What are Women's Circles ?
Women's circles are gatherings of sisterhood that provide women with a safe space to connect, share and strengthen themselves.
Our female ancestors gathered in the red tent and moon lodges as a sacred space to connect, especially during menstruation. Religious groups, such as the pagans and Celtic Christians of the 5th and 6th centuries, gathered in women's circles. The same happened with Jewish women over the centuries to observe Rosh Chodesh, the first part of the moon at the “head” of the month.
With the fire at the center, the women circled around the light and warmth, a place to share stories, cook meals, honor the gods and goddesses and dance under the stars. When we participate in a women's circle, we continue the tradition of our ancestors, forming a sacred community of goddesses to celebrate the feminine.
When we sit in a women's circle, we connect and support sisterhood in a safe space. It's a time to celebrate the divine feminine, to encourage our sisters' originality and uniqueness, and to let their authentic selves shine!
We honor our women ancestors
A women's circle honors women ancestors through unity and ritual, a time to consider the generations who paved the way for the opportunities available to women today. We honor their strength to overcome the many obstacles of womanhood. We celebrate the “first” women who stood up against patriarchy and became leaders in their community. We remember the great warrior women, the shield maidens, Grandmother Shaman, and all the women who have embodied the divine feminine with courage, resilience and compassion.
The women's circle is a place for community
As an inclusive space, the women's circle welcomes all ages and brings generations together. Great-grandmothers, grandmothers, mothers and daughters sit together in solidarity. The older women pass on their wisdom learned from experience. The new generations of girls give back to their elders the wonder of childhood and the joy of youth. Together, shared strength circulates through all generations, a way of empowering each other to participate meaningfully in the community and pave the way for future generations of women.
Women's circle reinforces female power and sisterhood
Society has often found ways to break the sacred bonds between women. A women's circle reminds sisters to treat each other as allies, not competitors. We embrace women as our sisters, lifting each other up.
The women's circle celebrates the divine feminine
The women's circle is an opportunity to get in touch with the divine feminine. Women awaken their connection with intuition, imagination and the ability to flow with the rhythms of life. As they reconnect with this divine feminine through the support of sisterhood, they can better express their wisdom in their relationships, families and communities.
The women's circle is a safe and supportive space
The women's circle gives each participant the opportunity to speak her truth without judgment. Sharing with women who support us and give us strength frees us from the weight of our burdens. We shed light on our fears, thus diminishing their power. We can then go beyond the wall of fear and enter the freedom of our strength and divine light.
The women's circle is a place for self-care
Women play essential roles in societies. They are mothers, wives, aunts, sisters. They occupy positions of power, guiding future generations of women to pursue their dreams. They are the queens of multi-tasking, taking care of their families and paying the bills while juggling a career. Busy lives often get in the way of self-care. The women's circle is a moment of self-love. It gives women permission to take time to care for themselves. A circle of sisters offers a moment to appreciate all the hard work it takes to be a woman. It's a time to rest, to connect with sisters and to focus on physical and mental well-being.