Introducing... Reconstruction Community: a monthly non-spiritual non-direction gathering

Coming at you between weekly essays with an exciting announcement!

Question: What is the worst part about leaving (or not fitting into) a religious community?

Answer: The loss of community.

(well and the loss of certainty, tricky relationships, lack of self trust, feeling directionless and lonely….. we’ll get to those too)

I’ve been toying with the idea of starting a non-spiritual non-direction group for some time now, and that time is now!

So introducing….. (drum roll please)

All through my spiritual direction training, I was dreaming up this group.

Let’s get to the essentials:

• When? second Sunday of every month at 11:00am-12:30pm Pacific Time

• Where? at a computer or phone near you! (aka on Zoom)

• Who? you potentially, me definitely

• Why? Because there is a lot of emphasis on the deconstructing- the tearing down, less so on reconstruction. Also, because we could all use some friends and scheduled time with our inner knowing.

• What? Each meeting will have a theme (listed below) and will consist of:

1. A lil’ meet and greet

2. A lil’ introduction and exploration of our topic for the month

3. A lil’ meditation

4. A lil’ journaling

5. A lil’ sharing

As for the monthly themes, I made a list of the subjects that come up most often with my spiritual direction clients and created our themes off of that list. Here’s what we got:

• March 10:  I don’t know what I’m doing: Reconstructing embracing uncertainty

• April 14: BUT WHAT ABOUT MY KIDS?!?!?! Reconstructing parenting

• May 12: Lean unto thine own understanding: Reconstructing self trust

• June 9: Let the soft animal of your body love what it loves: Reconstructing self compassion

• July 14: I deconstructed patriarchy… ouchie: Reconstructing patriarchy/equality

• August 11: But what if I have no purpose? Reconstructing nihilism and meaninglessness

• September 15: But what about my parents? Reconstructing relationships with believing and/or tricky family members

• October 13: But what is it I want? Reconstructing and defining core values

• November 10: How do I integrate gratitude in a way that feels authentic? Reconstructing gratitude

• December 8: Creating a Christmas time that works for you: Reconstructing the holiday season.

FAQ: 

How much $$?

It’s an on-going annual subscription. It’s $300 for a year.

Where do I sign up?

Through Substack. Under the “Manage your subscription” Right here:

On this page- choose “Reconstruction Community”

What if I’m new to the party and already missed some meetings?

No problem! This is an on-going annual membership, so there is no such thing as late-comers, just new members :) We’re stoked to have you! I haven’t released the topics for 2025, but we will keep meeting.

Will there be a replay sent out if I can’t come live?

Yes! I always record and send out the recording to all members :)

What if I’m already a paid subscriber?

You would need to upgrade your subscription to join us. As a member of the Reconstruction Community you also get access to monthly paid only posts.

Can I just come to one session?

Yes. Substack has a 7 day free trial for any founding subscription, so time it right and then delete your subscription and wham-o you got into one session for free.

Can I come if I’m not on a spiritual deconstruction/reconstruction journey?

A lot of each session will be spent in individual reflection/meditation and journaling, which is useful to anyone regardless of what is going on in their lives, so if you feel pulled to join us, come on in!

Can I come if I feel like I've already done all my deconstruction/reconstruction work?

Already checked that deconstruction check box have you? Good for you! We're all very happy for you. But yes, if you'd like to go a little deeper, meet some cool people who have gone through what you have, come on in!

Can I come if I'm still religious?

Yes of course, many of my clients still go to church and we do a lot of the same work as those who don't. So long as there is respect for all beliefs and an understanding of no preaching or proselytizing - come on in. 

But why is it SOOOOO cheap?

I know right? what a steal. If you were doing individual sessions with me, you'd only get 4 sessions for $300, but with this you get 12 sessions! 

Is it just for the year?

Nope, I'm planning on keep it going. Your subscription to Reconstruction Community will auto-renew, but you can cancel anytime.

How will this foster community exactly?

Oh I’m glad you asked. In addition to monthly zoom meetings we will have a WhatsApp group to communicate between meetings. Anyone can post or comment there any time. Each meeting I will also encourage everyone to take our conversations and relationships to say email, phone or Marco Polo (where friendships can flourish across city/state/country lines).

Ok, hopefully that answers any questions, if not, drop them in the comments. Our first meeting will be on Feb 11!

See you soon!