December Newsletter

A lantern glowing against desert dust. A sitter’s steady breath beside a trembling guest. The soft hush of a sacred space where a person in distress is met with gentleness.

This is how Zendo Project began, 13 years ago in Black Rock City: a small sanctuary held together by zip ties and determined, caring hearts. Guests arrived overwhelmed, frightened, or on the edge of experiences they could not name. The magic of what we offered wasn’t a solution. We offered humanity. Patience. Presence.

From those beginnings grew the ethos that shapes everything we do: when someone is struggling, we respond with compassion. Not because it is easy. Not because it is convenient. But because it is who we are. We become, in a sense, emotional paramedics tending to the acute moments of the psyche with steadiness and skill, creating the conditions for someone to come back to themselves.

Today, Zendo Project has grown far beyond the desert. Thousands of volunteers and practitioners have been trained both at events and through the Sitting and Integration Training (SIT) course, and we find ourselves on the cusp of an exciting new chapter. The experimental ethos of Burning Man – and everything we learned supporting people there – has given us the blueprint to transform how our society responds to emotional crises. We’re now bringing these desert-born insights to hospitals, universities, workplaces — everyday environments where emotional distress appears suddenly, urgently, and painfully. Our goal is simple: make these skills as readily accessible as CPR training to create an integrated care network, so that no one faces crisis alone.

Zendo Project has changed enormously since those early days. Yet for all this growth, the heart of our work remains unchanged. Compassion is not a theory; it’s a practice. Not a protocol; a relationship. It is something we enact together, moment by moment, person by person.

I’ve been privileged to witness this evolution since 2014. During nine years at MAPS, I supported Zendo Project’s growth through advocacy and fundraising campaigns. During my two years at Burning Man Project, I saw how peer-support services anchored safety for thousands. And in my years as a supervisor with Zendo’s services team, I’ve watched time and again how compassionate presence transforms lives.

For the past three years, I’ve contributed $25 each month to Zendo Project. It’s not a large amount, but it’s meaningful to me. It’s a reminder that I am not simply helping steward this mission; I am invested in it. I give because I know the profound difference between going through a crisis alone and having someone willing to sit in the difficulty with you. I give because the skills I’ve learned have made me a better daughter, sister, partner, and friend. I give because I want Zendo Project to be there for the next person who needs care.

As we approach the darkest days of the year, I invite you to become a lantern in the night – join me by making an end-of-year gift to help us reach our ambitious end-of-year goal of $250,000.

Any amount makes a difference. Your support helps bring compassion into the places that need it most, in a time when it is so desperately needed.

Thank you for carrying this mission forward with us, and for helping ensure that light reaches even the darkest corners.

Help us reach our end-of-year goal today!

We’re at a pivotal moment. After 13 years of learning what works in the dust, we’re bringing that wisdom into hospitals, universities, and communities nationwide. We’re $200,000 away from our year-end goal. Your gift doesn’t just support our programs—it transforms how our society responds to emotional crisis. Together, we’re proving that compassionate presence isn’t optional; it’s essential.

Zendo Care Network

Does splitting your gift over the year work better for your budget? Help us reach our goal of 300 new monthly donors to build sustainable support for the year ahead.

In a world that often feels chaotic and divided, Zendo Project trains people to build sanctuaries of calm wherever they are. Your monthly support helps us bring our culture of care into communities everywhere.

Together, we’re creating a living web of compassionate presence, bringing Zendo SIT and the Four Principles of Psychedelic Care to new people and new spaces so care becomes the foundation of our communities.

Be part of this next chapter with us.

End-Of-Year Recap

2025 was a year of remarkable growth and impact. Thanks to your support, we provided compassionate crisis care at festivals nationwide while training the next generation of peer supporters. Check out our 2025 recap!

Reminder: Pulse Community Council

Community Council nominations are due December 15th!

As announced in last month’s newsletter, the Community Council will be a small group of trusted community members who help Zendo Project to navigate complex interpersonal situations with integrity and care. Much gratitude to those who have already submitted nominations!

Operating under the Pulse team, Council members:

• Facilitate conflict resolution
• Hold space for accountability conversations
• Address escalated concerns that require collective wisdom
• Provide guidance on boundary concerns, power dynamics, and ethical challenges

This work helps us live our shared values of transparency, compassionate care, and restorative practices, strengthening the foundation of our volunteer and staff communities.

What it requires: Approximately 15-20 volunteer hours annually, including four quarterly 90-minute meetings and availability for “on-call” consultation during two months of the year.

Who we’re looking for: People who embody emotional maturity and cultural humility, serving with integrity, groundedness, and heart. Council members need to stay grounded during conflict, balance deep compassion with clear truth-telling, and address power imbalances without escalating them. This work requires confidentiality, and genuine commitment to the continuous evolution of our community’s ethics and safety culture.

Nominate someone (including yourself!) by December 15th.