FEATURED POST
How to hold collective grief
We are living through a time of massive, unacknowledged collective grief. It’s not just personal loss we’re carrying, but the weight of a world that no longer feels familiar or safe. Grief was never meant to be carried alone—so how might we begin to gather, to name what aches, and to make meaning together?
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How to hold collective grief
We are living through a time of massive, unacknowledged collective grief. It’s not just personal loss we’re carrying, but the weight of a world that no longer feels familiar or safe. Grief was never meant to be carried alone—so how might we begin to gather, to name what aches, and to make meaning together?
You don’t need all the answers — just a place to begin.
You don’t need all the answers—just a place to begin. Sometimes, the best gatherings emerge in response to the world around us, offering connection and action when uncertainty feels overwhelming. Whether it’s a café-turned-fundraiser, a circle of therapists supporting each other, or a dinner to hold space for grief and hope, gathering is a powerful way to move from despair to possibility.
When gathering becomes a lifeline.
We often think of gathering as something we do only in good times or for celebration. Yet, in moments of greatest need, gathering becomes a true superpower. By embracing the role of artful gatherers, we can seek out opportunities to ask what those most affected—whether ourselves or others—truly need in this moment.
Unpopular Gathering Opinions from 2024
We often assume that to gather well everything has to be perfect. But perfection keeps us from connecting with one another when we need it most. Let go of perfection, and embrace the giddy abandon of throwing a gathering you would want to attend.
How to cool down this year’s family gatherings
If you, like millions of Americans, are traveling to spend time with an extended circle, you may be thinking more than usual about how to help the group connect (or just not blow up). Conflict resolution facilitators are taught to hold healthy heat. And sometimes that means turning the temperature down, while still maintaining connection.
The pre-gathering texts that make your palms sweat
Gathering with intention has a way of bringing up squirmy conversations that most of us would rather avoid. When most people would rather sidestep a delicate interaction, the artful gatherer steps in. Read more about how to handle the three kinds of texts that haunt every host (and what to do about them).
Turning up the heat in your gatherings (without burning down the house)
It’s natural to want to avoid tension, especially in group settings. Most of us are taught to keep things comfortable and conflict-free (I come from a family of ostriches myself!). But when we prioritize avoiding tension above all else, our gatherings become vague and diluted. After all, heat is relevance.
Sometimes, you just gotta throw the better party.
Rick Ingrasci, always said: “If you want to create a new culture, throw a better party.” Building joy around a shared purpose is at the very center of artful gathering, and it’s something we can all learn to do.
Why Designing for Introverts is Better for Everyone.
You can gather well even if you weren’t the star of your high school theater production. Quieter super hosts tend to rely on design rather than, say, the force of their personality to create artful gatherings. And you can, too.
5 ways to gather without breaking the bank
The artful gatherer is more focused on meaning than money, on crafting connection than celebrating consumption. And one of the wonderful things about meaning is that while it’s not cheap, it is free.
Feeling Disconnected? Your room setup might be at fault.
One of the biggest mistakes we make when we gather is we accept the physical setup we’re given, even when it doesn’t serve our needs. But by taking a second to help the room find the right physical formation, we can tighten the social contract and help remind our gatherers, after all, why they are there.
Meetings are now your culture carriers
It’s easy to get frustrated with hybrid meetings. And they’re increasingly important. When people can work from anywhere, and some are in the office, and many are remote, the primary way we now experience each other is through meetings. It's time to get good at them.
Wait, do we need a ceremony for this?
When we pay attention, we use ceremony to mark (or invent) notable transitions. We invite others to witness and partake and help us make something that can feel nebulous visible.
5 Ways to Quickly Build Belonging
In our gatherings, it’s easy to confuse “belonging” for “sameness.” Belonging is about more than just our shared connections or interests: it’s about feeling a part of the whole without having to all be the same.
Filling your gathering cup
Gathering with intention and care is a life-affirming practice. Whether navigating life changes, feeling the heaviness of the world, or breaking free from an uninspired rut, making time for community is vital.
Three things I’ve learned in 2023
As we wind down 2023, I wanted to take a moment to close out the year together. (Because, just as an artful gatherer spends time opening their gathering, they also take time to close it.)
Gathering in Tender Times
This season, especially in the midst of so much loss and grief in the world, I invite you to ask yourself how you might gather in ways that are nourishing for you and the people around you.
Meaning As Medicine
As we enter a season of end-of-year festivities, I invite you to reflect on the gatherings that have nourished you, and which you feel grateful to have attended. Why do we experience some gatherings as a balm, whereas others feel procedural?
3 Mistakes We Make When We Gather
As we enter fall, I wanted to share with you the three most common mistakes we keep making when we gather (myself included). And what to try instead.
And the Summer’s Gathering MVPs Are….
What do Taylor Swift, Greta Gerwig and Beyoncé have in common besides creating culture-defining work that has given the entire economy a post-pandemic boost? I’ll give you one guess
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Plan with purpose for any occasion
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Improve your virtual meetings
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