Taking Flight in the Heron Moon 🦅☀️
Tomorrow's Reflection Jam + Season on Flourishing + Are you a Flamekeeper?
01/ Tomorrow – Heron Moon Reflection Jam (5/4, 5–7pm) ✍️
In the Heron Moon (May), fledgling herons begin to make their first tentative flights from the nest, learning to navigate their surroundings in their awkward transition toward the grace of adulthood. Join us as we welcome the Season on Flourishing to embody purpose and meaning.
Join us for our monthly Reflection Jam! Take stock of the past month through guided journaling and sharing, accompanied by cozy lofi beats. Honor your experiences with thoughtful prompts and close with a simple intention ritual. More details here.
“Worth the two hours and worth coming back.” —Participant
“Lovely, beautiful time to be, to pause, to let all of those unfelt things be felt, unnamed moments to be spoken.” —Participant
🗓 Sunday, May 4, 5–7pm, 📍550 Laguna (The Commons) — Register here
02/ Season on Flourishing: Sharing Your Gifts 🌻
This month in the Contemplarium Year – our ritual calendar observing the human journey in the San Francisco Bay Area – we mark the transition from the Season on Becoming (Feb–Apr) to the Season on Flourishing (May–Jul).
The Season on Flourishing begins here in May, when the abundant wildflowers begin to yield seeds. Through the season, they set, ripen and self-sow, or are collected by foraging birds. The heat intensifies as the days grow long.
In our human journey, this is the season we honor the enduring pursuit of purpose and meaning, the continuous striving for a life well-lived. Through our callings—realized through the work we do, the people we care for, the battles we fight, the decisions we make, or the art we create—we shape and share our legacies.
The present turning of the season celebrates this transition from inward growth to outward contribution. We welcome those who have come of age in the past year to the ongoing life of our community, to which we all share a responsibility. A blessing of the hands appreciates the difference each of us makes to one other.
As we enter this season, what gifts might you be ready to share with the world? How are you called to flourish where you're planted?
03/ Are You a "Flamekeeper"? 🔥
Do you...
Find yourself naturally supporting others through life's challenges, but want to grow in your ability to do it better?
Volunteer to serve others in your community through emotional support and human connection, but are missing a sense of support and personal growth while doing so?
Have friends who've asked if you've considered being a therapist or life coach, but that's not your career calling (for now at least)?
You might be what we call a "Flamekeeper" – a person who tends the "flame" of human dignity in the people around you.
Does this describe you? Let's be in touch. We're just starting to explore how we can serve the needs of the Flamekeepers in our city, as they deeply align with the Contemplarium mission.
Keep your eye out for more about this soon!
04/ What have we been up to? 💫
🌱 Welcoming Ray Liu. We're thrilled to introduce Ray Liu, our new Operations lead who is working with me to accelerate program development and new initiatives. He brings an exciting background at the intersection of startups, community-building, and education – he's already made a huge impact to bring velocity and learning to our new initiatives. With Ray's help, we're moving faster and more intentionally toward our vision of creating spaces where San Franciscans can honor their human journey.
🪔 Ongoing programming. At our Journey Groups at The Commons, we're continuing to deepen reflection – getting to know each other across our human journeys – and experimenting with formats to strengthen connection. And at our Squirrel Moon Reflection Jam last month, we once again found reflection and connection in community as we closed out the Season on Becoming.
(We are grateful to partner with The Commons to host programming in their incredible space. The Commons is a modern-day town square for communal meaning-making, personal discovery, and self-expression in the heart of San Francisco. Learn more about The Commons here.)
05/ Get timely updates through WhatsApp 📣
Want to hear about Contemplarium events and opportunities on WhatsApp as they approach? Join our announcement group at this link here. (It's easiest to open the link from your phone.)
That's it for now!
Like the fledgling herons just now leaving their nests, may we too find our place to fly, finding our purpose in the vast world before us. See you soon!
—Seanan, Founder of the SF Contemplarium
The San Francisco Contemplarium is a neighborhood institution for honoring our human journey, where you can engage with contemplative events & programs, installations, and community. Visit sfcontemplarium.org to learn more. See previous newsletters at sfcontemplarium.substack.com.