Are you longing to deepen your trust and connection with the Sacred (God), yourself, and others? This month’s Garden Gathering, Harvest of the Heart, is all about dropping into the heart, embracing vulnerability and reaping the fruits of true intimacy. Together, we’ll slow down, reflect, and share in an evening designed to refresh, inspire, and create belonging. Through guided prayer, heartfelt sharing, and creative expression, we’ll explore what it means to grow closer to the sacred and to each other.
About:
Location: Christian Michelsens gate 47, 0568 OSLO, apartment H0301
Date: Wednesday, 20th of November 2024
Time: 19:30-22:30
Autumn Theme: Inviting Intimacy
“My beloved is mine and I am his; he browses among the lilies.” (Song of Songs 2:16)
November Topic: Harvest of the Heart
Reaping the fruits of vulnerability and trust in our relationship with God, others, and ourselves.
“slow down your worries
slow down your heart
i know you have a tendency to feel nothing at all
until you feel everything at once and everything at once
feels like too much right now
but you can handle this
this overwhelming feeling is going to pass
like every other storm has before
the waves are going to go from 10 feet tall
to tiny ripples on the shore
feel the air
feel your lungs
take one breath and take one more
tie your heart back down to your chest
and your feet back down to the floor”
— Whitney Hanson, Harmony
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.
Marita Haugland.
Emilie Næss Karlsen.
Join:
Join The Garden for monthly membership: bloombeyond.com/garden
Max 13 spots for this gathering. (12/13 reserved).
Haelin
Aslak
Mariana
Aleksandra
Danica
Viktoriia
George H.
George K.
Zeyad
Maria Luisa
Moazzam
Rica
Rafel
RSVP your spot in The Garden Chat (join The Garden to get access).
Overview:
19:30-20:00 — Greeting and Intro
Focus: Heartfelt Hugs, Connection
Activities: We will begin with a warm welcome, some heartfelt hugs, introducing ourselves and the theme for the evening. Each person will have the opportunity to share their name and one word or a short sentence that reflects where they are emotionally or in their journey with intimacy with God.
Purpose: This time is meant to build initial connections and create an open, safe space for vulnerability. We'll set the tone for the evening by discussing why this month's theme, Harvest of the Heart, is significant and how it relates to inviting deeper intimacy with God, others, and ourselves.
Contributor: Martine Sorthe
20:00-20:30 — Harvest of the Heart Meditation
Focus: Sacred Stillness, Contemplation
Activities: Martine will guide The Gardeners through a quiet meditation inspired by the verse from Song of Songs 2:16 and other poetry. This time will include moments quiet reflection, meditation, and prayer to invite God into their intimate thoughts and open their hearts to the Secret Place. The Gardeners will be encouraged to reflect on areas where they may need to deepen intimacy with God or release barriers to trust.
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
20:30-21:00 — Pulses of Prayer
Focus: Deep Dialogue, Connection
Activities: Natalia will guide The Gardeners through a reflection on the power of prayer impulses and the importance of taking action on them from a pure Christened heart. “Pulse” is synonymous with “heartbeat,” prompting the question: Do you trust your “heartbeat”? Drawing from her work as a psychologist/psychology student working with couples and individuals, Natalia will emphasize how the heart can guide us in connection with others to the degree we have a deep connection with God. Participants will be invited to reflect on moments when they’ve acted on a prayer impulse throughout the day, considering how those small acts can invite intimacy into their lives and closeness with God. Through guided dialogue, Natalia will explore how these moments create space for joy, presence, and a sense of belonging, and how they are key to living a fulfilled and meaningful life.
Purpose: To inspire The Gardeners to take action on the pulses of prayer they experience daily, fostering intimacy with themselves, others, and the sacred.
Contributor: Natalia Sagmo Sivertsen
21:00-21:30 — Vulnerability in the Vine
Focus: Intimate Intercession, Connection
Activities: Marita will introduce a time of shared intercessory prayer, pairing up in two, where The Gardeners can lift each other’s personal needs and heart in prayer. The focus will be on cultivating vulnerability and trust, as each person shares an area where they desire God’s closeness. The Gardeners will pray with and for one another, focusing on the “vine” of connection that binds them through God.
Purpose: To foster a space of emotional and spiritual vulnerability, where The Gardeners can support each other in prayer and praise, building trust and empathy through shared intentions.
Contributor: Marita Haugland
21:30-22:00 — Raw and Real
Focus: Artful Acts, Contribution
Activities: Emilie will lead a creative session where The Gardeners are invited to create something meaningful—a drawing, painting, or written note—specifically for the person they were paired with in the previous “Vulnerability in the Vine” session. Using imagery, words, or symbols, they express their support, encouragement, or any inspired reflections from the time spent in the intimate intercession.
Purpose: To deepen the connection formed during intercessory sharing, allowing each person to contribute a tangible expression of empathy and care. This creative act strengthens bonds through shared vulnerability and offers each participant a personal, heartfelt keepsake to carry forward.
Contributor: Emilie Karlsen
22:00-22:30 — Outro and Farewell
Focus: Journey Journaling, Contemplation
Activities: Martine will close the evening with a an opportunity to reflect on this first gathering by answering a few questions, with an opportunity to share one takeaway or insight they gained.
Purpose: To end the gathering on a note of contemplation, allowing The Gardeners to close the gathering with radical honesty, transparency, praise, from which they can walk in peace.
Contributor: Martine Sorthe