ancestor or descendant to inspire you as the world changes. This informal group welcomes writers of all levels. Hannah Merrill, our Curator of Coffee Shop Writing offers writing prompts in a way that makes it easy to get the words flowing. Folks will be invited to listen and share with each other as you feel comfortable.
Not available this month? Mark your calendar: we meet the first Sunday of every month except August.
Free to attend. Contributions to meet costs welcomed. ZOOM link sent after you RSVP.
Sunday, October 18, 7pm – 9pm via ZOOM
Learn about the moving practices of the Mexican fiesta, Die de los Muertos from Rene De Los Santos. He shares this powerful tradition of how to honor those who have passed on, but are still important in your life. Day of the Dead is November 2, so you will be prepared to celebrate! Please bring with you: photographs or favorite foods of your beloved family who have passed on. Rene will tell us about the fiesta, show how to set up an Muertos Altar, and invite us to reflect & share, as you feel comfortable.
Rene is the Latino & Community Outreach Coordinator and Diversity & Inclusión Trainer for the YMCA of Snohomish County.
Your secure ZOOM link will be sent after you RSVP.
You are the ancestor of many. Reflect & write a letter about the kind of world you'd like to leave your descendants in this informal group for writers of all levels. Hannah Merrill, our Curator of Coffeeshop Writing creates a welcoming atmosphere to get the words flowing. Folks are invited to listen and share with others as you feel comfortable.
Not available this month? Mark your calendar: we meet the first Sunday of every month except August.
Free to attend. Contributions to meet costs welcomed. ZOOM link sent after you RSVP.
Sunday September 20, 2:00pm - 4:30pm on ZOOM.
Showing up in today’s world is demanding: our commitments and caring are called in many directions. Even the simplest daily task exposes vulnerability and invites powerful healing. These days, wouldn’t a Spiritual First Aid Kit be a handy thing to have? Join this creative workshop for all art levels, on ZOOM. We’ll each craft our own Kit, with images or colors that nurture and speak to us about healing and resilience. What might you keep in it, to facilitate healing inside and out? Two sessions will be offered on 9/16 and 9/20, with registration capped at 10 participants each.
Julia Field, a skilled leader of visual arts workshops and SoulCollage® facilitator, will lead us. There will be time for reflection and creating, as well as chances to share and listen to other participants, at a level you feel comfortable with. Please bring an interesting box of some sort as a starting point, and whatever art materials you have at hand: magazines, crayons, papers, glue, paints, or magic marker. And your curiosity!
Your secure ZOOM link will be sent after you RSVP.
Wednesday, September 16, 6:30pm - 9:00pm on ZOOM.
Showing up in today’s world is demanding: our commitments and caring are called in many directions. Even the simplest daily task exposes vulnerability and invites powerful healing. These days, wouldn’t a Spiritual First Aid Kit be a handy thing to have? Join this creative workshop for all art levels, on ZOOM. We’ll each craft our own Kit, with images or colors that nurture and speak to us about healing and resilience. What might you keep in it, to facilitate healing inside and out? Two sessions will be offered on 9/16 and 9/20, with registration capped at 10 participants each.
Julia Field, a skilled leader of visual arts workshops and SoulCollage® facilitator, will lead us. There will be time for reflection and creating, as well as chances to share and listen to other participants, at a level you feel comfortable with. Please bring an interesting box of some sort as a starting point, and whatever art materials you have at hand: magazines, crayons, papers, glue, paints, or magic marker. And your curiosity!
Your secure ZOOM link will be sent after you RSVP.
An informal group for writers of all levels. This month, discover your imagined ancestors - serious or whimsical, well-known or mysterious, mundane or poignant - and therefore learn more about your true self. Hannah Merrill, our Curator of Coffeeshop Writing creates a welcoming atmosphere to get the words flowing. Folks attending will be invited to listen and share as you feel comfortable.
Not available this month? Mark your calendar: we meet the first Sunday of every month except August.
Free to attend. Contributions to meet costs welcomed. ZOOM link sent after you RSVP.
Sunday August 16, 7pm-9pm on ZOOM.
Feeling stressed? Rene De Los Santos leads us in simple ways to center and calm the body and mind. No special equipment or skills needed for these stretching, breathing, and light chair yoga moves. A simple way to return to your center as you undertake the big justice work needed in this time. Rene is the Latino & Community Outreach Coordinator and Diversity & Inclusión Trainer for the YMCA of Snohomish County.
Your secure ZOOM link will be sent after you RSVP.
Rene De Los Santos leads a practical reflection on a common new experience: encountering masked people. What is your emotional landscape around masks? What assumptions or biases are you likely to have? What are a few tools to help you recognize your bias and act in a way that reflects your core values? Rene is the Latino & Community Outreach Coordinator and Diversity & Inclusión Trainer for the YMCA of Snohomish County. He leads our annual Day of the Dead reflections.
ZOOM link sent after you RSVP.
An informal group for writers of all levels. Hannah Merrill, our Curator of Coffeeshop Writing creates a welcoming atmosphere to get the words flowing.
Not available this month? Mark your calendar: we meet the first Sunday of every month except August.
Free to attend. Contributions to meet costs welcomed. ZOOM link sent after you RSVP.
Sunday June 21, 7pm-9pm on ZOOM.
Walking a labyrinth is an ancient practice to quiet the mind and discover surprising ways forward. This summer -- as most of us are still sticking close to home -- we're exploring what it is to Journey In & Journey Out. On the day after Summer Solstice, we’ll gather in the virtual world to share a labyrinth practice and reflections on the journey home in this time. We’ll end in time for you to walk outside and take in the Solstice-Season sunset. Gathering Ground’s Co-Convener, Catherine Foote will lead, a change from our originally planned leader.
What happens when home turns upside-down? Pick up the pen of creative writing to reflect on the events of this week and this season. An informal writing group for writers of all levels. Links to log on will be sent when you RSVP.
An evening of appreciation for the creatures with whom we share our lives and the planet. Catherine Foote, local shepherd, writer, and pastor, will share stories from her new book Shepherding the Seasons: Stories from a Life with Two Flocks. Kiran Oommen, environmentalist organizer & anarchist punk musician provides songs. And there will be a chance for those attending to share their own animal connections.
BONUS: Interested in picking up Catherine's book? You have two options. Preorder it by 5/14 from the publisher with the code STORYTIME for a discount -- enough to cover shipping costs. Or, order from our local favorite Secret Garden Bookstore and enjoy a 20% discount from owner Christy McDanold (plus shipping or free curbside store pickup).
Everyone who RSVP’s for the concert will receive a PDF preview of select chapters.
A pride of lions. A parliament of owls. An obstinacy of buffalo. An army of frogs. A cackle of hyenas. A barrel of monkeys. At this month’s gathering, we’ll be inspired by groups of non-human animals to get a fresh sense of our humanity. Hannah Merrill, our Curator of Coffee Shop Writing makes a welcoming & inspiring atmosphere for writers of all levels, easy to get the words flowing. Not available this month? Mark your calendar: we meet the first Sunday of each month.
Learn an ancient process of reflecting on a precious text, to see what it says to us today. We’ll look at beginnings of stories – well-known favorites and emerging voices -- as a starting place for reflection. We'll offer possible texts when you RSVP, or log on with your own favorite book beside you.
An informal group for writers of all levels. Grab a beverage of your choice and join us for imagination-tickling writing prompts and supportive conversation.
We’re trying out the time slot 5pm-7pm for March & April, both at Victrola Cafe. 411- 15th Avenue East, Seattle. Free street parking. On the #10 Bus Line.
Not available this month? Mark your calendar: we meet the first Sunday of every month except August.
Free to attend. Contributions to meet costs welcomed.
2019
Gather at a secret location to lift a glass and a song on the longest night of the year.
Here’s a way to explore gratitude: local artist and woman of spirit Jan Kinney will introduce a way to reflect using an image from the Tarot, the Giver or The Empress.
Writers of all levels gather at a Wallingford coffee spot that also serves wine, beer & fabulous hot chocolate.
Learn about the moving practices of the Mexican fiesta, Die de los Muertos from Rene De Los Santos.
Writers of all levels gather at a Wallingford coffee spot that also serves wine, beer & fabulous hot chocolate.
Our Weeknight Gatherings are drop-in friendly Zoom gatherings once a month.