The Three-Vessel Donation Model
Our Commitment to Accessibility and Sustainability
Ravens Gate believes that access to sacred ceremony, plant medicine teachings, and collective healing should not be limited to those with financial privilege. We also recognize that creating and maintaining safe ceremonial space has real costs—the physical space itself, ceremonial materials, food to nourish participants, facilitator time and training, insurance, and our reciprocity commitments to indigenous communities whose ancestral knowledge makes this work possible.
Rather than setting a single suggested donation that some cannot afford while others could easily contribute more, we invite participants to contribute based on what feels aligned with their current financial capacity. Access to ceremonial space and facilitation cannot be purchased. Instead, we invite donations that support the costs of creating and maintaining sacred space.
Understanding the Three Vessels
Think of these vessels as three tiers of contribution, each representing different financial circumstances and capacities. The key word is current—where you are right now in this moment, not where you were last year or hope to be next year.
Life circumstances change constantly. You might be in one vessel today and a different vessel six months from now. Someone might file taxes in a middle-income bracket but face unexpected medical expenses, family emergencies, or other financial pressures that shift what feels sustainable to contribute. We honor these fluctuations rather than locking people into categories based on annual income alone.
Vessel Honey
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Guiding questions:
Does contributing at a higher level feel like it would stretch you beyond what's sustainable right now?
Are you budgeting carefully to make ends meet?
Would this investment require you to make difficult choices about other necessities?
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This vessel exists because healing shouldn't require financial ease. If you're in a season of limited resources, this tier is here for you. There's no application, no justification needed, no shame in choosing what fits your life right now. We want you here, and your presence enriches our community regardless of what you contribute financially.
Vessel Nectar
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Guiding questions:
Do you have financial stability that allows you to make choices without constant worry?
Can you weather unexpected expenses without crisis?
Does contributing at this level feel manageable within your current budget?
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This vessel reflects what it actually costs to create and hold sacred space—the facilitators' time and care, the physical space itself, ceremonial materials, nourishment for all who gather, insurance that protects our ability to do this work, and our commitment to reciprocity with indigenous communities and land stewardship. When you contribute at this level, you're helping ensure Ravens Gate can continue gathering, that this work remains sustainable, and that we can keep ceremony accessible across the economic spectrum. You're holding the center that makes everything else possible.
Vessel Comb
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Guiding questions:
Does money flow through your life without creating anxiety or limitation?
Can you make significant financial decisions with relative ease?
Would contributing at this level feel like joyful participation in something you believe in?
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Your contribution at this level does something beautiful—it creates access for people who might otherwise be unable to join us. This isn't about penalty or obligation; it's about choice. When you contribute here, you're weaving a wider web of possibility, ensuring that sacred ceremony and healing work aren't reserved only for those with economic privilege. You're practicing generosity in action, and that generosity ripples outward in ways we can see (others being able to participate) and ways we can't measure (the collective healing that happens when diverse communities gather). Your abundance, when shared, becomes everyone's abundance.
How This Works in Practice
No proof required. We operate on trust and honor system. You know your circumstances better than we ever could. We trust you to assess honestly which vessel serves both your needs and the community's sustainability.
Fluid movement between vessels. Your vessel choice can change between different ceremonies or at different times in your life. Maybe you participate at Vessel Two for several ceremonies but need Vessel One when unexpected expenses arise. Maybe your circumstances shift and you move from Vessel One to Vessel Three. This flexibility honors life's reality.
Confidentiality. Which vessel you choose is between you and Ravens Gate. We don't share this information or track patterns in ways that could identify individuals. Your privacy is protected.
No one is turned away for lack of funds. If even the Vessel One suggested donation creates financial hardship, please reach out. We work with each person to find a contribution level that honors both their capacity and the sustainability of our community practice. Sometimes that means contributing what you can financially. Sometimes it means offering your gifts in other ways—helping with setup, bringing food, offering skills the community needs.
The Spirit Behind This Model
This donation structure reflects Ravens Gate's core values of accessibility, community care, and dismantling systems where only the wealthy receive healing. It recognizes that:
Financial capacity is not moral worth. Using Vessel One doesn't make you less deserving of ceremony. Contributing at Vessel Three doesn't make you more holy. We all need healing and connection to the sacred regardless of our bank accounts.
Community sustainability requires mutual support. Those with more resources make accessibility possible for those with fewer resources. Those with fewer resources bring perspectives, experiences, and gifts that enrich the community beyond financial contribution. We are in this together.
Circumstances change. Today's stability might be tomorrow's crisis. Today's scarcity might shift to tomorrow's abundance. We design for flexibility because life is unpredictable and we trust that what goes around comes around within community care.
Transparency creates trust. We show our true costs rather than obscuring them. We explain what donations support. We invite you into understanding what makes this ceremonial work sustainable so that you can make informed choices about your contribution.
What Your Donations Support
Every donation to Ravens Gate, regardless of vessel, goes directly toward:
Ceremonial space and materials - Rent or maintenance of the physical space where we gather, tools and supplies, cleaning and preparation, creating beauty and safety in the container.
Nourishment for participants - nourishment before and after ceremony; teas, broths, fruit, nuts etc. All feed is organic and sourced locally.
Facilitator and guide time - Preparation work before ceremony, holding space during ceremony, integration support after ceremony, intake assessments, ongoing training and skill development.
Insurance and legal protections - Ensuring Ravens Gate can continue operating safely within legal frameworks that protect our religious freedom.
Reciprocity initiatives - 15% of all ceremony donations go directly to reciprocity work, including financial support to indigenous communities whose ancestral relationships with plant medicines make our work possible, contributions to land stewardship and environmental restoration, and supporting indigenous-led education and cultural preservation. This is not an optional addition when we have "extra" funds—it's built into our operational structure as a non-negotiable commitment. Education on these initiatives is held post ceremony.
Making Your Choice
When you register for Ravens Gate ceremony, you'll indicate which vessel you're selecting during the intake process. No explanation or justification needed—just choose the tier that aligns with your current financial reality.
If you have questions about the three-vessel model or need support determining which tier fits your situation, please reach out. We're here to make this process as clear and shame-free as possible.
Our Gratitude
Each vessel is essential. Each contribution—whether financial or otherwise—matters. Together we're creating healing community that honors everyone's dignity and worth regardless of economic circumstances.
~For questions about ceremony participation, intake assessments, or the donation model, please contact Ravens Gate directly. We're here to support your journey toward ceremony in whatever way serves you best.