Contemplative Practice: Celebration Circle
A space to say the good stuff out loud
I identify as a contemplative, a person whose life is devoted to deep thought and reflection, for two reasons: 1) because it’s simply my nature, I came into the world like this, and 2) because it puts me in community with thinkers I admire and religious movements that have transformed people’s relationship to God. Recently, I’ve been called to expand my repertoire of contemplative practices so contemplation continues to feel nourishing, not just like I’m sitting silently on timeout. I’ll be sharing the practices I love most here as I go.
Celebration Circle
A weekly collective pause to remember life is really, really good.
The Practice
I started Celebration Circle because I kept showing up to contemplative spaces and what arose in the stillness was often heavy. Grief, stress, what's not working, how we're coping. And I get it. There's a lot going on. But it felt like there was no space designed specifically to say what was on my heart: Life really delighted me this week. Can you believe how good this gets? So I made one.
I did this alone for about three months before telling another soul, and honestly I'd keep doing it alone forever. I love it that much. Solo, you can say whatever is on your mind with zero filter. But I've also learned that when you add even one other person, something amplifies. Joy feels sweeter when it's shared. So don't let the absence of aligned others be the reason you wait. Start with yourself. But when you can, invite someone in. It adds.
My version is 45 minutes, patterned loosely after a Quaker meeting but with more music and more energy. Here's how it flows:
Arrive and reflect.
Open with a few minutes of reflection and some music to help you land. These are my go-to questions: What are you celebrating right now, big or small? What did you do, notice, or allow this week that made life feel easeful or magical? What moment made you proud to be you?
The music is probably the biggest departure from other contemplative spaces. Certain songs can get you hype or deeply appreciative in a way words on a page or in your head just can't. I love feeling that in my body. So yes, we play celebratory music while we reflect so the energy is flowing before anyone says a word.
Share and soak.
This is the bulk of our time together. One by one, we share what's good. And we don't respond. We just receive it. We sit in the fullness of what someone has offered, and sometimes there's a long pause before the next person speaks. That silence gives the celebration room to actually land, which is rarer than you'd think.*You can share anything here. It doesn't have to be tidy or triumphant. If you're in a hard season, bring the challenge but find the win inside it. The lesson, the clarity, the way someone showed up for you. We have plenty of spaces to talk about what's not working. This is a space to name what is.
And speak out loud, even if you're alone. That's what makes this different from a journal. There's power in actually saying the words.
*Even though I prefer silence between celebrations, there are other ways to do it.
A friend hosted once and introduced a spinning wheel with different ways to collectively celebrate: strike a mythic pose, do a 30-second dance party, that kind of thing. It brought in some fresh energy. Let your specific vibe lead.Seal and bless.
We end by sharing gratitude, intentions, blessings, things we want to hold together in the light. The point is to let the celebration energy we just poured out be the foundation for whatever is coming next. I often follow this with a prayer affirming that it is so. But the closing can be whatever seals the feeling for you such as a powerful quote, a collective breath, or even another song.
One of my favorite closing memories: Looping Smile (Living My Best Life) three times and dancing around my living room at the end of a solo circle because I really was not going back and forth anymore with y’all about how good this life is. Close however you feel moved.
✨ More Inspiration + Resources✨
Celebration Circle on Zoom, Fridays @ 1pm ET: I’ve committed to showing up every week through the end of 2026 to make space for more folks to join. Watching what emerges when people give themselves permission to just celebrate is one of the highlights of my week. Come see what I mean.
What A Life WhatsApp Community: Once a week wasn’t enough. My vision was a space where you scroll through only good things, only highlights. So as with most things, I just made it. There is real joy in seeing a notification and knowing it’s going to be good news. It’s also a nice way to track everything good happening throughout the week so you don’t forget. Right now it’s purely a space to share wins, but I can see it evolving as folks add ways to center joy together.
Celebration Circle Playlist: This playlist started with my very first solo circle and has become a practice of its own. Finding music each week that evokes this feeling is its own kind of joy. And can we talk about what it’s done to my algorithm? Turns out there is an endless supply of shiny happy music. Right now I go purely off my own taste, just adding what I like. Curious how the selection shifts as more folks from different backgrounds join in and lead out.