The Listening Bridge

Terms of Service

Effective Date: 6/30/2025

Welcome to The Listening Bridge, a faith-based ministry of sacred remembrance, restoration, and spiritual companionship. The Listening Bridge operates under section 508(c)(1)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code as a tax-exempt religious organization. Participation in The Listening Bridge is voluntary and arises from mutual spiritual consent. These Terms of Service (“Terms”) govern your interaction with The Listening Bridge, including all in-person, online, and remote offerings. By engaging with The Listening Bridge, you acknowledge and agree to abide by these Terms.

1. Mission and Spiritual Nature

The Listening Bridge is rooted in the sacred principle of honoring the dignity of all beings, seen and unseen, offering healing through spiritual remembrance, ceremony, and companionship. Our ministry exists to restore pathways of trust, justice, belonging, and love among all beings through prayer circles, sacred education, relational healing, ceremonies, and advocacy. We uphold reverence, love, and a justice rooted in love — a justice that protects sacred belonging, honors dignity, and restores right relationship. You acknowledge that The Listening Bridge is a faith-based ministry and that participation is solely spiritual in nature, not a substitute for licensed therapy or medical treatment.

2. Faith-Based Exemption and Doctrine

The Listening Bridge is recognized as a religious ministry under section 508(c)(1)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code and operates under the spiritual freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution and the laws of the State of California.

Doctrine:

We affirm the sacred principle of reverence for all beings, honoring the Spirit in each, and offering healing through remembrance, ceremony, and sacred companionship.

3. Spiritual Consent Acknowledgment

By participating in any offerings of The Listening Bridge, you affirm and consent to receiving faith-based spiritual support. You agree that you understand these services are spiritual in nature and do not constitute professional mental health care, medical care, or legal advice.

4. No Professional Advice Disclaimer

The Listening Bridge offers spiritual ministry grounded in sacred companionship, prayer, ceremony, and community. Our offerings do not replace licensed mental health care, medical care, or legal advice. While we hold a safe, respectful, and compassionate space for your unfolding, you acknowledge that spiritual work can awaken profound shifts, including emotional, psychological, relational, ancestral, or energetic changes. These shifts may feel challenging or bring unprocessed memories to the surface. You accept personal responsibility for how you integrate these spiritual experiences. The Listening Bridge cannot control or predict how each participant will receive or respond to spiritual practices, teachings, or blessings. Therefore, you agree to hold harmless The Listening Bridge, its stewards, guides, and companions from any claims arising from personal, financial, health, relational, or spiritual impacts related to your participation. These shifts may feel challenging or bring unprocessed memories to the surface. You accept personal responsibility for how you integrate these spiritual experiences.

Sacred Stewardship Statement

The Listening Bridge, its stewards, and companions accept the sacred responsibility to:- Protect the safety and dignity of participants- Uphold confidentiality within the limits of group settings- Act with spiritual and ethical integrity- Maintain a welcoming, reverent container for truth, love, and restoration- Follow all applicable laws regarding the safety of children and vulnerable persons

We commit to these responsibilities with devotion and care, while recognizing each participant’s spiritual sovereignty.

Balanced Responsibility

In spiritual community, each being is sovereign. We, as stewards of The Listening Bridge, promise to hold the container with reverence and skill. You, as a participant, promise to enter this space with free will, honesty, and personal accountability for your own path. We believe this shared responsibility is the ground of true healing.

5. Community Guidelines

The Listening Bridge is a sacred, spiritually governed community. We uphold reverence, love, and a justice rooted in love — a justice that restores right relationship, honors dignity, and protects sacred belonging. Accordingly, we maintain a zero-tolerance policy toward any language or behavior that expresses hate, violence, bigotry, harassment, or discrimination of any kind. In honoring sacred space, all participants agree to:- Engage with respect and honesty- Honor confidentiality of stories shared in community and sacred space- Refrain from any expression of hate, violence, or prejudice toward any group or individual, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, age, spiritual beliefs, or any beings seen or unseen who are welcomed and honored within this ministry’s care.- Protect the dignity and sovereignty of all beings- Refrain from using violent, hateful, or demeaning language- Follow any posted group agreements or circle guidelines. The Listening Bridge reserves the right to suspend or remove participants whose behavior threatens the sacred container, community well-being, or spiritual safety.

Harassment and Retaliation Clause

Retaliation of any kind against individuals who report concerns about safety, discrimination, or respectful conduct is strictly prohibited and may result in removal from participation.

Right to Refuse Service

The Listening Bridge reserves the right to refuse participation to any individual whose conduct or presence is determined to undermine the sacred, safe, or supportive nature of the ministry environment.

6. Child, Vulnerable Person, and More-than-Human Care Policy

The Listening Bridge may, from time to time, serve children, foster youth, elders, animals, or other vulnerable beings in spiritual settings. We do not replace licensed child welfare providers, elder care professionals, veterinary professionals, or licensed animal-assisted therapy practitioners. We will comply with all mandated reporter requirements under California law regarding suspected abuse or neglect of children and dependent adults.

Additionally, we affirm a spiritual and ethical commitment to the respectful treatment of all companion animals and more-than-human beings welcomed in ministry gatherings. While blessings and spiritual ceremonies may include or honor such beings,

The Listening Bridge does not act as a licensed veterinary, animal-assisted therapy, or wildlife care provider. Participants are fully responsible for the health, well-being, supervision, and lawful treatment of any animals they bring to ministry events. The Listening Bridge reserves the right to decline or remove animals from gatherings if their presence compromises safety, sacred space, or the well-being of others. We will act in alignment with animal welfare laws and best practices for their humane and safe care.

As required by law, The Listening Bridge and its stewards will report any reasonable suspicion of child abuse, elder abuse, or neglect to appropriate authorities in alignment with California mandatory reporting statutes.

7. Intellectual Property

All prayers, ceremonies, teachings, publications, and other spiritual materials offered by The Listening Bridge are protected by copyright. You agree not to copy, record, or redistribute these materials for commercial use without written consent. Personal notes for private spiritual growth are welcomed.

8. Donations

The Listening Bridge is sustained through voluntary donations, which may be tax-deductible under IRS guidelines for 508(c)(1)(A) ministries. No one is required to pay to receive ministry blessings or ceremonies. Receipts are available upon request.

9. Photography & Recordings

Participants consent to respectful documentation (photography or audio/video) in group settings for ministry memories, educational use, or spiritual community storytelling, unless they explicitly request to opt out in writing. Private conversations will never be recorded or shared without explicit consent.

10. Privacy and Confidentiality

The Listening Bridge will not sell or share your personal data for commercial profit. We strive to maintain the confidentiality of spiritual conversations and prayer requests; however, group sharing circles cannot guarantee absolute confidentiality beyond participants present.

A separate Privacy Policy will be made available at The Listening Bridge Privacy Policy.

The Listening Bridge will make reasonable efforts to maintain the security of digital data collected in the course of ministry operations, including through password protection, encryption, and staff training on confidentiality practices.

11. Accessibility Commitment

The Listening Bridge strives to make its offerings accessible to all, regardless of ability, and invites participants to share any accommodations needed to support their experience in sacred community.

12. Mediation and Conflict Resolution

If any dispute arises from your participation with The Listening Bridge, you agree first to engage in good-faith dialogue and spiritual mediation, consistent with our values of sacred listening and relational restoration, before pursuing court action.

13. Force Majeure

The Listening Bridge shall not be liable for any delay or failure to perform its obligations under these Terms due to causes beyond its reasonable control, including but not limited to acts of nature, public health emergencies (including epidemics and pandemics), war, or legal restrictions.

14. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of California, in alignment with spiritual protections under the United States Constitution and federal law governing faith-based religious ministries.

15. Spiritual Free Will and Sovereignty

By participating in The Listening Bridge offerings, you acknowledge and affirm your own spiritual sovereignty. You are free to accept, integrate, or decline any spiritual practices, teachings, or guidance offered. The Listening Bridge does not require adherence to any specific belief system, doctrine, or worldview. Your path, choices, and beliefs remain your own at all times. Participation is voluntary, and you may withdraw at any moment in accordance with your own discernment and conscience. The Listening Bridge encourages healthy belonging rooted in self-awareness, mutual respect, and personal responsibility, rather than dependency on any group or leader.

16. Spiritual Free Will Waiver

By participating in The Listening Bridge’s offerings, you acknowledge your free will to accept, integrate, or decline any spiritual teachings, prayers, or blessings shared. You are not compelled to believe, act upon, or incorporate any ministry practices that do not align with your personal faith or conscience.

The Listening Bridge supports your sacred sovereignty. You are not asked to give personal devotion to the ministry, its stewards, or any other participant. You remain free to follow your own beliefs, choices, and discernment at all times. We encourage healthy belonging rooted in personal responsibility, respect, and spiritual freedom.

17. Spiritual Harm Clause

The Listening Bridge serves in good faith to support healing and remembrance, and does not intend to cause spiritual distress. If you feel spiritual discomfort or conflict arises through participation, you agree to communicate with the ministry directly so we may address it together in the spirit of compassion, relational restoration, and sacred listening.

18. Land and Property Blessings

Ceremonies, blessings, or gatherings held on land leased or shared with Gaia Sanctuary 11:11 LLC shall follow the safety guidelines and sacred codes of conduct established jointly by The Listening Bridge and Gaia Sanctuary 11:11 LLC.

19. Cultural & Ancestral Acknowledgement

The Listening Bridge honors the diverse cultural, ancestral, and spiritual traditions of its participants and strives to offer blessings and ceremonies in ways that respect these heritages. Participants are encouraged to share their cultural or ancestral needs so they may be honored in the ministry’s practices whenever possible.

20. Limitation of Liability and Dispute Resolution

To the fullest extent permitted by law, you agree that The Listening Bridge, its stewards, directors, volunteers, and affiliates shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, or special damages arising from your participation in ministry offerings, including but not limited to spiritual discomfort, perceived spiritual harm, emotional distress, or relational disruption. The Listening Bridge provides faith-based, voluntary, spiritual ministry services. You agree to participate at your own discretion and personal responsibility. In the event of a dispute that cannot be resolved through good-faith dialogue, you agree to submit the matter first to binding mediation, and if still unresolved, to confidential arbitration, in accordance with the principles of sacred listening and relational restoration, before pursuing any court action. Any mediation or arbitration shall be conducted under the laws of the State of California.

21. Changes to These Terms

The Listening Bridge may occasionally update these Terms to reflect changes in practice or compliance. Any revisions will be posted on our website or communicated through community channels.

22. Contact

For questions about these Terms, you may reach The Listening Bridge at:

Gaia Sanctuary 11:11 LLC-
1225 Cypress Ave Ste. 3 ,#V704
Los Angeles, CA 90065

gaiasanctuary1111@gmail.com