About this Event
Join The Living Circle!
A free monthly gathering for anyone who wants to practice slowing down in nature and reconnect — with themselves, with others, and with the natural world.
Why this group
Not only in my roles as therapist and father, but in my own animal body, I sense our essential need to be immersed in nature. If you're anything like me, after only a few minutes outside I can feel my nervous system exhale — releasing tension I didn't even know I was carrying. The slowly swaying branches, the drifting clouds, birdsong. This group creates space to experience that, not alone, but alongside other humans seeking the same thing.
What we'll be doing
We'll move through a simple 4-part group practice developed by the late, great environmental activist and eco-philosopher Joanna Macy, a longtime Bay Area resident and a huge inspiration of mine. Joanna created a framework called The Work That Reconnects, centered around a practice called The Spiral (feel free to research it, but it's in no way required. Come unprepared, you'll be fine!).
The Spiral moves through four stages:
- Beginning with gratitude
- Honoring our pain for the world
- Seeing with new eyes
- Going forth
Each session builds on the last, but you can drop in anytime without getting lost — and if you can't make every session, no worries. Each one stands on its own.
What to expect
This is not a therapy group, though the facilitator is a licensed therapist and this outdoor space welcomes whatever is alive in you right now — shared listening, practices to attune to the world around us, and room for grief, gratitude, and everything in between.
Where
Meet at Fulton & Chain of Lakes Dr. In your map app route to "Wise Forest Preschool". (No, we won't be meeting at a preschool, it's just a conveniently located landmark on Google Maps!) From there, we'll take a short walk to where we'll settle in.
Is it really free? If so, why?!
Yes, it's really free. This is an offering I wanted to be a part of and haven't found it in the city, so I've created it.
What to bring
- A journal or paper and something to write with
- A blanket or mat to sit on
- Layers, for the changing temps of western GGP!
Event venue & nearby stays
Wise Forest Preschool, 37.771029, -122.503960, San Francisco, United States
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.