THE CAMPFIRE
We meet four times a year: spring, summer, fall, and winter. Mark your calendars and collect all the full moons!
Mark your calendar:
WINTER - Monday March 25, 2024
Theme: Evergreens, non-binary trees & personal truths
SPRING - Friday June 21, 2024
Theme: Solstice
SUMMER - Monday Aug 19, 2024
FALL - Thursday October 17, 2024
Theme: Emberwood’s anniversary
Cancellation policy
No reimbursements for no-shows, though by written e-mail request, you can transfer your payment to another month.
We will refund you if we email and cancel due to -27 C with windchill or other extreme weather events.
Location
Meet indoors at SSUC (Spiritual Seekers United in Community AKA Southminster-Steinhauer United Church).
Looking at the front of the building, the door on the right leads directly to Emberwood’s place.
Free parking in lot.
Map.
Emberwood’s quarterly 2SLGBTQIA+ gathering is a great place to connect with queer community, sample some eco-therapy, and check out the Emberwood vibe for the first time.
7:00 - 8:30 PM. Doors at 6:30 PM. Keheewin Park.
The night begins with a casual soft start indoors. We are indoors from 6:30 to 7:00 pm. Grab some tea, buy a treat, and hang out in Emberwood’s gear room. Borrow clothing layers from Emberwood’s Clothing Library if the weather is cool.
The guided portion begins at 7:00 pm with a just few activities. We head outside together for quiet time, beginning with a short meditation to get centred. We go for a gentle walk with some guided ‘forest bathing’ style invitations to try in nature. This is a silent, introvert-friendly time in nature. Then, you’ll have a short solo time. Back at the group, we have a campfire, and you’ll have some personal ritual time to burn things you write and to light candles. You might share something about your solo if you choose. After closing, some folks leave, and some stay and visit casually for a bit.
Full Moon fires are designed for young adults (grade 12 to 39) who are 2SLGBTQIA+. This is a queer and trans space. However, we heartily welcome allies and older ages. If you have been to other Emberwood events or are a family member or friend of a queer attendee, we would love to see you! Come along, just as you are.
FAQ
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Most people who attend are 2SLGBTQIA+. Allies are truly welcome, encouraged to come, and do attend. This makes it a safer space for closeted and questioning folks to join. No one ever asks identity questions. Folks are removed from photos if they indicate in their sign-up form that they do not want to be in photos. The themes are centred around nature, rather than queer topics. People seem to come from all sorts of gay and trans scenes from in the city (or from none) rather than being from an already established group. It’s like they’re people who like nature and/or exploring deeper meaning who happen to be queer too.
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Everyone brings their own spiritual perspective (or none) and can speak in language that is right for them. Yes we do rituals, but they are activities from mindfulness practices, eco-psychology and eco-therapy, not religious traditions. Emberwood works to be de-colonial and never appropriates from traditions that we do not have access to.
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These are introvert-friendly events. You may choose not to speak and it’s not seen as unusual at all. There is a nice mix of humour and quiet contemplation. These are guided events. There is no obligation to help the conversation flow or be a leader in any way, it is a place where you can finally just take a break. There’s no pressure to make friends or chit-chat. We think of these events as being “alone, together,” in a good way. There are some people who come to these events regularly, but we’ve found that this community is very smooth when people come for the first time (this space has not become a clique at all). Every month there are a couple new people. Some people come routinely, many come now-and-then, many try it once. We hope you give it a go.
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All colours, all cultures, all spiritual traditions or none, all bodies, all brains, all sizes, all statuses, all genders, all sexualities, all experience levels with the outdoors - ALL y’all are welcome! This is an adult space but if babes are in arms or a kid is running around, cool! Pets? No pets, except for service animals.
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