Course · Virtual
A Year of Seasonal Ceremony
Join Megan Sheldon & Alyssa Ackerman for a year-long journey to acknowledge the changing seasons, to deepen our relationship with ritual, and to connect with a community of care.
This is an invitation for people who want to acknowledge the turning of the seasons within a community of care. There will be four seasonal ceremonies and four connection circles, inviting us to slow down and reconnect with the natural rhythms of life. Each gathering is designed to deepen our connection with ourselves, with each other, and with nature.
- When
- Saturdays 10am PT · 8 gatherings across 2026
- Format
- Virtual
- Price
- $450.00 USD
Who is this for?
This year-long experience is designed for anyone seeking more ritual in their lives, as well as an opportunity to co-create an intentional community of care. We will connect with each applicant to ensure they are a good fit.
What to expect
Four Seasonal Ceremonies: these guided ceremonies occur at the turn of each season, inviting us to collectively gather, share and acknowledge the visible and invisible changes around us and within us. We share our knowledge, wisdom and teachings around the season we’re moving into, including symbols, metaphors and archetypes.
Four Connection Circles: these quarterly circles invite us to gather as a community of care to acknowledge the in-between moments. They are unscripted and co-created by whoever shows up, reminding us to flex our ritual muscles during the less visible moments and milestones. Our circles are 60–90 minutes long, with the invitation to linger after if conversations are flowing.
What you'll learn
In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to lose track of the natural rhythms of the year. Seasonal gatherings provide a way to ground ourselves in the natural world, connect with our community, and acknowledge the cycles of change that shape our lives. We love the idea of reconnecting during the visible and invisible moments of change throughout the year.
Schedule
We host four 2-hour seasonal ceremonies and four 1-hour connection circles. Our gatherings are held over Zoom on Saturdays starting at 10am PT. They are recorded and shared if you can’t attend live. Our gatherings are based in the Northern Hemisphere; we welcome people from the Southern Hemisphere to join and adapt accordingly.
We ask that everyone commit to attending all four seasonal ceremonies (pending unforeseen circumstances) with your video turned on. The in-between season Connection Circles are optional but we strongly encourage you to join those as well. All gatherings will be recorded in case you miss one.
What's included
This includes eight virtual gatherings, access to a private community forum, and a digital copy of our Living Calendar full of rituals, prompts and seasonal reflections. You can request a $100 scholarship if finances are a burden.
Curriculum
Connection Circle · Sat, Jan 31, 2026, 10:00 a.m. PSTMid Winter Circle
This first connection circle will introduce us to one another, sharing stories, reflections and intentions for the year ahead.
Seasonal Ceremony · Sat, Mar 21, 2026, 10:00 a.m. PDTSpring Ceremony
Spring is a time of hope, renewal and new beginnings. Together, we will explore the symbols, metaphors and archetypes of spring, and learn about spring rituals. This gathering will foster a sense of belonging as we cultivate a renewed sense of possibility and look to the future with hope.
Connection Circle · Sat, May 9, 2026, 10:00 a.m. PDTMid Spring Circle
Our second connection circle will invite us to notice the subtle shifts and transitions between spring and summer.
Seasonal Ceremony · Sat, Jun 20, 2026, 10:00 a.m. PDTSummer Ceremony
Summer symbolizes a time of peak growth in nature, mirroring the potential for growth and abundance within ourselves and our communities. This gathering will offer an opportunity to slow down, deepen our understanding, and create moments of deep connection.
Connection Circle · Sat, Jul 25, 2026, 10:00 a.m. PDTMid Summer Circle
Our third connection circle will create opportunity to learn with and from each other, sharing the rituals we’re inviting into daily life.
Seasonal Ceremony · Sat, Sep 19, 2026, 10:00 a.m. PDTFall Ceremony
Fall symbolizes a time of gratitude, reflection, and acceptance of the natural cycles. It’s a time of letting go, as the days grow shorter and the weather cools. This gathering will create space for reflection, storytelling, and release so we can move into a new season with clarity.
Connection Circle · Sat, Nov 7, 2026, 11:00 a.m. PDTMid Fall Circle
Our final connection circle will invite us to share how the year has unfolded and where we are wanting to deepen our practice.
- Seasonal Ceremony · Sat, Dec 19, 2026, 11:00 a.m. PDT
Winter Ceremony
Winter, while often associated with dormancy, also symbolizes a time of inward reflection, restoration and preparation for what’s to come. This gathering will focus on nurturing our resilience, strengthening our connections, and finding strength in the face of adversity.
Facilitators
Megan Sheldon
Megan Sheldon (she/her) is a cultural mythologist, humanist celebrant, end-of-life doula, and co-founder of Be Ceremonial, the world's first guided ritual and ceremony platform. She is the author of Ritual Without Religion: A Humanist Guide to Creating Secular Ceremonies, and has spent years crafting ceremonies across the life cycle, with a focus on grief and the less visible moments of change and transition.
Alyssa Ackerman
Alyssa Rose is a grief guide and death doula in Portland, Oregon. She works with individuals and small groups navigating deep change and loss, tending to the body, mind, and spirit, and co-creating beautiful ritual spaces for the deep soul work of grieving. She hosts monthly grief rituals and annual retreats, works with clients one-to-one, and trains practitioners in becoming grief literate. With a background in Eastern and Western healing modalities, end-of-life work, trauma-informed coaching, animist psychology, and integrative coaching, Alyssa is committed to creating a grief-literate culture and developing resilient modern villages.
