Are you feeling the call to join a women’s circle for deep and authentic sharing, but are unsure where to find one? Perhaps your area doesn’t host any, or you feel overwhelmed by the idea of being around so many new women at once. Or maybe the commute there and back is simply too challenging to add to your busy schedule right now.
Those are common concerns and trust me, I feel you! It can be intimidating – and taxing – to encounter new and different energies, especially when you don’t know what to expect. You’re not alone! And you can rest assured that your boundaries don’t have to prevent you from experiencing the magic of women’s circles.
Because nowadays, they are available from the comfort of your home.
In this post, I’ll cover the differences between in-person and online women’s circles; how online circles work, and other helpful avenues of thought to prepare yourself when joining an online women’s circle. If the concept of circling online appeals to you, I’m hoping that this post will help you feel comfortable to take the leap and join a community of sisters who are there and ready to support you. You’re worth it!
What is a women’s circle?
A women’s circle is a gathering of women looking for mutual support, heartfelt sharing, and sisterhood. They allow women to connect emotionally and spiritually with themselves and each other through different practices, ceremonies, and rituals.
Women’s circles are a very ancient practice. Back in the day, women would gather and hold ceremonies regularly, especially during menstruation.
Nowadays, they are on the rise in both the Eastern and the Western sides of the world. Our world is developing, and now starting to realize the importance of honoring the divine feminine, both in women and men.
Women’s circles are a powerful spiritual practice contributing to bringing harmony and balance back, both in people individually and the world as a whole.
What is the difference between an online and in-person circle?
As suggested by their name, online women’s circles follow the same concept as in-person ones, except that they take place online. Just like in in-person circles, a facilitator will be holding space to make it a safe and sacred one.
Joining an online women’s circle can have several wonderful benefits. For a start, you can join this sacred space from your home and in your pajamas! For many women, this familiarity provides feelings of grounding and safety, which then encourages them to open their hearts for further vulnerability. Not to mention that you can join exactly as you are!
“Oh darling, your wild and untameable has been the best part of you all along. Welcome home.” ― Nikki Rowe
Also, joining an online women’s circle will save you plenty of your precious time since no commuting is required.
Another advantage is that they connect you with women all over the world, each with their abundance of cultural wisdom. Chances are that you would never meet these women elsewhere! Plus, if you’re a nomad, you can join the circle from anywhere.
If you would like to go deeper into the benefits of online women’s circles, please take a look at my blog post describing them in more detail here.
How does an online circle work?
The structure of an online women’s circle will depend much on the facilitator’s personal story, beliefs, and personality. As such, there can be great variety in the format and intentions of an online circle from one facilitator to another.
It also means that if your first attempt didn’t work for you, you can find another community. Please don’t let this discourage you!
There will also be similarities with in-person circles. At the end of the day, all women’s circles are a celebration of the divine feminine; a sacred space for women to come together, share, and listen compassionately. This community and supportive elements are hopefully ones that you would encounter in the vast majority of online women’s circles.
With that said, let me give you some examples of elements I’ve used in my circles.
First, it’s common for facilitators to start with a grounding meditation to help women enter the sacred space gently. They might then ask women to introduce themselves, before sharing one word (or a sentence) about how they’re feeling. Usually, this is an attempt to get everyone to feel comfortable and as engaged as possible.
Facilitators may use different practices to create a sense of community and sisterhood. Those could be an embodiment practice (such as spontaneous movements to become one with the body), soul inquiry (a journaling exercise using prompts for women to connect deeper with their souls), and/or prompts to encourage authentic, vulnerable, and heartfelt sharing.
“When you feel you are being moved by the creative spirit, you are in fact being moved by the divine feminine.” – Teri Degler
Commonly, facilitators will close the circle with one last round, asking women to reflect on how they’re feeling now compared to the beginning. For further detail, I encourage you to read my other blog post about the power of women’s circles here.
Do I need to prepare anything when joining an online women’s circle?
Nope! All you need is a laptop (recommended) or phone, a decent internet connection, and yourself. That’s it! Online women’s circles are meant to be accessible to more women, who don’t necessarily have the time or space to join in-person ones.
But if you’d like to take it further, you can, too! For example, I recommend setting a peaceful and safe atmosphere before the online circle. You can also bring a journal and pen to take notes or respond to the prompts provided by your facilitator.
How to set up your own space
The atmosphere you create before any spiritual practice will strongly contribute to your ability to open up and engage. You can do this in a few different ways: by lighting a few candles, burning some incense (there are so many incredible different smells available!), or even a little sage.
I also recommend turning off all the white lights and replacing them with warm yellow lighting for a cozy atmosphere. You can also add some fresh flowers or roses to bring some nature to you!
How can I join an online women’s circle?
By now, you may understand better what to expect from joining an online women’s circle. It’s all great, but where can you find one?
Online women’s circles are on the rise, especially after the many changes our world has experienced from Covid-19. You can start by checking out Eventbrite, where most facilitators will promote their future events.
Meetup is another great place to start, boasting many online and in-person events from anywhere in the world. And don’t forget to browse Facebook’s events, as it’s also a widely used platform by facilitators!
Finally, you can start a Google search and see what pops up. One of the many advantages of online women’s circles is that there will be more of them available to you, wherever you are!
Whether online or in-person, regularly dedicating time to spend with other women is incredibly important to connect to your divine feminine energy – especially in our busy world. Whether it’s your best friend, a colleague, or a group of women, I strongly encourage you to make time for heartfelt conversations and compassionate listening as often as you can.
And if you feel ready to take the leap and attend an online women’s circle, please know that you are very welcome, as you are, in my next circle. You can find more information about my upcoming events here.
I would be deeply honored to hold space for and with you!
