The people who give the most of themselves to others often find it hard to create space for themselves. Who has the time for it? There's always someone, whether it be a client, a child, a parent, a friend, a patient... someone who needs a little more of your attention and therefore time in your schedule. So often, I hear from women who long for more breathing room in their lives, but they feel overwhelmed by the idea of committing to one more thing. What they want is space and maybe a little freedom, yet if it's not on the calendar, it's not likely to happen. If this resonates for you and you've been considering joining a women's circle this fall, I hope this email helps in your discernment about what's right for you right now.
"The writing, movement, and community sound so lovely, but I know it will be hard for me to make it every week. There's already so much on my plate! I'm not sure about the commitment."
This circle is designed to bring in ease for women who hold a lot of responsibility. You can come weekly but you can also skip whenever you need to. It's OK to show up late if you're running behind, and we always include you in our final blessings if you can't come. This year, we're bringing back the optional partnering component, so you can also connect easily with another woman from the group and do the practices on your own, even on weeks you miss. As one participant put it,
"Carving out this space for the group sessions has taught me how to carve out space for myself in the rest of my life. And most importantly, I have learned to trust and listen to myself. It has been a slow process but I can honestly say I feel completely different than when I began. This group is an incredible gift!"
"I am on the computer and Zoom so much. I wish we could be in person but I also know I couldn't really make it somewhere consistently."
I get it. The convenience factor of online support is obvious, but some virtual experiences feel passive and hard to stay tuned into. Know that we spend most of the time in our sessions not engaging with the screen. We write, move our bodies with no one watching, do intuitive meditation, and then only at the end do we sit together for sharing and witnessing. As a participant said,
"I could not have predicted how connected I have felt to this group of women. Julia creates such a loving, sacred space for us to come together each week. I loved the rituals we incorporated and the power of the many forms of expression we explored together that had very little to do with words. I can’t tell you how much this space has meant to me."
"I'm not sure how I feel about groups. I want connection but also feel self-conscious and guarded about them."
Many of the women who join the group are healing in this area. What's different about community self-healing work as compared to interpersonal processing groups is that we are focused inwards, trusting each woman's own internal compass. Our practices are done in silence or with music, and when we do share, we each speak within a brief container and we own our experiences. There is no advice-giving or opinion-sharing. We are here simply to listen and to witness, to collectively hold a protected space for each person to follow their own guidance. We also don't make anyone dance in front of their screen! You might appreciate this participant's comment:
"Being with women who are navigating life intentionally and exploring together, connecting with the softness inside of me, letting it be Ok to feel what I feel… This is a safe place for the self to be real. No one is trying to fix me in this group, and it is amazing how liberating that is!"
We've currently got space open in both group times. Our first meetings are Sept 21st (Thursday Morning Circle 9:30am CST, currently half full) and September 26th (Tuesday Evening Circle 6:30pm CST, currently just starting to fill with plenty of spaces left). If you're a returning member, just email me to sign up. If we haven't yet spoken about it, please read over the details and then fill out an application.
Whether it's through this program or something else, I hope you are finding ways to nurture self-love and courage in these ever-changing times. I trust you know what you need and support you in following wherever you're led next!
With love,
Julia
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