SoulFULL Summer: How Nature-Based Gatherings Are Awakening Spiritual Community

We gather around a campfire in a quiet, rural field nestled beside a gently flowing river. Each of us has been invited by our host, Alli, to experience her farm in the company of kindred spirits—people open and curious about otherworldly ways of being and sensing life.
There are about eight of us. Conversation begins easily: a couple shares stories of their annual pilgrimage to Stone Mountain, Georgia—a place steeped in Indigenous history and natural beauty that invites spiritual connection. One woman is a psychic medium, while another is a mother who practices holistic healing. As we exchange experiences, rituals, and questions, it becomes clear that this space is holding something sacred—a presence that invites us to connect more deeply.
“Would you like to introduce us to Hu?” Alli asks an older gentleman as we sip tea around the fire.
“Sure, if everyone’s interested,” he replies, gentle and unassuming.
We nod, intrigued. And so he begins. Hu, he explains, is a sacred chant used to attune oneself to the presence of God. Bill starts us off: “Hu-u-u-u… Hu-u-u-u…” (you can experience the sound here:
youtu.be/mKAfbNRvmhA?si=A8s7t-iKD3HsSAfr. )

Slowly, we join in. As our voices begin to harmonize, I notice the birds around us singing louder, as if drawn into the moment. When we reach a shared rhythm—entrainment—the tall grasses in the meadow begin to sway in time with our chant. It’s astonishing, as if the land itself is responding.
Across the world, more people are gathering in nature to share community, deepen consciousness, and explore spiritual practice. The Center for Spirituality in Nature, a nonprofit, offers pathways for nurturing soul-deep relationships with the Earth. Their programs invite reflection, reverence, and leadership—including a Spirituality in Nature Group Leadership Training Course for those called to guide others.
Looking for a more hands-on way to gather? Consider the Farm Church in Durham, North Carolina, where parishioners worship by growing food together—serving their community with love, nourishment, and shared purpose.
As we close our #SoulFULLSummer series, let’s remember: this is only the beginning. We don’t have to walk alone in our quest to fill our souls with nature’s abundant gifts. Whether through song, soil, or shared silence, building or finding a community that honors our connection to the Earth is healing—for us and for the planet.

Do you have a nature-based spiritual community that you would like to share?