Embracing Grief Together: Community Grief Ritual

“Communal grieving offers something that we cannot get when we grieve by ourselves. Through validation, acknowledgment, and witnessing, communal grieving allows us to experience a level of healing that is deeply and profoundly freeing.”— Sobonfu Somé

Why Grieve Together?

We all carry grief—whether from personal loss, ancestral wounds, or the sorrows of the world. When grief remains unexpressed, it can weigh heavily on our bodies, hearts, and spirits. In community, we create a safe and sacred space where grief can move, allowing us to soften into the tenderness of our souls and the openness of our hearts.

Grieving together dissolves isolation, nurtures belonging, and reminds us that we do not carry our sorrow alone.

An Invitation to Gather

We welcome you to join us for a Community Grief Ritual:

• Friday, April 25 | 6:00 – 9:00 PM
• Santa Barbara, CA 
• This event is free, with donations welcomed.  Reserve your spot

The Power of Ritual

Our culture often teaches us to suppress grief, urging us to “move on” or “stay strong.” Yet grief, when honored, can be a profound teacher—deepening our capacity for love, connection, and renewal.

By acknowledging and honoring our pain, we can open to it, experience it, and move through it.

This ritual is not about fixing or analyzing grief. It is about witnessing, honoring, and releasing—held in the steady presence of drums, song, movement, and community. Based on the teachings from Sobonfu Somé, Malidoma Patrice Somé, Francis Weller, Joanna Macy, Laurence Cole and many other influences.

What to Expect

• Journaling & Reflection – To explore and give voice to what longs to be expressed.
• Small Group Sharing – A space to be seen and heard in the presence of compassionate witnesses.
• Practices from The Work That Reconnects – Inspired by the teachings of Joanna Macy, we will engage in guided exercises that help transform grief into connection, courage, and renewed purpose.
• Collective Grief Ceremony – With drumming, singing, and movement, we create a sacred container where grief can be held, honored, and released.

Together, we create a village of support, reminding each other that no one grieves alone.

Join Us

This is an opportunity to soften, to feel, and to come home to yourself in the presence of a caring community.

Reserve your spot here: Community Grief Ritual Registration

Let us gather in remembrance, in release, and in renewal. You are welcome here.

For more insights on the power of community grief, listen to Sobonfu Somé on Why It’s Important to Feel and Express Grief.