Women’s Circle
Belonging is a Primary Need
Something happens when a group of women come together with the aim of sharing, supporting and connecting. Perhaps having lived in a masculine world for centuries the need to be with our tribe and have a sense of belonging is a primary need. Our ancestors often naturally formed women’s circles to work, knit, chat and just be together. Before the industrial revolution people lived in extended families and communities. The nuclear family is a modern phenomenon and some would argue is breaking down as a successful model for living.
As a single mother of three children, with no financial support from their father and no family support around me, I broke down. But I didn’t have any relief from that pressure so had to keep going, keep working, keep providing while broken. I had to dig deep, I struggled with depression, I couldn’t manage to form new relationships. I was constantly overwhelmed. But I am blessed with inner resources, creativity and a few amazing friends so I was able to invent new ways to manage. Others without those personal resources often find themselves facing social services.
I didn’t have a local or online women’s circle at that time. I think that would have been amazing if I had. I found myself often quite alone. I dug deep within myself and found ways forward that I pass on now in my work with clients.
Women’s Circle is Being Myself With Other Women Being Themselves
In the first women’s circle I ran I was full of fear. Fear of being judged, of failing of rejection. Interestingly I noticed how I judge. How I judge myself and others. The circle teaches us things and in my case helped show me how to be more accepting of myself and of others even when I thought I already was. I realised running a circle wasn’t about success and failure but about being myself and being with other women being themselves. I learnt a lot and still do.
Having spent more of my life ‘alone’ rather than being in groups, I often feel like the loner in a group setting and often desperate to be heard, as if needing to let out all that I have wanted to say which hasn’t had a chance to be heard. My story – facing life alone
In the women’s circle, the connection and unity felt amongst people with just the honest intention to be themselves, just as they are with no expectations, creates its own force field of love and empowerment in a natural way.
It loves us, it holds us and is bigger than the sum of its parts. So we become bigger than just our thoughts, feelings, emotions and stories.
Please get in touch if you would like to learn more or join me at my next women’s circle.