I just had someone say that she is thinking about starting a women’s circle and was wondering if I have any resources to recommend. Heck yes, tons!

BUT it also made me think about returning from the Gather the Women weekend (guess this is post 2 ½ of 3 lol) where every morning at 6:45am, I sat in some of the best circles I have ever sat in.

And they were SO SIMPLE. All you have to do is:

  1. Find a quiet undisturbed area.
  2. Create the center. This can be a candle on a coffee table.
  3. Think of a question. Preferably ahead of time by getting quiet and still and see what comes to you.
  4. Find a ‘talking stick’, a ‘talking bowl’ .. heck anything that you can pass around the circle.
  5. One by one, answer the question. No one speaks while the person with the talking stick is speaking. What is said is held in confidence. One person can be appointed a ‘Guardian’ who rings a bell or calls for several seconds of quiet if something that is said needs some ‘settling time’. Once everyone has a chance to speak, if someone has something else to add, keep going.
  6. Do not be afraid of silence. Make it a point to sit in silence.
  7. Say a blessing and ‘open’ the circle.

You will be amazed at how satisfying and profound this way of communicating and coming together is.

You will also see how most ‘normal conversations’ are often monopolized by a few but some of the most silent ones in everyday conversations have so much worthwhile to say!

You will also be amazed at this chance to ‘stop your monkey brain’. I make it a point not to ‘worry’ about what I am going to say, but to really listen as everyone else is speaking. I have realized that a lot of the time I am not listening as I am too busy ‘responding’ in my brain.

Getting ‘present’ and really being there is the key ingredient.

Add additional ingredients as desired:

Meditation, singing, drumming, items of beauty or significance, poetry, dance, massage, reiki

Some good starter books:

Sacred Circles: A Guide to Creating Your Own Women’s Spirituality Group by Robin Deen Carnes and Sally Craig

The Millionth Circle: How to Change Ourselves and the World. The Essential Guide to Women’s Circles by Jean Shinoda Bolen, M.D.

 

… and of course, don’t forget to check out our [free] computer app

at www.theDivineFeminineApp.com

to see Circles and Events by you as well as online/virtual ones.