Upcoming Events
Tending Our Grief
So often we feel like we have to tend grief in isolation, and this gathering is an opportunity to practice tending our grief in the presence of others. Grief can feel immense and isolating, or even out of reach. We are creating a sacred gathering space to help each other practice meeting grief with compassion and skillfulness.
At this gathering we will settle in together through a welcoming meditation, poem, song, or guided somatic practice. Then we will reflect on group intentions and offer a framework and context for tending grief in community. After that, we will invite everyone into a 30-45 minute time for individual grief tending supported by a gentle sound bath. This tending may take many forms such as contemplation, movement, writing, drawing, meditating, etc. This is not a space where we will ask for group sharing, rather we will be together as we take our own inner journeys. The circle will wrap-up with a closing practice followed by time for optional tea and connection.
"There is really only one way to restore a world that is dying and in disrepair: to make beauty where ugliness has set in...The beauty I'm referring to is metabolized grief. It includes brokenness and fallibility, and in doing so, conveys for us something deliciously real...When we come into contact with this kind of beauty, it serves as a medicine for the brokenness in ourselves, which then gives us the courage to live in greater intimacy with the world's wounds." - Toko-pa Turner, Belonging
Within this container we aspire to:
remember the practice of grieving together in community
dissolve cultural and social stigmas around grief and reclaim it as a gift
uphold grief as sacred and part of our wholeness, a partner to joy
keep the physical and energetic pathway to grief open, clear and illuminated
deepen emotional intelligence and resilience
build collective capacity to connect with each other and the wider world
Into this space we invite:
all of the ways that grief might show up -- numbness, tears, anger, despair, disconnection, apathy, overwhelm, pain in the body, guilt, confusion, avoidance, anxiety, etc.
those who are seeking a way to be held in community with their grief
those who feel stuck and alone in their grief
those who are looking for a new way to be in relationship with grief
those want to gain trust in themselves to be with the immensity of grief in contained, safe, supported ways
those who want to tend grief as a pathway to deeper aliveness
Cost: this gathering is grant funded and free to attend. A donation to the Conservancy is welcomed and appreciated.
Facilitators: Shay Vetterman is a massage therapist and energy practitioner in Milwaukee. Through her own grief journey, she found access to deeper layers of her heart that she had been long searching for. She continues to be inspired by the ways grief can open us to life, and has sought training in various modalities so that she can be a compassionate companion to those walking this path. You can learn more about Shay and her work by visiting her website.
Emma Koeppel works in community spaces to weave song, ritual, connection, and emergence. Her journey with grief led her to be deeply curious about ancestral lineage and ancestral grief, and about how we all carry threads of collective grief that expand beyond our individual lives. Connecting with grief in this way has helped her feel embedded into a wider web of kinship, return more aliveness to her body and heart, and feel more at home in her life. You can learn more about Emma and her work by visiting her website.
The sound bath will be offered by Morning Malsom and Tyler Derouin of Sound Sanctuary MKE
Register here!
Tending Our Grief - February
So often we feel like we have to tend grief in isolation, and this gathering is an opportunity to practice tending our grief in the presence of others. Grief can feel immense and isolating, or even out of reach. We are creating a sacred gathering space to help each other practice meeting grief with compassion and skillfulness.
At this gathering we will settle in together through a welcoming meditation, poem, song, or guided somatic practice. Then we will reflect on group intentions and offer a framework and context for tending grief in community. After that, we will invite everyone into a 30-45 minute time for individual grief tending supported by a gentle music. This tending may take many forms such as contemplation, movement, writing, drawing, meditating, etc. This is not a space where we will ask for group sharing, rather we will be together as we take our own inner journeys. The circle will wrap-up with a closing practice followed by time for optional tea and connection.
We will create a simple grief altar together at the beginning of our gathering. You are welcome to bring a sacred item or offering to place on the altar.
"There is really only one way to restore a world that is dying and in disrepair: to make beauty where ugliness has set in...The beauty I'm referring to is metabolized grief. It includes brokenness and fallibility, and in doing so, conveys for us something deliciously real...When we come into contact with this kind of beauty, it serves as a medicine for the brokenness in ourselves, which then gives us the courage to live in greater intimacy with the world's wounds." - Toko-pa Turner, Belonging
Within this container we aspire to:
remember the practice of grieving together in community
dissolve cultural and social stigmas around grief and reclaim it as a gift
uphold grief as sacred and part of our wholeness, a partner to joy
keep the physical and energetic pathway to grief open, clear and illuminated
deepen emotional intelligence and resilience
build collective capacity to connect with each other and the wider world
Into this space we invite:
all of the ways that grief might show up -- numbness, tears, anger, despair, disconnection, apathy, overwhelm, pain in the body, guilt, confusion, avoidance, anxiety, etc.
those who are seeking a way to be held in community with their grief
those who feel stuck and alone in their grief
those who are looking for a new way to be in relationship with grief
those want to gain trust in themselves to be with the immensity of grief in contained, safe, supported ways
those who want to tend grief as a pathway to deeper aliveness
Facilitators: Shay Vetterman is a massage therapist and energy practitioner in Milwaukee. Through her own grief journey, she found access to deeper layers of her heart that she had been long searching for. She continues to be inspired by the ways grief can open us to life, and has sought training in various modalities so that she can be a compassionate companion to those walking this path. You can learn more about Shay and her work by visiting her website.
Emma Koeppel works in community spaces to weave song, ritual, connection, and emergence. Her journey with grief led her to be deeply curious about ancestral lineage and ancestral grief, and about how we all carry threads of collective grief that expand beyond our individual lives. Connecting with grief in this way has helped her feel embedded into a wider web of kinship, return more aliveness to her body and heart, and feel more at home in her life. You can learn more about Emma and her work by visiting her website.
Cost: sliding scale $0-30, please offer what is generous and affordable to you.
Tending Our Grief - March
So often we feel like we have to tend grief in isolation, and this gathering is an opportunity to practice tending our grief in the presence of others. Grief can feel immense and isolating, or even out of reach. We are creating a sacred gathering space to help each other practice meeting grief with compassion and skillfulness.
At this gathering we will settle in together through a welcoming meditation, poem, song, or guided somatic practice. Then we will reflect on group intentions and offer a framework and context for tending grief in community. After that, we will invite everyone into a 30-45 minute time for individual grief tending supported by a gentle music. This tending may take many forms such as contemplation, movement, writing, drawing, meditating, etc. This is not a space where we will ask for group sharing, rather we will be together as we take our own inner journeys. The circle will wrap-up with a closing practice followed by time for optional tea and connection.
We will create a simple grief altar together at the beginning of our gathering. You are welcome to bring a sacred item or offering to place on the altar.
"There is really only one way to restore a world that is dying and in disrepair: to make beauty where ugliness has set in...The beauty I'm referring to is metabolized grief. It includes brokenness and fallibility, and in doing so, conveys for us something deliciously real...When we come into contact with this kind of beauty, it serves as a medicine for the brokenness in ourselves, which then gives us the courage to live in greater intimacy with the world's wounds." - Toko-pa Turner, Belonging
Within this container we aspire to:
remember the practice of grieving together in community
dissolve cultural and social stigmas around grief and reclaim it as a gift
uphold grief as sacred and part of our wholeness, a partner to joy
keep the physical and energetic pathway to grief open, clear and illuminated
deepen emotional intelligence and resilience
build collective capacity to connect with each other and the wider world
Into this space we invite:
all of the ways that grief might show up -- numbness, tears, anger, despair, disconnection, apathy, overwhelm, pain in the body, guilt, confusion, avoidance, anxiety, etc.
those who are seeking a way to be held in community with their grief
those who feel stuck and alone in their grief
those who are looking for a new way to be in relationship with grief
those want to gain trust in themselves to be with the immensity of grief in contained, safe, supported ways
those who want to tend grief as a pathway to deeper aliveness
Facilitators: Shay Vetterman is a massage therapist and energy practitioner in Milwaukee. Through her own grief journey, she found access to deeper layers of her heart that she had been long searching for. She continues to be inspired by the ways grief can open us to life, and has sought training in various modalities so that she can be a compassionate companion to those walking this path. You can learn more about Shay and her work by visiting her website.
Emma Koeppel works in community spaces to weave song, ritual, connection, and emergence. Her journey with grief led her to be deeply curious about ancestral lineage and ancestral grief, and about how we all carry threads of collective grief that expand beyond our individual lives. Connecting with grief in this way has helped her feel embedded into a wider web of kinship, return more aliveness to her body and heart, and feel more at home in her life. You can learn more about Emma and her work by visiting her website.
Cost: sliding scale $0-30, please offer what is generous and affordable to you.
Tending Our Grief - April
So often we feel like we have to tend grief in isolation, and this gathering is an opportunity to practice tending our grief in the presence of others. Grief can feel immense and isolating, or even out of reach. We are creating a sacred gathering space to help each other practice meeting grief with compassion and skillfulness.
At this gathering we will settle in together through a welcoming meditation, poem, song, or guided somatic practice. Then we will reflect on group intentions and offer a framework and context for tending grief in community. After that, we will invite everyone into a 30-45 minute time for individual grief tending supported by a gentle music. This tending may take many forms such as contemplation, movement, writing, drawing, meditating, etc. This is not a space where we will ask for group sharing, rather we will be together as we take our own inner journeys. The circle will wrap-up with a closing practice followed by time for optional tea and connection.
We will create a simple grief altar together at the beginning of our gathering. You are welcome to bring a sacred item or offering to place on the altar.
"There is really only one way to restore a world that is dying and in disrepair: to make beauty where ugliness has set in...The beauty I'm referring to is metabolized grief. It includes brokenness and fallibility, and in doing so, conveys for us something deliciously real...When we come into contact with this kind of beauty, it serves as a medicine for the brokenness in ourselves, which then gives us the courage to live in greater intimacy with the world's wounds." - Toko-pa Turner, Belonging
Within this container we aspire to:
remember the practice of grieving together in community
dissolve cultural and social stigmas around grief and reclaim it as a gift
uphold grief as sacred and part of our wholeness, a partner to joy
keep the physical and energetic pathway to grief open, clear and illuminated
deepen emotional intelligence and resilience
build collective capacity to connect with each other and the wider world
Into this space we invite:
all of the ways that grief might show up -- numbness, tears, anger, despair, disconnection, apathy, overwhelm, pain in the body, guilt, confusion, avoidance, anxiety, etc.
those who are seeking a way to be held in community with their grief
those who feel stuck and alone in their grief
those who are looking for a new way to be in relationship with grief
those want to gain trust in themselves to be with the immensity of grief in contained, safe, supported ways
those who want to tend grief as a pathway to deeper aliveness
Facilitators: Shay Vetterman is a massage therapist and energy practitioner in Milwaukee. Through her own grief journey, she found access to deeper layers of her heart that she had been long searching for. She continues to be inspired by the ways grief can open us to life, and has sought training in various modalities so that she can be a compassionate companion to those walking this path. You can learn more about Shay and her work by visiting her website.
Emma Koeppel works in community spaces to weave song, ritual, connection, and emergence. Her journey with grief led her to be deeply curious about ancestral lineage and ancestral grief, and about how we all carry threads of collective grief that expand beyond our individual lives. Connecting with grief in this way has helped her feel embedded into a wider web of kinship, return more aliveness to her body and heart, and feel more at home in her life. You can learn more about Emma and her work by visiting her website.
Cost: sliding scale $0-30, please offer what is generous and affordable to you.
Community Song Circle @ Tricklebee Cafe
Monthly Saturday morning song circles at Tricklebee Cafe! September 28, October 26, November 23, and December 21 all from 10-11 am.
Come gather to sing in the cozy dining room at Tricklebee Cafe as we transition into fall and winter. When we sing together, we're trying to remember that all of us are meant to make sound, especially in community, and that singing together can be a practice of belonging, unity-building, and connection. All are welcome, even if you don't consider yourself a singer. We sing simple, orally taught songs. Sometimes we drum, shake, share, and dance. Each circle is beautifully unique and co-created. If you have a song to share, please bring it along!
This will be a donation based circle with any funds collected offered to Tricklebee Cafe.
Community Song Circle @ Tricklebee Cafe
Monthly Saturday morning song circles at Tricklebee Cafe! September 28, October 26, November 23, and December 21 all from 10-11 am.
Come gather to sing in the cozy dining room at Tricklebee Cafe as we transition into fall and winter. When we sing together, we're trying to remember that all of us are meant to make sound, especially in community, and that singing together can be a practice of belonging, unity-building, and connection. All are welcome, even if you don't consider yourself a singer. We sing simple, orally taught songs. Sometimes we drum, shake, share, and dance. Each circle is beautifully unique and co-created. If you have a song to share, please bring it along!
This will be a donation based circle with any funds collected offered to Tricklebee Cafe.
Potluck and Community Song Circle @ The Soul Source
Optional potluck from 5:30-6:30 pm — please bring a dish to share!
Singing from 6:30-8 pm
Join us at The Soul Source for a cozy evening of food and song!
When we sing together, we're trying to remember that all of us are meant to make sound, especially in community, and that singing together can be a practice of belonging, unity-building, and connection. All are welcome, even if you don't consider yourself a singer. We sing simple, orally taught songs. Sometimes we drum, shake, share, and dance. Each circle is beautifully unique and co-created. If you have a song to share, please bring it along!
We’ll also aim to explore emergent space together — to see what can emerge when we gather as community and open up to listening to each other in present, heart-centered ways. When we allow the moment(s) to lead us and see if we can hear what wants to be shared and tended, together. In other words, we arrive, share presence, listen together, and allow ourselves to be delighted by the magic that might unfold.
Community Energy Work Circle
Join Emma for a community energy work circle @ The Soul Source. We will gather in a large, open room where you will rest in a reclining chair or lay on a yoga mat. We will start with a grounding meditation to settle in and open the container together. Then each person will receive 15-20 minutes of energy work before we close the circle together.
You will have a pillow, blanket and heated rice packs to enhance your comfort and can rest for another 30 minutes after the energy work is complete. Feel free to arrive anytime after 2:30 pm to get settled in.
Maximum group size 4 people
Communtiy energy work is a regular offering @ The Soul Source. They say: “Because it is not a private session, individuals can pay a sliding scale fee and afford to come more consistently. Energy work can be more effective when it is received on a regular basis, so this is why we have offered the community setting and sliding scale rates to the West Bend area since 2012. We want to be part of the solution to the rising cost of healthcare by helping individuals proactively reduce and control their stress.”
Learn more about other offerings @ The Soul Source here.
Song Circle: Tending Grief and Honoring Ancestors
Hosted by Emma Koeppel and emily june breffle
Join us as we gather together and co-create a space of sacredness, reverence and community to explore threads of grief, ancestors, and other themes that might be present in our hearts. No singing experience needed, just an open heart, curiosity, and willingness to gather in community with vulnerability and presence.
Our time together may include song, ritual, contemplation, optional sharing, and gentle movement. Everything will be invitational, with the request that we all choose to engage in whatever ways nourish us moment to moment.
We will be creating a communal altar together for the evening, so you are welcome to bring mementos, photos, trinkets, gifts, offerings, sacred objects, or anything else of meaning to place on the altar.
We will gather in circle on the floor, so feel free to bring anything that helps you create a cozy nest for yourself. There are also several chairs available.
To see a video for how to access the studio space, scroll to the bottom of Empowered Soul MKE’s website. There will also be signs to direct you after you enter the main doors.
Community Song Circle @ Tricklebee Cafe
Monthly Saturday morning song circles at Tricklebee Cafe! September 28, October 26, November 23, and December 21 all from 10-11 am.
Come gather to sing in the cozy dining room at Tricklebee Cafe as we transition into fall and winter. When we sing together, we're trying to remember that all of us are meant to make sound, especially in community, and that singing together can be a practice of belonging, unity-building, and connection. All are welcome, even if you don't consider yourself a singer. We sing simple, orally taught songs. Sometimes we drum, shake, share, and dance. Each circle is beautifully unique and co-created. If you have a song to share, please bring it along!
This will be a donation based circle with any funds collected offered to Tricklebee Cafe.