What to Expect

Spirit Weavers Gathering began with a vision and a handful of women coming together to share skills from their various paths and traditions. It has been truly inspiring to learn just how many women are hearing the call to this work of remembering, and we have worked hard each year to increase our capacity to accommodate as many women as we can possibly hold within a brave & intentional container. Continuing in our tradition we are offering two different, back-to-back sessions to accommodate the growing community. These are the Sun Session and the Moon session.

The best way to get a ticket is to join our mailing list or follow the @spiritweavers Instagram account so that you are among the first to hear when registration opens.  In the past, registration has filled within minutes so it is best to plan ahead and be prepared to purchase tickets at the time they go on sale.

IF TICKETS SELL OUT: To help facilitate the waitlist process, we set up  a Mighty Networks page specifically for people to trade tickets if they are no longer able to join. We hope that if you do feel called to join us, you will be able to get a ticket in this way!

The organizers of Spirit Weavers are committed to making sure these these skills are accessible to those in need from all different walks of life. We offer tickets on a sliding-scale system, which provides flexible pricing, so you can pay according to your circumstances.  If you want to come, but can’t afford the ticket at all, there are opportunities to volunteer in exchange for a ticket.  We have over 200 volunteer positions that you can apply for in March. We also offer payment plans for tickets with automatic monthly deductions to pay over several months. This year we are offering 19 scholarships which you can find out more about here.   You can also visit our blogpost on how to attend Spirit Weavers on a budget.

Spirit Weavers is a nine-month planning process which includes a paid staff.  All full-time teachers receive a travel stipend to attend the gathering.  Our main expense is the gathering land and its facilities, Cedar Bloom – which is an ongoing investment for our community year after year. Funds are reinvested back into the land through upgrades and projects that will benefit all who visit the land throughout the year for the gathering and hipcamp.

The second largest expense is the food and catering costs for daily meals for 700 women. With our two sessions spanning over a two week period this comes to a total of 15,000 meals! Additional costs include event rentals, supplies for all areas, and many other expenses that come up throughout the year.  Each year we donate a percentage of ticket sales to a handful of selected organizations which we will announce in the spring after ticket sales.  This is a small but valuable way to honour Indigenous Sovereignty and to help protect the land and water.

• A space to gather, share and learn together as one

• 5 days of camping in a beautiful serene forested and riverside setting

• A variety of campsites throughout the land with close access to showers and bathrooms

• 8 organic, local, delicious and nutritious vegan or vegetarian breakfasts and dinners. (Lunch not included)

• 3 full days of skill share classes (up to nine classes depending on your choices – some of these classes have an additional fee for materials)

• Daily morning practices – options include offerings such as: yoga, tea ceremony, and meditation

• Nightly evening activities, including star gazing, music around the fire and performances

• Always brewing and flowing hot tea in the Tea House

• Access to our Wellness Area, a free, fully stocked herbal apothecary staffed by expert clinical herbalists who can assist you with any ailments, and our on-call registered nurse

• A place to seek support and care for any kind of internal struggle or challenge that comes up through our Empowerment Center , staffed by our team of certified clinical therapists and counselors

• A cozy and comforting place to gather around your moontime: Our Red Tent

• Access to the Mama Bear Lodge where mamas and babies can relax and be supported by other mamas.

Accommodation rentals become available the day after ticket sales. This year they will be available on January 21st, 2024.

Rental prices for a full weekend for canvas tents and yurts vary from $555-$999, depending on how many people they can accommodate.  If you are staying for both gatherings, you will be able to pay for the two full weekends at the time of purchase.  The rental accommodations are great for elders and families, or those flying in from a distance and unable to bring their own camping gear.

Class sign ups do not happen online, but rather onsite on the first day of the gathering.

On Thursday’s arrival day, you will have the opportunity to meet all the instructors and learn more about classes at our instructor meet n greet from 2-3pm. Then, class signups will happen immediately following Opening Ceremony that afternoon. It is very important to plan to be present on Thursday so you can experience the whole process.  After opening ceremony and class signups take place, all offerings will be posted on the class schedule board along with class details. After the official class signup process happens, you can always visit the info board throughout the weekend and continue to sign up for classes there. Each morning at announcements, all classes for the day will be re-announced and many teachers are open to drop-ins!

A note on class sign ups:

We are continuing to refine and streamline the class sign up experience every year.  We believe it would be a disservice to allow sign up’s online before we have a chance to see/hear/feel the presence of the teacher, and find that hearing someone speak about their offering touches our heart in a way that can often result in signing up for completely different classes than we initially imagined we would!  Hosting class sign ups on-site in person allows us all to be guided to new experiences and new discoveries about who we are and who we are becoming.  You can read more about our class sign process here.

At one gathering session, you will be able to take approximately 3 to 6 classes of your choice depending on which classes you choose.

Class times vary from 1 1/2 hours to 8 hours depending on the classes.  Yoga and dance will be around 1.5 hours where the more involved classes such as pottery or instrument making will be longer.  The longer classes will be broken up into sessions of 3 hours each.

Classes and teachers will be introduced Thursday afternoon and sign ups for classes will begin after introductions Thursday evening. Class sizes are limited so you may not get your first choice but will have many other options to choose from.

While it is possible to attend Spirit Weavers on a budget , it is recommended that you bring at least $200 cash if you are able to.   Classes involving materials can range from a few dollars for supplies such as yarn, to $50 or more for more intricate craft classes. Lunch is not included in your gathering ticket, but there are a limited number of food vendors on site at lunchtime with healthy meals and treats for purchase. In addition, we have our very own artisan Marketplace, Healing Village and Adornment Space where over 50 professional, sustainable crafters of our community come together to share the fruits of their labor.

Spirit Weavers is held outdoors in nature, on a private property with forested and grassy terrain. Most areas of the gathering are all within a 5 minute walk of each other, excluding the Tea Temple (8-10 minute walk), car camping area (8-10 minute walk) parking lot (10 minute walk), and Archery Range  (10-15 minute walk).

Terrain includes a semi-paved dirt road (gravel + packed dirt), grass meadows, and mostly flat ground. The more forested areas are still grass and dirt, with dirt walking paths connecting them.

The road from the main camp/ kitchen/bathrooms up to the camping area includes a small incline, which can accommodate manual wheelchairs with assistance, and electric chairs without assistance. There is also an incline leading up to the Healing Village area.

We reserve a designated accessibility camp in a central location, close to the main camp (3 minutes walk.) This includes a designated ADA accessible toilet. There are two shower facilities, each with one-two steps to access. There is one shower stall located on the outside wall of the Bath House facility which is flat ground and accessible by wheelchair.

There are two river access points. The Mermaid Rock access point is less accessible, with rocky terrain and a steeper hike down an incline. The Keiki Beach access point is more accessible, with a small hill leading to a wider pebble beach. River access can be accommodated for wheelchairs with assistance.

Seating is mostly ground seating for classes/ morning announcements, and attendees are expected to bring their own seating as needed. There are some picnic benches spread out throughout the land, and plastic folding chairs with backs can be provided by request.

Sign language interpreters will be provided by Spirit Weavers Gathering as needed.

Some classes and workshops at the Gathering involve screaming, yelling, crying or loud expressive noises. You can talk to specific instructors at our instructor meet n greet on Thursday about what their class will include. We will also offer a key in our program to indicate these classes whenever possible.

For specific accessibility questions please email info@spiritweaversgathering.com

Open camping is included for all in attendance at the Gathering.  The Cedar Bloom Land is an expansive forest property that has ample room to set up camp where and how you’d like. If you’re bringing your own camping equipment, make sure you’re familiar with how to set up your tent before you arrive! Practice at home or with a friend if you aren’t familiar.

If you bring your own camping gear, it’s first come first serve, so arriving on the earlier side will afford you the most options when choosing where to set up your tent.  Arriving early is also suggested so that you can acclimate and familiarize yourself with the land and it’s facilities.

If you’re flying in or don’t have camping gear, we have accommodations for rent. The rental accommodations are set up village style, with a “yurt village” and a “stout tent village.” If you rented accommodation, it will be ready for you when you arrive.

We ask that you arrive on time and stay the full length of the gathering. We also ask that you camp on the land with everyone else in the designated camping zones, and not seek outside housing or camp out of bounds.  If you don’t have camping equipment, you may want to think about borrowing some from a friend, renting or purchasing some.  With respect for the container, we ask that there is no coming and going, on and off the land aside from the lunch breaks. Please think of this as a an opportunity to commit yourself to the offerings of the land and Gathering by being fully present the entire time.

For those who prefer a more relaxed pace for arriving, grounding, and setting up, gates will open as early as 9am on Thursday, the first day. The gathering will not officially begin until 3pm for opening Ceremony, and the first community meal will not be served until 7pm that evening. We ask that both Sun and Moon Session attendees who are not official gathering staff be prepared to disembark on their return journey home by noon Monday.

In addition to an on-call Nurse, we also are proud of our fully stocked apothecary with a rotating staff of trained clinical herbalists making sure that all of your minor aches and pains are cared for with the abundant medicine mother nature provides.  Read more about the Wellness Area here.

Breakfast and dinner will be provided daily to all 750 attendees from our main kitchen.

You will be responsible for providing or sourcing your own lunches (see our food vendors list)

A simple plant based vegetarian menu, developed to satisfy the needs of most attendees, will be offered by the main kitchen during your stay. A sample menu will be posted on our website. You can expect colorful vibrant food inspired by varying cuisines consisting of an abundance of seasonal fare, local produce, grains, legumes, seeds and mushrooms. 

Please note, we are unable to accommodate special dietary food requests, however, if you have food requirements because of a medically diagnosed condition, please contact us immediately to see if we can meet your needs. Always contact our chef and ask servers about ingredients if you have specific dietary concerns.

Food provided from our main kitchen will be plant-based, soy free & gluten free. Meals will be mainly vegetarian with vegan options available. Bone broth and eggs will be served daily during breakfasts. We encourage everyone to bring supplementary foods and snacks especially if you are used to an animal protein diet. 

**Please remember to bring your own Mess Kit (aka: plate, bowl, cup, fork, knife, spoon) to every meal as we do not provide any!**

For the 11th annual 2024 Gathering, our intention is to return to our roots and original vision of Spirit Weavers Gathering. This original vision was one of sharing hard skills and crafts, all with the intention and viewpoint being shared with honor, and in sacred communion with Mother Earth.

Over the last decade, Spirit Weavers has become known for its profound ceremonial and life changing offerings,  and as a place where deep transformational work was taking place. The classes offered over the years have ranged widely from craft and skillsharing to ceremony, ritual, and spirituality based classes.

We are grateful for the whole spectrum of experiences and classes that have been shared at Spirit Weavers. After a decade of gathering, we’ve learned about the capacity and nature of our shared gathering container. We envision the gathering as a place to come together to learn new tools, dip your toes in with new skills, meet people, and connect over skillshare.  Through hands-on craft, we can connect to the land and to each other in a grounded way, making space for the deeper ceremonial work to continue outside the gathering container.

There are a handful of ceremonies that have been a part of the heart of Spirit Weavers from the beginning, and these will continue. This year for the 2024 gathering, our intention is to call in more hard skills and traditional crafts offered by makers and artisans in our workshops and class offerings.

We welcome all ages and all walks of life to come and share with us each year. When choosing instructors and workshop offerings, we go through an extensive application process, calling in instructors and facilitators who are committed to their wisdom path/lineage and have permission to share their craft with integrity in a honoring & respectful way. It’s important to us that we are offering a range of different workshops and teachings that all encourage exploration in our lives and souls and that each class is chosen in hopes it will serve our community in an uplifting way.

We receive hundreds of applications and often many of them are multiple offers of a similar class. We have also chosen many of the same classes and teachers year after year, and this year may be calling in a range of new offerings that haven’t yet been shared at Spirit Weavers.

Our main vision for classes offered at the gathering are Earth-Based Skills, Craft, Environmental Education, Women’s Empowerment, Sustainability, Homesteading and Herbalism.  We look for those who have cultivated their spirit, practice, and a passion to share their wisdom and teachings. These inspiring beings have begun to grow their own roots through years of studies with various teachers and/or mentors and are now open to pass along their craft or skill.

We have a limited amount of vending spaces open each year in our beautiful Spirit Weavers Marketplace. We call in a diverse range of goods and artisans, and have an application process in order to curate our Marketplace offerings.

The applications for the 2024 Marketplace will be be open from February 9th-19th, 2024.

Learn more on our Marketplace page.

It takes a village to run a village! Spirit Weavers Gathering is staffed by a handful of different groups with varying levels of responsibility that come together in a coordinated way to make our village life flow as smoothly and beautifully as possible.

In the beginning, Spirit Weavers started small – with just 75 women gathered on family land in southern California.  Mea organized the first gathering on her own with guidance from her elders, experiences at other Ancestral skills gatherings, and through prayer.  In the second year, several sisters stepped forward to assist in all the planning, communication, registration, promotion, food service, and rentals. This was a huge undertaking and we quickly learned that if the gathering were to expand to include more of us, we would definitely need more support.  The web has expanded year after year in an organic and dynamic weaving of roles and beings – ever shifting as we learn and grow together.

Now going into the 11th year, we have a small core team of 3 doing the back-end production work over the year, which is supported by our specialized hub leads that manage and curate each different area of our shared village. We are then joined on the land by our larger web of staff, worktrade volunteers and production team members, coming together in co-creating and bringing the whole village to fruition!

Each year we open a “Call for Community” in which women can step forth into various roles to help make our web complete.

When engaging in many days of physical and inner community work. there is potential and quite natural that emotions can come up to be acknowledged and integrated. In an unfamiliar environment without many of our identity pieces and creature comforts, sometimes processing can feel intense.

The Empowerment Center is freely available for all in attendance. The Empowerment Center offers the support of trained counselors and professional psychologists ready to hold space for those needing serious emotional or acute psychological support throughout our time together.

In addition, we offer a Healing Village of practitioners who have professional experience helping our bodies, minds, and hearts to integrate all of our new experiences.

Seva means “selfless service”.

Sevā (“say-va”, also transcribed as sewa), in Hinduism and Sikhism, is the concept of selfless service that is performed without any expectation of result or award for performing it. Such services can be performed to benefit other human beings or society.

Our Seva are dedicated and hard working volunteers who make this gathering possible through the service of their hearts in exchange for a gathering ticket.   We offer over 200 positions for a work exchange opportunity.  Applications for our Seva Work Trade Program become available in March.

The magic of the gathering is that we are cocreating it together! What makes Spirit Weavers different from just a retreat is everyone’s participation and sharing. It takes a village to run a village! We welcome everyone to get involved, and there are a few ways to do that at the gathering:

• Volunteer to serve a meal! We will call for meal servers each morning and this is a great and fun opportunity to help and give back. There will be a signup board at the info booth for meal serving schedule.
• Volunteer to wash dishes after meals
• Help in the Mama Bear Lodge with Mama shower hour
• Check in at the info booth for more volunteer opportunities

The Sun & Moon Sessions are basically the same.  It’s just two separate weekends with some overlapping Instructors and some new Instructors as well.