I am a nest keeper.
Holding circles for women is what I do every month and have for almost two decades. The first circle formed nineteen years ago, and the fifth circle began just about a year ago. As keeper of the nest, I observe how we take care of ourselves and how we care for our nest-mates. I am not alone in this process. Each woman’s presence is essential. Her energy enlivens and strengths the rest of the nest.
Often the best thing for a woman is to sit in a circle with other women. To speak her truth and listen to the truth of others. Circles are a place where the risks of stepping out into the world in a new way finds support.
Women’s Circles are what I was searching for over many decades. This is how I wrote about it in unfolding…
“In every decade of my adulthood I’ve worked to unleash this confined spirit. In the 1960s I thought sexual freedom would release her. In the 1970s it seemed to be political power and the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment. In the 1980s, I believed an advanced degree and a profession would liberate her. In the 1990s, I created programs supporting women to live their dreams. I believed this would encourage her spirit to dance free.
Now in the 2000s I facilitate ongoing women’s circles to embody the feminine in our daily lives. …We ache to come home to ourselves, blending the strength we gained with the softness that nurtures. Connecting heart and mind, we wish to create choices reflecting our deepest longing and best thinking. Vibrating with the timbre of our own powerful voices, we want our truth and wisdom to define our lives and contribute to our communities.”
Now each month, I experience women daring to be real. My mission is to assist women, so that they are heard, seen and honored.
The initial circles’ formation felt personal and intimate. However, a renaissance of women gathering and celebrating sisterhood was happening in many countries around the world. It continues to be a global phenomenon.
Once again, I am experiencing new energy breaking through into our collective awareness. While everything on the larger societal level continues to fall apart the feminine voice has become louder. Disruption is uncomfortable. It is also an opportunity to reshape our cultural narrative.
This month all five circles will join together. It’s important to feel the power of the collective that formed over these decades. We’ll celebrate the work of 19 years. We’ll give voice to where we have been, where we are and where we are headed. Might we make changes? Shift focus? I do not know. I trust the intelligence of circles and the women who inhabit them.
When anyone awakens to their true power, change is sure to happen.
PS: If you are not in a women’s circle consider joining one. There are many options all over the world.