Today we’d like to introduce you to Greg Hawkins.
Hi Greg, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Back in 2022 when I was living in Bellingham, WA, I had been imagining and dreaming of a new type of social gathering space. At the time, I had friends from different communities – artists, healers, musicians of different genres, parents, herbalists, spiritual seekers— and I thought it would be very meaningful if we could all come together to create an intentional community space and explore our shared human experience together.
The name Sacred Gathering came from a desire to invite people to reflect on what “sacred” means to them. Not in a religious sense necessarily, but in an open, curious way that was free of a set definition. The point was to encourage each individual to have their own interpretation of the sacred that was meaningful to them.
This type of reflection was rooted in what I’ve seen in our modern culture, and how I have noticed a desire in many individuals to find balance and reconnect with nature and soul while holding space for the collective (and individual) traumas we are all working through.
I wanted the space itself to feel welcoming, artistic, music-driven, and inspired by the beauty and freedom I’d experienced at festivals, retreats, and other intentional spaces over the years. These portals were not meant to be a “peak” experience, but one that was more focused on personal connection to art, exploring our shared experience of consciousness, and the many ways the mystery of nature expresses itself. Connection over disconnection.
After spending some time dreaming, planning, and sitting with the concept, a good friend of mine in San Diego reached out and told me we may have an opportunity to bring this vision to life. Together, we collaborated with the Ocean Beach Art Collective and hosted our very first event in the summer of 2023, right across from the beach in the Sunset Cliffs neighborhood.
With a lot of love, luck, and support from friends, we hosted a full-day event that started with yoga and live music, and flowed into painting, camping out in the backyard, open jam sessions, and even people dropping in off the street to join us. Going into sunset, we moved inside and danced and celebrated community with sets that ranged from ambient guitar and psychedelic rock to beat music and house.
It was raw, real, and incredibly organic. It was in that aliveness when we began to see the unique energy this container was capable of creating for communities. We will never forget that first event, and it continues to serve as the heart of this project.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has definitely not been a smooth road! While the events themselves have been some of the most special, life-giving experiences I’ve had, treating Sacred Gathering as a business has come with its share of challenges. Like many people in this space know, throwing a conscious, artful, community-centered event isn’t cheap. There are a lot of logistical, financial, and emotional layers to hold, and learning how to balance all of that while staying true to the vision has been a big growth curve.
That said, one thing I’ve learned is that as long as we stay consistent, hold the vision, and truly believe in what we’re doing, the events seems to something that creates itself, its something that manifests from a deep need within the communities I’ve worked with, and I’ve learned alot from that message so far.
One of the biggest realizations from these gatherings is that they really come alive through the contributions and collaborations of our community. It’s never just about the people organizing it; it’s about everyone showing up with their gifts, their presence, their art, and their willingness to connect.
So yeah, it’s been a challenge. I’m definitely still learning how to ask for help, how to invite people into the process, and how to create with grounded sustainability in mind. Up until now, every event we’ve done has been entirely put together by just two people, and that’s only sustainable for so long. But even through the hard parts, we’re learning, growing, and honoring the evolution that happens each time we step into the dance of planning and holding space. We are at a point now where we are using all of these lessons we’ve learned and building a strong foundation to operate from moving forward that is sustainable, in rhythm with nature, and in-line with our counter-cultural energy.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Sacred Gathering is a service-driven, non-profit community for connection, healing, rememberance, and celebration. Our goal is to create intentional spaces that feel like coming home: safe, family-friendly environments where people of all ages and backgrounds can gather to experience community, art, music, movement, and curiosity. We welcome traditions of all humans and hope to inspire the authentic sharing and expressing of deeply held truths.
At the heart of our work is a desire to awaken the latent creativity within every person and spark meaningful conversations surrounding topics ranging from art and music to consciousness, philosophy, ecology, and psychedelics. We’re trying to reclaim something while also helping to create space for the unfolding story within all of us: the human need to gather with purpose, to honor life’s cycles, to feel connected, to dance, to rest, to grieve, to grow, to express, and to feel deeply present.
Our events blend elements of yoga, sound healing, dance, meditation, workshops, art installations, discussions, and intentional ceremony. We often feature vendors offering organic teas, herbal elixirs, and kava, and we love spotlighting local artists across a variety of disciplines. Every participating vendor, volunteer, artist, and attendee contributes to the larger theme of collaboration and co-creation.
One of the things that sets our event spaces apart is the unique energy of the events we have put on. It’s hard to explain in words what the spaces have felt like so far… We have heard a lot of different metaphors and descriptions, but it’s one of those things you have to feel to understand, which we find very interesting and inspiring.
What we’re most proud of is the community that has grown around these events. Sacred Gathering has become a place where people feel seen, supported, and inspired to show up as their full selves.
We’ve had attendees tell us it was the first time they felt safe bringing their kids to a music event, or the first time they opened up in a group setting. Others have found lifelong friends and creative collaborators. These stories remind us why we do what we do.
We give deep attention to energy and intention. We design the arc of each day with care, from the transitions between offerings, to the emotional cadence of the experience, to the vibe of the physical space itself. The event itself is a symbol for the deeper message that subtly emerges as we gather in this type of space.
None of this would be possible without the people involved. This is a completely service-driven, non-profit project. It’s a community-led effort, and I’m constantly in awe of the artists, facilitators, volunteers, and attendees who co-create these experiences and have worked with us despite our lack of proper funding so far. Sacred Gathering is a mirror for all of us. It’s a living, breathing ecosystem, and we are beyond grateful to be in service to this mission.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
For me, this event journey has taught me that networking really is everything. What works best for me is approaching everyone with respect and without expectations. Be bold, be confident, be loving—and don’t be afraid to reach out to people you feel a connection with or think you might have something in common with.
Building these events truly started with me being extremely vulnerable, just spending hours DM’ing people I was inspired by or curious about. And I was honestly blown away by how many responses I received, especially for our first couple of events. In both Bellingham and San Diego, local members of the community were open, kind, and ready to connect. That energy is what gave this project its first heartbeat.
So I guess what I’ve learned is that there are so many people out there who are curious about the same things you are—who are also seeking connection and community. Don’t be afraid to be the one to speak up or reach out. You never know what hidden mission from nature is trying to speak and come to life through your words and actions.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: sacred_gathering
Image Credits
Both photographers should be tagged please! One is Vanessa Cindy Photo, and the other is Steve G, @wholegrainrolls
