Dear Reader,

We all know scarcity well. It is a constant refrain - one the media serves up on the regular.

But I’ve come to believe that there is far more abundance all around us than we can easily see.

Most of the resources we have to support ourselves and each other aren’t visible in our bank accounts or our calendars — they are instead weaved and multiplied in our inter-relationship.

:::

Next weekend, I’m doing an experiment to try to dig up some of the hidden abundance held between us.

I’m hosting a Summer Solstice Gathering that’s unlike any retreat I’ve hosted before. Rather than planning out and taking on the whole experience myself, everyone who is coming is contributing something.

Seven people are guiding different parts of the day, someone is offering up their home for us to gather in, others are bringing the food for our communal dinner.

While I fully believe in financially compensating folks (and myself) fairly for our time and effort - especially the undervalued tending of spirituality and relationships - I also don’t like how inaccessible typical retreats end up being if you cost out every hour and expense that goes into them.

Because of that, I haven’t held an in-person retreat in years.

:::

But I wanted to experiment with something outside of our capitalist norms.

I reached out to folks who had expressed interest in hosting something with me and invited them to co-create a Solstice Gathering.

I told them the compensation would mostly be in dinner and flowers (we will each go home with our own organic flower bouquet! 🌸) with the chance to receive the magic of others, and be in community.

I invited them to consider whether contributing would be nourishing and gave them full permission to opt-out if it felt extractive in any way.

Gratefully - many people said yes and were excited to share their gifts with the group (see the full line up here).

Another group of folks extended their trust and registered to come - each making a small financial contribution and agreeing to bring the food that would feed us all.

I honestly can’t wait. 💗

:::

Some questions I’m tending to with this experiment...

“Could everyone who participates in this gathering—whether they are guiding a portion of it, organizing it, hosting it, or contributing a small financial amount and bringing food—feel truly nourished by the end?

Could the exchange feel reciprocal and overflowing with value and abundance for each person, even if very little money is exchanged?"

I don’t know the answer yet - I’ll have to tell you next week.

But I do know that in the world that I dream of, this work of tending ourselves and our collective is something that we do together.

It’s a practice we all build — not just those of us who hold the identity of coach or community builder or who do this work professionally.

It’s a world where we each bring our awareness to what we can give, receive, and gather in different seasons and cycles of our lives to tend to ourselves and one another.

In my mind - our collective flourishing requires nothing less. 💛

I hope this sparks you to think about hosting something similar (message me if you want a copy of my planning docs), or to come join us!

To tapping into the abundance that exists between us,

xo Jess