Here are a few basic tools for creating your
own women's circle
Guidelines for Setting up a Sacred Circle, Basic Steps of a Ceremony, Basic Principles of Counsel Sharing, Sacred Journey of the Seven Chakras, & the Wheel of the Year
Feel free to join Hope in her next class if you would like to learn more!
Guidelines for Setting up a Sacred Circle
Who?
Invite women you feel can be present with their own truth
and other's. Courageous and compassionate women who are
willing to share honestly and listen with respect. Include women you feel have the time and ability to commit to attending.
Also, pay attention to those who just happen to show up as you're planning.
Pay attention to your intuition! Remember, diversity is good.
It's a good idea to start small, with 4-8 women.
2. What?
Will your group have a focus or intention beyond Spiritual Growth? If so, and you have a strong inclination, then you can choose the focus before you call folks to gather.
Or, choosing an intention might be your group's first activity.
Focus Examples from other groups- Creativity, Health, Healing Trauma, Helping local single moms, Renewal and Empowerment, Books, and 2 traditional paths, the Wheel of the Year, which celebrates the Goddess seasonally, and the Cycles of the Moon which have been celebrated by many indigenous cultures.
3. When?
Those Circles who follow the Moon Cycles usually meet on the Full Moon and New Moon, about 2 weeks apart. Circles following the Wheel of the Year, meet, on the equinoxes, the solstices, and the midpoints between them, about every 6 weeks. Other Circles may simply meetonce a month, or week. It's up to you.
How long is each meeting? Often 2-4 hours, planning for 3 hours is usually comfortable, without feeling rushed. Often depends on the number of women and making time for each woman to share.
4. Where?
Circles often meet at each other's homes. Some groups change leadership this way, from home to home. The most valuable location is outside around a fire!
Begin looking for places in your area that feel special and powerful. These Power Spots can be used, when the times are right, to greatly deepen and expand the experience of a Circle.
Guidelines for Setting up a Sacred Circle
1. One person speaks at a time. Sometimes, in real-time, a "talking stick" might be
held by the speaker and passed on when complete. This "stick" could be any
sacred object.
2. We speak from our own experiences and feelings rather than about others.
We speak without judging or blaming ourselves or others.
We speak with honesty and openness.
3. As listeners, we listen deeply without blaming, judging, analyzing, or interrupting.
We focus and listen with respect, kindness, and curiosity.
4. We keep everything said within the Circle, to maintain Confidentiality and promote
the safety and freedom we need to speak our truths.
Basic steps of a Ceremony
Prayer with Intention
Calling Directions
Raising the Energy
Building the Cone of Power
Manifesting your intention
Grounding/Gratitude
Council Sharing
Closing the Directions
Closing Prayer
Feasting and Sharing!
Wheel of the Year
meets aprox. every 6 weeks Equinoxes, solstices and points between
Dec. 21-23 Yule Winter Solstice The Goddess is reborn,
a new born emerging from the darkness of the womb.
The Light returns! New beginnings, great hope, opportunity and promise.
What will you invite into this new year?
What seeds(intentions) will you plant for the year ahead?
Feb. 2 Imbolc- The Goddess is still a babe at her mother's breast.
Full of milk and contentment. Young and fragile.
We celebrate the purity and wonder of childhood,
While our seeds are quickening under the soil.
What message might our inner child have for us?
March 20-23 Eostar Spring Equinox The Goddess is
now a laughing, curious, playful maiden.
She calls to us to join her play for our renewal,
and also to heal the wounds we carry from childhood.
Our seeds are now sending leaves up, poking
out of the soil, reaching for the sun!
How can you care for those young leaves?
When will you stand up and reach for the sun?
May 1 Beltane The Goddess Maiden has become a young woman.
She has awakened her sexuality, woman's passion is the theme.
Our seeds are now full, vibrant plants, growing with vigor.
How will you connect with your passion?
What do your plants need for their vigorous growth?
June 20-23 Litha Summer Solstice- The Goddess is in her fullness now.
She has reached maturity with full strength and energy.
She is pregnant with Life. Our seeds are mature plants with ripening fruit.
How can we Show up and Shine more in our lives?
How can we best share abundance?
Aug. 1 Lamas Between the Summer and the Fall,
the Goddess is the Matriarch now. Our seeds will soon be harvested.
What actions will you take to prepare for harvest?
Who are your tribe?
Sept. 20-23 Mabon Fall Equinox- The Goddess has reached menopause
and become the Crone.The fruits of our seeds have been harvested.
It's time to give our Thanks and appreciation! It's time to come together,
celebrate the harvest, unify, and bond as we prepare for the dark times.
What did you harvest this year?
Oct. 31 Samhain All Hallow's Eve- The Crone Goddess readies
herself for death and rebirth. Our plant is withering, drying up
and returning to the earth. It is a time remember those women
who came before us. A time to thank our ancestors for leading the way.
A time to look within to see what we need to let go of,
in order to be reborn with the Light at Winter Solstice.
We celebrate the darkness, death and birth as we end the year.
Sacred Journey of the 7 Chakras
These circles meet once a month for 8 months.
Each circle and Ceremony is shaped by the issues and attributes of the Chakra.
We begin with the:
1st Chakra- grounding, health, birth, and infancy.
2nd Chakra- sexuality, creativity, emotions.
3rd Chakra- the will, energy, action
4th Chakra- Love and relationships
5th Chakra- Communication
6th Chakra- Intuition and Mind
7th Chakra- Spiritual Nature
8th Circle- Integration and Gratitude
Sacred Journey of the 7 Chakras
.png)