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December 2024: Spirit Steps - Walking the Way of Salt and Fire (Online)

What does it mean to walk with the Spirit? This month’s Garden Gathering, Walking the Way of Salt and Fire, invites you to explore the sacred path of purification and presence. Together, we’ll reflect on how each step we take is both preserved by salt and refined by fire — symbols of God’s covenant to be our guide. Through sowing seeds on the theme of Spirit Steps, contemplative journaling, candle gazing, and mindful walking, we’ll learn to walk with the Spirit in patience, purpose, and power. This isn’t about rushing forward but about walking with God — step by step, with every step counting toward something greater.

About:

Location: meet.google.com/xmp-qzut-qvv

Date: Friday, 20th of December 2024

Time: 18:00-20:30 CEST

Winter Theme: Spirit Steps

“If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:25)

December Topic: Walking the Way of Salt and Fire

Exploring the walk of purification (salt) and presence (fire), being led by the Spirit.

The Garden Gatherings are part of The Garden membership that gives access to gatherings, guides, community, coaching, and chat. We have new themes every quarterly season. You are invited to bloom beyond yourself into a personal and collective communion with the sacred (God) through contemplation, connection, and contribution. Together, we turn our stories from graves into gardens.

Read all about The Garden: bloombeyond.com/garden

Contributors:

Martine Sorthe (27) is the founder of Bloom Beyond (bloombeyond.com) and facilitates The Garden Gatherings. She is a creator by heart — a NOW BLOOM certified Christian Life Coach and a Clinical Psychology Student at the University of Oslo with interest in the overlap between psychology, theology, and art.

Natalia Sagmo Sivertsen is a psychologist.

Join:

Join The Garden for monthly membership: bloombeyond.com/garden

RSVP your spot in The Garden Chat (join The Garden to get access).

Overview:

18:00-18:30 — Greeting and Intro

Focus: Heartfelt Hugs, Connection

Activities: We will begin with a warm welcome, virtual hugs, and introductions to create an atmosphere of openness and community. Each participant will share their name and one word or short sentence that reflects what thoughts come to mind about salt and fire. Martine will introduce the theme Spirit Steps and the evening’s topic, Walking the Way of Salt and Fire, framing how the themes of trust, refinement, and divine guidance will weave through the gathering.

Purpose: This time is designed to foster connection and establish a sacred space for reflection and growth. By sharing personal insights and grounding the evening in the significance of salt and fire in Scripture, we set the stage for a journey of trust and transformation led by the Spirit.

Contributor: Martine Sorthe

18:30-19:00 — Footprints of Faith

Focus: Sowing Scripture, Contemplation

Activities: Martine will guide The Gardeners in exploring Scripture passages centered on Spirit Steps, reflecting on how our lives can be walked with the essence of salt and refined by fire. This time will include reading and sharing Bible verses related to the topic of Spirit, Steps, Salt, and Fire. Participants will consider what it means to walk in step with the Spirit and how salt and fire symbolize divine guidance, led by purification (salt) and presence (fire) in their own journeys.

Purpose: To establish a sacred, calming atmosphere that invites The Gardeners to slow down and center themselves in God’s presence, opening the evening with a heart of stillness and contemplation.

Contributor: Martine Sorthe

19:00-19:30 — Stepping Stones in the Spirit

Focus: Journey Journaling, Contemplation

Activities: Natalia will guide The Gardeners through a reflective journaling practice that builds upon the themes explored in Footprints of Faith. Participants will be prompted to explore their personal journeys with Spirit Steps, reflecting on how the principles of salt and fire manifest in their lives. Questions and prompts will help them uncover areas where they feel called to deeper trust, refinement, or preservation in their walk with God.

Purpose: To encourage introspection and provide a tangible practice for processing the spiritual insights gained during the gathering. This session aims to deepen personal understanding of Spirit Steps while fostering a sense of intentional growth.

Contributor: Natalia Sagmo Sivertsen

19:30-19:45 — Candle Gazing

Focus: Sacred Stillness, Contemplation

Activities: Participants will light a candle in their own space and spend time gazing at its flame. They’ll be invited to reflect on the steady light as a symbol of God’s presence, meditating on the refining power of fire and the warmth it brings to the soul. Gentle prompts will guide them to quiet their minds and tune into the Spirit’s still, small voice.

Purpose: To create a moment of sacred stillness for online participants, offering a tangible way to connect with the evening’s theme of walking the way of salt and fire. This practice encourages mindfulness, invites the Spirit’s peace, and deepens their connection to God in solitude.

Contributor: Martine Sorthe

19:45-20:00 — Steps in Sync

Focus: Wonder Walk, Contemplation

Activities: After concluding our time together online, step outside for a mindful walk, whether it’s in your neighborhood, a nearby park, or simply a quiet space. As you walk, move intentionally, tuning in to the rhythm of your steps and inviting the Holy Spirit to guide you. Observe your surroundings—the sounds, sights, and sensations—and reflect on how they connect to the themes of Spirit, salt, and fire. Periodically pause to take a deep breath, express gratitude, or say a simple prayer such as, “Lord, guide my steps.”

Purpose: This practice is designed to help participants embody the concept of Spirit Steps through physical movement and spiritual mindfulness. By aligning each step with an awareness of God’s presence, participants deepen their connection with the Spirit, fostering peace, clarity, and trust in His guidance.

Contributor: Martine Sorthe

20:00-20:15 — Outro and Farewell

Focus: Heartful Hugs, Connection

Activities: Concluding the gathering with a moment of gratitude and reflection. Participants will share one key takeaway or insight from the evening, creating a final opportunity for connection and encouragement. Martine will offer a closing blessing, sending everyone off on their Steps in Sync Wonder Walk with a sense of purpose and unity, encouraged to carry the themes of Spirit Steps and the refining presence of salt and fire into their daily lives.

Purpose: To provide a meaningful and loving closure to the evening, allowing participants to leave feeling seen, supported, and spiritually enriched. This final moment emphasizes the community’s commitment to walking together in step with the Spirit, even beyond the gathering.

Contributor: Martine Sorthe

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December 18

December 2024: Spirit Steps - Walking the Way of Salt and Fire (Oslo)