So, what is a Sacred Circle?

Artwork credit: nazimartist.com

There are lots of different Sacred Circles, Womens Circles and Sister Circles out there – each as unique as the women who participate in them – so this is just my interpretation!

I started facilitating Women’s Circles about 10 years ago after first coming across the ancient tradition of women gathering for radical rest, self care, spiritual connection and community in Anita Diamant’s book ‘The Red Tent’.

Around the same time, my sister who lives in Byron Bay, Australia, was telling me about the incredibly supporting and nourishing gatherings of women that she was part of there.

This sparked a curiosity in me that led to reading everything I could find about Womens Circles and talking to people who ran them in the UK and beyond. And realising that this age-old tradition of women sitting in circles of trust together was a growing movement that I felt called to be part of. 

The intentional gathering of women which was pushed underground for centuries after the witch trials, and revived by second wave feminists in the 60s, has been gaining momentum as more women continue to question and dismantle some of the more harmful narratives of western culture and patriarchy, and recognise that we are stronger together.

Throughout my life I have been blessed by sisterhoods – biological, spiritual and emotional – and these have fundamentally informed the person I am.

Initially for me, facilitating Womens Circles was just about making friends and building community (I started my first womens circle when we moved out of London and found ourselves in Kent with 3 toddlers and no friends – and the first group was mostly made up of similarly harassed-looking mums who I accosted in the playground!).

But over the years I have witnessed the powerfully transformative magic of this simple formula – women sitting in circle together, sharing the truth of their hearts and being listened to and held without judgement. 

I came to realise that there is something inherently sacred about an intentional gathering of equals – and that at the centre of every circle, connecting every person in the circle, is Spirit (however we may individually understand or relate to the concept of the Divine).

Currently I facilitate monthly ‘Full Moon Sister Circles’ which are groups of up to 8 women, who commit to meeting together one evening a month for 6 months.

The monthly gathering are themed to reflect what is happening in nature and the cosmos. They always follow a similar pattern which involves ritual and ceremony, breathwork or guided meditation, gentle embodied movement around our theme, and ‘holding space’ for each other to share whatever is on our hearts.

The intentions of these circles are:

·      To be intentional about sisterhood and championing the women around us.

·      To prioritise time for reflection and self care in the midst of our busy lives. 

·      To re-connect with the rhythms of the seasons and the lunar cycle.

·      To tell our truth, remember who we are, and understand what we need.

·      To reclaim our own power and inner magic.

Sister Circles run in 6 month blocks in Rusthall, Kent TN4. To find out more about how to get involved please contact me!

And one of the things I've loved most in the past couple of years is introducing younger girls (including my own daughter!) to the magic of circles - through our 'Heroine Jouney' circles which are designed for mums and daughters together. Seeing the girls grow and evolve and blossom over the 12 month journey is such a gift.

me and my daughter at the closing ceremony of our Heroines Journey Circle.

Book List!

And if you’d like to read more about Sacred Circles here are 5 of my favourite books on the subject:

Anita Diamant – The Red Tent (a historical novel which re-imagines of the lives of some of the women named in the old testament of the bible). 

Jean Shinoda Bolen – The Millionth Circle – an empowering manifesto for Womens Circles, based on decades of work and experience.

Glennie Kindred & Lu Garner – Creating Ceremony –I love everything by Glennie Kindred and this little self-published book is a gem full of practical wisdom

Clarissa Pinkola Estes - Women who run with the Wolves – Informed by her work as a Jungian psychoanalyst this is a seminal work on the inner life of women and why we need each other. Part poetry, part story, part science – its one of my favourite books of all time!

Sharon Blackie – If women Rose Rooted – Described as ‘a feminist cry for the rewilding of womanhood’ it’s a journey through mythology into understanding our place in the world.

…..and for a beautifully produced modern guide on ‘how to start and run a womens circle’ with Instagram-able aspirational photography (!) I’d recommend Anoushka Florence’s ‘The Women’s Circle – how to gather with meaning, intention and purpose’

Are you part of a womens circle? Or have you read any brilliant books on the subject?! I'd love to know more about your experience! Get in touch