Earth Altars Ceremony Community Agreements

We Agree…

Our time together is more than a gathering–we are agreeing to enter into a ceremony. Guidelines are not rules but tending practices that help us create a space of trust, growth, and reciprocity, together. Although I doubt there is a pressing need with this particular group, the agreements below will help establish a tone of reverence and a deeper sense of ease for everyone.  (Registration form is at the bottom of this page.)

Our guidelines are a touchstone for how we engage—with curiosity and a commitment and care. Please take the time to read them fully and agree to follow them before committing to be a part of the ceremony. 

0. Zone Zero – Honorable Harvest + Ask Permission

We agree to participate in an honorable harvest, respecting the boundaries that Susan Reed and Michael Reed have set for foraging material on the farm:

1. No berries or fruit may be picked from the trees or cacti–Michael will offer clear guidance.
2. Guests are expressly not allowed access to the horses.
3. The barn is completely off limits, including bales of hay.

Please befriend these constraints–as much as the magical hawthorn tree might seem to be calling you… if you listen more deeply, she is being guarded by a powerful wizard!

1. Commitment to Be Present 

Each of you will play an integral part in the ceremony, with all of us relying on one another to show up on time and stay through dinner which will be a continuation of the ceremony. If you cannot arrive on time or stay for the full duration including dinner, please wait and leave space for someone who is able to fully support and be supported by the group.  

Video Recording and Photography Release

This event is Susan’s final project to receive teacher certification. To help with evaluation and for future presentations to demonstrate what her interpretation of this practice is, portions of the ceremony will be recorded by Michael’s friend and videographer, Danny O’Sullivan. Shared reflections and “group harvests” will NOT be recorded to protect everyone’s privacy. A model release form will need to be submitted once your registration is accepted – CLICK HERE

Diet Restrictions? 

Our friend and talented chef, Alex McClement, will be cooking up a sit-down dinner for us! Please let Susan Preston know about any dietary restrictions on the registration form below. 

2. Honoring the Sacredness of Your Experience

Vulnerability  –  What is shared in this space is held with care and kindness, and will not be shared outside of the circle without permission.

Every Voice Matters — We encourage you to show up as fully as you are able, offering reflections, asking questions, and participating in our shared dialogue. Your presence is a gift, and when you share, you help create the container we are all held in.

Listening & Speaking —If there are moments when you need to listen more than speak, honor that. But when you do feel the edge of hesitation, consider leaning in, speaking the truth and trusting emergence.

If you are often the first to speak, please consider leaning back and giving equal space for those who may be more hesitant.

3. Circle Sharing: Take a Little, Leave a Lot

Brevity – Let your words be like a single leaf placed on the altar—intentional, meaningful, and enough. Practice being present to what is being shared – not to withhold but to create space for others to speak and be heard.

Maintaining the Thread – While we honor wandering and the beauty of story, we ask you to stay rooted in the topic at hand. If your share begins to drift just a bit too much, a facilitator may gently guide you back.

Be in the Moment – Speak and create from what is truly alive in you. You don’t need to rehearse or perform—just show up honestly. Ask yourself: Does my share feed the circle, or simply fill it?

4. Circle of Belonging

Diversity – We honor and respect all identities, ancestry, perspectives, and life experiences, knowing we have much to learn from each other.

No Cross-Talking –  During harvest sessions a feather will be given to each participant to hold while speaking. If the feather is not in your hand, please do not interrupt or ask questions until the speaker has indicated their offering is complete.

No Advice-Giving  – We practice discernment in how we engage with each other’s experiences—before offering advice, opinions, or assistance, we first ask if they are wanted.

Confidentiality – Stories and experiences offered in the circle stay in the circle, unless we have explicit permission to share them elsewhere.

Boundaries – We ask each other not only if support is wanted, but how we want to relate to what we’ve shared. After someone speaks, we check in: Is it okay to follow up? Do you want reflection, witnessing, or space? We practice asking for and honoring permission.

5. The Gift of Discomfort

Transformation is often uncomfortable – Just as storms shape the land, inquiry and growth often invite us to stay present with what is challenging.

If something feels uncomfortable or unexpected, we invite you to pause. Ask yourself: Can I slow down and sit with the discomfort without needing anything to change? Can I take a deep breath and get curious–is what I’m experiencing something I can tend to from the within? Can I exercise discernment between what can be tended to as an inside job vs something I need to say or bring to another?

Rather than retreating or shutting down, bring your experience forward to Susan Preston or Michael. Often, staying with what feels challenging opens the door to insight, resilience, and real transformation. If something feels truly unsafe, we trust you to name it. But discomfort, when tended to with care, can be a guide.

6. Tending to Your Body

Snacks, water, and tea will be available. Feel free to get up, stretch, lie down, walk around and go to the bathroom.

7. Navigating Challenges with Openness

If a challenge arises that makes someone consider leaving our ceremony, we invite an open conversation first with Susan Preston or Michael. If there is a rupture, we will do our best to repair it. We value tending to what is here before letting it go.

Likewise, should there be a time when we must ask someone to step away, which is highly unlikely, we commit to approaching that conversation with care and clarity.

*While the ceremony is a practice of creativity, connection, and personal transformation, it is also held within clear boundaries that protect the well-being of all. We ask that all participants uphold respectful and relational conduct throughout their time together on the farm.