We envision a world where humans embody love for our earth, each of us acting with justice and compassion to take care of our planetary home, each other, and all our wild relations.
Gaia Passages Mission
Gaia Passages empowers youth, adults and elders to express their full selves through nature based, creative programs that reconnects them to earth wisdom in a multicultural inter-generational community.
Gaia Passages History
Gaia Passages grew out of Gaia Girls – nature and soul based programs and rites of passage for girls started by Sarai Shapiro in the Bay Area in 2010. Gaia Passages became a non-profit in 2017. Gaia Passages offered nature based after-school and summer programs and began additional programs for all genders and ages.
Joanna Macy was a strong supporter of Gaia Passages and Sarai integrated the Work That Reconnects into all programs.
Gaia Passages programs drew from a variety of evidence-based best practices for youth and adult learning, with a particular emphasis on growing a deeply personal relationship with nature as teacher, guide, and lifelong friend. Through deep nature connection and multi-generational mentorship, we empowered participants with social and emotional skills and training in ancient earth arts, crafts, and technologies that are generally not taught in academic learning environments. Through Gaia Passages programs, participants were able to cultivate high emotional and ecological literacy, which are essential to community resilience.
When the Covid pandemic hit it became difficult to continue in-person programming even outside. After Sarai Shapiro, the founder and Executive Director, moved on to other passions and enrollment failed to rebound after the pandemic, Gaia Passages stopped offering programs in 2023.
On the board at that time were Constance Washburn, Emily Swanson (a Spiral Journey graduate), and Lauren Dietrich. They decided to keep the non-profit going so that it could be of service to other organizations and individuals who were offering nature and soul based programming in support of a thriving world for all.
They accepted Spiral Journey as a project of Gaia Passages in December 2025. Spiral Journey offers online and in-person programs and retreats in the Work That Reconnects (WTR) that align with the mission of Gaia Passages as well as an 8-month International Facilitator Development Program (FDP) that trains facilitators of the Work That Reconnects. Spiral Journey graduates are offering WTR programs all around the world, including programs specifically designed for children and youth, thereby multiplying the impact of Gaia Passages globally.
Gaia Passages Board
The current board includes two Spiral Journey graduates–Mary Oak as secretary and Rukmini Iyer–as well as Janet Bookey as treasurer, while Constance Washburn has remained as Chair.
The Gaia Passages Board would like to invite new members interested in supporting Spiral Journey and the nature and soul-based mission of Gaia Passages.
