A Space to Grieve — Together
Most of us weren't taught how to grieve in community. A group of North Fork Valley women are trying to change that.
"Come Together to Fall Apart" is a three-part community grief series hosted by Mariposa Ascendente, a regenerative garden and gathering space on O Road outside Paonia. The first event happened in March. Two more are coming on April 27, and May 25th.
More Than Personal Loss
The organizers — Sarah (Sunny) Morehouse, Amber Van Cleave, Sarah Peterson, and Sarsa Buck — say the grief they're making space for goes well beyond the loss of a loved one. Sarah Peterson, who runs the Paonia Food Movement, put it plainly: the sense that a lot of things are eroding right now, and that most people are processing that... alone.
The series is designed to move through that together — starting with release, then moving into feeling, and finally into action and rebuilding.
What to Expect
This isn't a support group or grief counseling. Organizers describe it as a ritual — a carefully held container with clear guidelines designed to make vulnerability feel safe.
When participants arrive, the group settles in with silence and sound. A guided meditation follows, bringing people into their bodies. Then comes shared expression — though no one is required to speak.
The rules are specific: no crosstalk, no advice, no physical touch. Whatever is shared in the room stays in the room. Pre-registration is required, and doors lock at 4:30 before the ritual begins so their are not interruptions from late comers.
What Comes Next
Sarsa Buck, who co-runs Mariposa Ascendente, attended the first event as a participant and came away struck by something simple: the relief of not feeling alone in grief, even without saying a word.
The remaining two events follow the arc of the series. April 27th focuses on the heart — feeling. May 25th, Memorial Day, turns toward the hands — action and moving forward.
Both run from 4:15 to 6:30 in the evening at Mariposa Ascendente. A donation is suggested, but and no one is turned away for lack of funds. Pre-registration is required by the Friday before each event.
To register and learn more, visit mariposapaonia.org/events.
