Premise Pods 2026-2027 Season
How to be a person in complicated times?
A Pod is three unhurried conversations with the same small group, built around one of life's big questions. You read a little, listen a lot, and think alongside people just as curious as you are.
Seven Pod sessions this year. Portland or online. $150 in person, $125 online.
One big life question
A single life question to sit with, not skim
Reading & Film
Light prep between sessions, under 2 hours
Three Sessions
Each Pod is made up of three sessions, every other week
One Connected Group
The same curious people,
all three sessions
Expert Facilitation
Sessions are guided by an experienced facilitator using the Premise discussion model
Explore Life's
Big Questions
Premise Pods 2026-2027 Season
POD 1 of 7
Are we who we’ve always been?
A Pod on memory, change, identity, and the selves we carry. Explore what stays constant, what changes, and who we are still becoming.
Online · $125
Sat. Sept. 5 & 9, and Oct. 3
10:00–11:30AM PT
1:00–2:30PM ET
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POD 2 of 7
Are we our bodies?
A Pod on bodies, identity, beauty, aging, and vulnerability. Explore how our bodies shape how we meet the world, and how the world meets us.
Online · $125
Sat, Oct 24, Nov 7, 14
10:00–11:30 AM PT
1:00–2:30 PM ET
POD 3 of 7
What is home?
A Pod on place, belonging, longing, and what it means to feel rooted.
Online · $125
Sat. Dec. 5, 12 & 19
10:00–11:30AM PT
1:00–2:30PM ET
POD 4 of 7
Just because we can, should we?
A Pod on progress, power, responsibility, and restraint. Explore how we decide what we should do when what we can do keeps changing.
Online · $125
Sat, Jan 9, 23, & Feb 6
10:00–11:30 AM PT
1:00–2:30 PM ET
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POD 5 of 7
What is happiness, really?
A Pod on pleasure, meaning, desire, and the good life. Explore what we chase, what satisfies us, and what kind of life happiness might actually require.
Online · $125
Sun Feb 14, 28, March 14
4:00-5:30PM PT
7:00-8:30PM ET
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POD 6 of 7
What is love? What should it be?
A Pod that explores love from many angles: tenderness, longing, loyalty, sacrifice, possession, and freedom. What kinds of love enlarge us, and what kinds make us smaller?
Online · $125
Sun. Mar. 28, and Apr. 11 & 25
4:00–5:30PM PT
7:00–8:30PM ET
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POD 7 of 7
Does thinking about death lead to a good life?
A Pod on mortality, meaning, time, grief, and whether facing death can help us live more fully.
Online · $125
Sat. May 15 & 22, and Jun. 5
10:00–11:30AM PT
1:00–2:30PM ET
Explore Life's
Big Questions
Premise Pods 2026-2027 Season
Pod 1 of 7
Are we who we've always been?
A Pod on memory, change, identity, and the selves we carry. Explore what stays constant, what changes, and who we are still becoming.
Portland · in person · $150
Sun. Sept. 13 & 27, and Oct. 4
5:30–7:30 PM
Or
Online · $125
Sat. Sept. 5 & 9, and Oct. 3
10:00–11:30AM PT
1:00–2:30PM ET
Pod 2 of 7
Are we our bodies?
A Pod on bodies, identity, beauty, aging, and vulnerability. Explore how our bodies shape how we meet the world, and how the world meets us.
Portland · in person · $150
Sun, Oct 18, Nov 1, 8
5:30–7:30 PM
Or
Online · $125
Sat, Oct 24, Nov 7, 14
10:00–11:30 AM PT
1:00–2:30 PM ET
Pod 4 of 7
Just because we can, should we?
A Pod on progress, power, responsibility, and restraint. Explore how we decide what we should do when what we can do keeps changing.
Portland · in person · $150
Sun. Jan. 10 & 24, and Feb. 7
5:30–7:30PM
Or
Online · $125
Sat, Jan 9, 23, & Feb 6
10:00–11:30 AM PT
1:00–2:30 PM ET
Pod 5 of 7
What is happiness, really?
A Pod on pleasure, meaning, desire, and the good life. Explore what we chase, what satisfies us, and what kind of life happiness might actually require.
Portland · in person · $150
Sun, Feb 21, March 7, 21
10:30AM-12:30 PM
Or
Online · $125
Sun Feb 14, 28, March 14
4:00-5:30PM PT
7:00-8:30PM ET
Pod 6 of 7
What is love? What should it be?
A Pod that explores love from many angles: tenderness, longing, loyalty, sacrifice, possession, and freedom. What kinds of love enlarge us, and what kinds make us smaller?
Portland · in person · $150
Sun. Apr. 4 & 18, & May 2
10:30–12:30PM
Or
Online · $125
Sun. Mar. 28, and Apr. 11 & 25
4:00–5:30PM PT
7:00–8:30PM ET
Join a year of Pods! Online or In Portland
A year of Premise Pods
A year of Pods offers more than a discount. It creates a steady rhythm of reflection, conversation, and intellectual companionship throughout the year. You'll return to life’s big questions from different angles, encounter new ideas and perspectives, and have time for both the conversations and the relationships around them to deepen.
Portland · in person · $800
Portland participants can choose to attend each Pod either in person or online, depending on what works best.
Or
Online · $700
Join us from anywhere and meet curious people you'd otherwise never meet!
Our Participants Say it Best
"Premise sessions are like warm tea for my distracted brain."
What Our Participants Say
"Premise gives me the chance to have conversations about things that matter to me, things that matter to others, and it gives me a feeling of connection to another life outside of my own. Through meaningful conversations, I am invited to share in someone else's life experience and have another bare witness/validate my own experience. This experience helps me to be truly seen/heard...that's not always so easy to find."
What Our Participants Say
"Premise is a space for people to discuss deep questions and go beyond the superficial. It is a great opportunity to connect with individuals who share a love for reading, learning, discussion and thinking about big ideas."
What Our Participants Say
"It give me a chance to think beyond the headlines. I appreciate the opportunity to discuss issues in more depth than usual small talk."
What Our Participants Say
"Premise pushes me outside my comfort zone. I’m not an intellectual in the slightest, and sharing my thoughts honestly scares me but it’s a chance to do that. It’s also an opportunity to listen to people I might not agree with and to practice being patient with others who, in different settings, might push my buttons."
What Our Participants Say
"It's analog. It's real. There is space to connect human topics with personal experience. It makes me feel less alone because we are sharing ideas that I often think about alone but here--there are people with whom to consider the richness of the questions."
What Our Participants Say
"It's a very unique space in my opinion. It's one of the only places I feel like I can connect with strangers and learn/think about topics I otherwise struggle to make space for."
What Our Participants Say
"The facilitator does a great job of laying down ground rules and helping move the conversation forward."
FAQ Premise Pods
It’s three guided sessions with the same people, all centered on one big life question, with a short set of readings or a film that helps you see the question from multiple angles. Pods are offered in person (Portland and other cities coming soon!) and online, and they’re designed for people who want something deeper than a one-off event—connection, continuity, and a shared thread to return to.
In person: 2 hours
Online: 1.5 hours
We start and end on time.Prep is light and doable and intentionally designed to fit into a busy life.
Before each session, you’ll get a set of short readings or a film chosen to spark reflection and conversation. Most people spend about 60-90 minutes preparing—enough to come in grounded, curious, and ready for conversation.
Not at all.
Premise Pods are designed for curious people, not experts. You don’t need any background knowledge—just a willingness to engage with the material, listen well, and bring your own perspective to the conversation.
We really hope you’ll be able to make all three sessions, since the continuity is what makes a Pod special.
That said, missing one session won’t be the end of the world—you can still come to the next one and stay connected to the group. If you miss more than one, it may start to feel a bit too disjointed, both for you and for the Pod’s shared thread of conversation.In person Pods are capped at 12 people.
Online Pods are capped at 15 people.Online Pods meet on Zoom. After you register, we’ll send clear instructions and your Zoom link.
In-person Pods meet at our Portland home base at 722 Page St. After you register, we’ll send details on how to access the space.
We’re also working toward Pods in other Premise communities—stay tuned as new locations open up.
Neither.
A Premise Pod is a guided conversation where a small group gathers around one enduring life question, with a short reading or film as a shared starting point. It is a space for intellectual fellowship and for meeting new people who are also hungry for richer conversation. You get to try on new ideas, hear perspectives you would not encounter in your usual circles, and leave with more questions than answers in the best way.
It is not a class. There are no lectures, homework, or grades.
It is not group therapy. Premise is not clinical, and it is not designed for crisis support or therapeutic processing.
It is a facilitated conversation experience that is structured, welcoming, and deeply human.
In Portland and for online Pods, Mary Finn, the founder of Premise, facilitates the Pod.
Facilitators are there to create a welcoming, inclusive space and to guide the flow of conversation so that everyone has room to participate. They are not lecturers, and they are not therapists. They bring thoughtful prompts and strong discussion design that helps a group engage with curiosity, care, and intellectual honesty.
As Premise expands, Pods may also be led by other trained Premise facilitators. You can learn more about our facilitators here.
After you register, you will receive a confirmation email with everything you need.
You will get the session dates and times, the prep materials for the first session, and clear instructions for where to go.
If you registered for an online Pod, we will send your Zoom link and login details.
If you registered for an in person Pod in Portland, we will send instructions for accessing our home base at 722 Page St.
Yes, please do.
Premise Pods are often even better with a friend, especially if you want a familiar face in the room. Just have your friend register separately so we can hold their spot, since Pods are capped and often fill.
Premise Pods are funded entirely by participant revenue, and that revenue is what keeps the program going and growing.
We also do not want money to be the reason you cannot join. If you would like to come but cannot pay, or you need a significant discount, email Mary at Mary@premiseinstitute.com
No need to explain. No questions asked.We always provide the readings after you register.
Sometimes a Pod includes a film, and that may require access to a streaming service like Netflix. When possible, we provide links and clear instructions so it is easy to find.
Premise attracts a wide mix of people.
Pods tend to include adults of different ages and backgrounds who are curious, thoughtful, and hungry for deeper conversation.
Some people come because they love literature and big questions. Others come because they want to meet new people and have more meaningful dialogue than daily life usually makes room for.
You do not need a specific academic background. You just need a willingness to show up, engage with the materials, and be part of a generous conversation.
FAQ Premise Pods
It’s three guided sessions with the same people, all centered on one big life question, with a short set of readings or a film that helps you see the question from multiple angles. Pods are offered in person (Portland and other cities coming soon!) and online, and they’re designed for people who want something deeper than a one-off event—connection, continuity, and a shared thread to return to.
In person: 2 hours
Online: 1.5 hours
We start and end on time.Prep is light and doable and intentionally designed to fit into a busy life.
Before each session, you’ll get a set of short readings or a film chosen to spark reflection and conversation. Most people spend about 60-90 minutes preparing—enough to come in grounded, curious, and ready for conversation.
Not at all.
Premise Pods are designed for curious people, not experts. You don’t need any background knowledge—just a willingness to engage with the material, listen well, and bring your own perspective to the conversation.
We really hope you’ll be able to make all three sessions, since the continuity is what makes a Pod special.
That said, missing one session won’t be the end of the world—you can still come to the next one and stay connected to the group. If you miss more than one, it may start to feel a bit too disjointed, both for you and for the Pod’s shared thread of conversation.In person Pods are capped at 12 people.
Online Pods are capped at 15 people.Online Pods meet on Zoom. After you register, we’ll send clear instructions and your Zoom link.
In-person Pods meet at our Portland home base at 722 Page St. After you register, we’ll send details on how to access the space.
We’re also working toward Pods in other Premise communities—stay tuned as new locations open up.
Neither.
A Premise Pod is a guided conversation where a small group gathers around one enduring life question, with a short reading or film as a shared starting point. It is a space for intellectual fellowship and for meeting new people who are also hungry for richer conversation. You get to try on new ideas, hear perspectives you would not encounter in your usual circles, and leave with more questions than answers in the best way.
It is not a class. There are no lectures, homework, or grades.
It is not group therapy. Premise is not clinical, and it is not designed for crisis support or therapeutic processing.
It is a facilitated conversation experience that is structured, welcoming, and deeply human.
In Portland and for online Pods, Mary Finn, the founder of Premise, facilitates the Pod.
Facilitators are there to create a welcoming, inclusive space and to guide the flow of conversation so that everyone has room to participate. They are not lecturers, and they are not therapists. They bring thoughtful prompts and strong discussion design that helps a group engage with curiosity, care, and intellectual honesty.
As Premise expands, Pods may also be led by other trained Premise facilitators. You can learn more about our facilitators here.
After you register, you will receive a confirmation email with everything you need.
You will get the session dates and times, the prep materials for the first session, and clear instructions for where to go.
If you registered for an online Pod, we will send your Zoom link and login details.
If you registered for an in person Pod in Portland, we will send instructions for accessing our home base at 722 Page St.
Yes, please do.
Premise Pods are often even better with a friend, especially if you want a familiar face in the room. Just have your friend register separately so we can hold their spot, since Pods are capped and often fill.
Premise Pods are funded entirely by participant revenue, and that revenue is what keeps the program going and growing.
We also do not want money to be the reason you cannot join. If you would like to come but cannot pay, or you need a significant discount, email Mary at Mary@premiseinstitute.com
No need to explain. No questions asked.We always provide the readings after you register.
Sometimes a Pod includes a film, and that may require access to a streaming service like Netflix. When possible, we provide links and clear instructions so it is easy to find.
Premise attracts a wide mix of people.
Pods tend to include adults of different ages and backgrounds who are curious, thoughtful, and hungry for deeper conversation.
Some people come because they love literature and big questions. Others come because they want to meet new people and have more meaningful dialogue than daily life usually makes room for.
You do not need a specific academic background. You just need a willingness to show up, engage with the materials, and be part of a generous conversation.