Honestly: I’ve been mistrusting women most of my life. There was gossip, jealousy and competition. Just in the last 5 years, I started to learn how to trust the feminine not only in terms of trusting other women, but also trusting myself. Before I share with you how I got there, I really want to take a moment and introduce you to the fascinating past of women coming together in circles. Throughout history, women have found solace, strength, and solidarity in coming together in support of one another. Women’s circles, a timeless tradition, have played a significant role in fostering a sense of community, empowerment, and sisterhood. So let’s embark on a journey through time, exploring the historical evolution of women’s circles and their profound significance. We delve into how these gatherings have developed over thousands of years, celebrating the power of women supporting each other. Moreover, I really want to share my path and introduce you to the strategies I learned for women to empower one another outside of male-dominated systems, highlighting the incredible importance of aligning work with the menstrual cycle and fostering a sense of support and community rather than competition.
Ancient Roots: The Origins of Women’s Circles
Women’s circles have a rich and ancient history, rooted in diverse cultures across the globe. From the Red Tent gatherings in ancient civilizations to the sacred rites of passage ceremonies, women have long recognized the importance of coming together in supportive spaces. These gatherings provided a sanctuary for sharing wisdom, experiences, and traditions, passing down ancestral knowledge from one generation to another.
In the Middle Ages, women’s circles held a significant place in society, but unfortunately, they were not always regarded with positivity. During this period, societal norms and religious beliefs placed women in subservient roles, limiting their autonomy and agency. Women’s circles, which provided a space for women to gather, share knowledge, and support each other, became targets of suspicion and fear.
In the context of the Middle Ages, the Christian Church played a dominant role in shaping beliefs and controlling social order. The Church considered any gatherings outside its authority as potential threats to its power. Women’s circles, often associated with folk traditions, herbalism, healing practices, and pagan rituals, were viewed as challenges to Church authority and labeled as gatherings of witches.
The perception of women’s circles as gatherings of witches led to a widespread fear and hysteria surrounding witchcraft. This fear was fueled by religious fervor, superstition, and the belief in the devil’s influence. As a result, many women who participated in women’s circles or displayed knowledge and practices outside of societal norms were labeled as witches and subjected to persecution.
The witch trials of the Middle Ages were characterized by mass hysteria, accusations, and brutal punishments. Women who were suspected of being witches were often subjected to trials where their lives hung in the balance. Torture, forced confessions, and the “swimming test” (where a woman accused of witchcraft would be thrown into water; if she floated, it was considered evidence of guilt) were methods used to extract confessions or condemn women.
Sadly, many women who participated in women’s circles or engaged in alternative practices, such as herbal medicine or midwifery, were falsely accused and subjected to persecution. The burning at the stake was a common form of punishment for those found guilty of witchcraft, resulting in the loss of countless innocent lives. Brutal torture often forced women to pass on the names of other sisters, leading to mistrust and fear brought into the intimate connections within circles.
It is important to note that the persecution of women during the witch trials was not solely due to their involvement in women’s circles but was a complex interplay of factors, including gender biases, religious conflicts, and societal fears. Women’s circles were targeted because they provided a space where women could share knowledge, challenge societal norms, and find support outside the established power structures.
Despite the dark history surrounding women’s circles in the Middle Ages, I find it essential to recognize the resilience of women throughout history. Women continued to support each other, pass down wisdom and traditions, and strive for empowerment, even in the face of persecution. Today, women’s circles have regained their significance as spaces of empowerment, healing, and connection, celebrating the strength of sisterhood while acknowledging and learning from the injustices of the past.
Sisterhood Throughout Time
Over the centuries, women’s circles have adapted and evolved, shaping the experiences and empowerment of women. During times of social and political change, such as the suffragette movement and feminist waves, women’s circles served as catalysts for activism and solidarity. These gatherings became platforms for discussing and addressing issues of gender equality, reproductive rights, and societal change.
In the modern era, women’s circles have taken on new dimensions, focusing on personal growth, healing, and empowerment. They offer safe spaces for women to express their authentic selves, share their challenges, and celebrate their successes. These circles emphasize the importance of self-care, self-love, and personal development, recognizing that by uplifting one another, women can create transformative change both individually and collectively.
When I sat in my first circle, I was blown away by the openness and acceptance I felt from all the other women sitting with me. This stands in total opposite to what I was used to: Other women simply not being a safe space to be around, leading to having just male friends in my younger years. Triggered by this first experience, I found myself looking for more of what I felt there. I started to look at what generally made me feel unsafe in connection with women and how I was contributing to this myself. Yes, I gossiped. Yes, I envied. And yes, I was deeply competing. Through this process, I discovered that feeling save within was something the projected out: I started connecting to girls in an entirely different way. Short after, I met a girl in Greece that showed me how friendship in between women can be – beautiful, supportive, funny, empowering, motivating, emotional, sensual, vulnerable and many more things, short: I felt 100 % seen with every part of who I am. She was the first sister I welcomed into my life, and the more I do this work, the more there come. My connections to women today are deep, emotional and strong, they are more than friendships: They are soul felt connections serving a deeper purpose, the purpose of a community with unconditional support.
Strategies for Empowerment
A womens life in western society is based on structure. We work, eat, sleep in the rhythm of a 9-5 work week. A system made by men, for men. The simple fact is: the female body is fluctuant in its emotions, expressions and moods. Our hormones can’t keep up with it. The result: pressure leads us to leave the subtle layers of our existence behind, getting into do, forgetting the feeling, buried under to-do lists and social stress – we detach from relationships, business, creativity and, most important, we disconnect from other women. Competition and mistrust drive us apart, taking away our most empowering state: sisterhood. Beyond the confines of male-dominated systems, there are a few things you can integrate into your life straight away:
- Aligning with the Menstrual Cycle: Embracing the innate wisdom of the menstrual cycle, women are learning to honor and harness its natural rhythms. By understanding their bodies and adjusting their activities accordingly, women can optimize their productivity, creativity, and well-being throughout each phase of our cycle. Mensuration, fertile phase, ovulation and luteal phase all provide you with a totally different hormonal level, leading to a 25% change in the brains’ chemistry. Aligning your career, workout and social interactions with them brings a greater peace of mind, and a deeper understanding of your body.
- Creating Supportive Communities: By cultivating communities that prioritize support, collaboration, and inclusivity, women can break free from the shackles of competition. Nurturing sisterhood and collective growth allows women to collaborate, share resources, and uplift one another, creating a network of support that transcends boundaries. Find yourself a womens circle close by and get to experience this yourself – it’s worth every single minute.
- Mentoring and Skill-Sharing: Women are actively engaging in mentoring relationships and skill-sharing initiatives. By offering guidance, knowledge, and mentorship to younger generations, women can empower each other to reach new heights professionally and personally. Look out for female mentors and reach out to women that are where you want to be, using this as an empowered state of gaining momentum. Community over competition!
- Redefining Success: Women are redefining success on their own terms, moving away from traditional definitions imposed by male-dominated systems. By embracing their unique strengths, passions, and aspirations, women can create their own paths to fulfillment and achieve success on their own terms. Success for us can look really different from what society defines as wealth and well-being. We function on a much deeper emotional level, are much more intuitive and in tune with other people around us. Simply holding space for another person is success, taking care of yourself and making small choices according to your values is success – it’s what you want it to be.
The historical evolution of women’s circles showcases the enduring power of sisterhood and women supporting one another. From ancient rituals to modern-day gatherings, these circles have provided spaces for connection, wisdom-sharing, and empowerment. As women navigate male-dominated systems, strategies such as aligning with the menstrual cycle, fostering supportive communities, nurturing authentic connections, and celebrating diverse voices are empowering them to transcend limitations and create their own paths to success.
By embracing these strategies and recognizing the strength in collective efforts, women can continue to uplift, inspire, and empower one another. Together, we can foster a world where women’s voices are valued, where authentic connections thrive, and where sisterhood prevails. I’ll have a womens retreat coming up in Bali in September, where we will learn all about the alignment of our menstrual cycle and how we can use our feminine intuition to let go of old beliefs and redefine our reality. Heaps of fun, Yoga, meditation and nurturing food will carry us through a 4 day sisterhood adventure – I can’t wait to have you! If you feel the call to lead circles yourself and fully tap into the power of sisterhood, take a look at our Womens Circle Facilitator Training at the beginning of next year.
Soul Love, Sisters!
