Cultivating Circles of Sisterhood – connection and support doesn’t just happen, you create it

 In Feminine Super Powers, Friendships, Mothering, Podcast - Feminine Power Time, Relationships, Women's Wisdom

Cultivating Circles of Sisterhood: Connection & Support Doesn’t Just Happen… You create it

We need sisterhood more than ever.
Not just one friend or one group of women we relate to – but multiple ‘circles’ of women
with different levels of intimacy, relationship, and connection that can be there with us and for us
as we navigate through the intense and uncertain world we live in. 

I have been a big believer in this for almost twenty years when I realized after a life changing event that while I had relatives and age-old friends hanging around, and groups based on more superficial or strictly work or academic connections, I didn’t have the variety or depth of sisterhood with women that I needed and desired. And I had not even given conscious thought to cultivating these connections…. except in the times that I felt lonely, or looked at the phone and realized I didn’t have anyone to call to hold space for me, or found myself in yet another networking or social event where there were tons of people but a lack of real connection.

I think alot of women feel this way – and I know all of us deeply desire connection and support, a sense of being seen and witnessed… not because we are weak or broken, but because we are human. And because women have always gathered our strength and courage from spending time with other women who get us or are at least willing to listen and learn from each other.

There’s something about sitting around a table, be it in a kitchen table or a conference room table, or in today’s virtual world on a computer screen where we can see each other’s faces, that gives us access to the timeless wisdom and support that sisterhood – even with women we barely know – can create.

This is one of the reasons I lead every feminine leadership and self love program i offer – be it a retreat, a year long program, or a weekend workshop as a ‘sacred circle’ – using the principles of feminine wisdom and circle design to create connection and intimacy, to create a safe and inspiring space where women feel comfortable dropping the masks and sharing from their hearts and saying the truth out loud that they may have not even admitted to themselves.

Cultivating Sistershood Feminine Power Time

‘Scientists are finally researching this and have proven what feminine wisdom has known for thousands of years – women who feel supported and seen by other women – a circle of sisterhood – are healthier, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually (you’ll hear more about this from Shasta Nelson, friendship expert and soul sister of mine who I invited to join us for this Feminine Power Time.)

I originally had this conversation back in May with Shasta but due to some recent life events that happened to me I recorded a new introduction and teaching at the start to bring attention to why what we are cultivating here is not just some nice rah rah make good friends and be happy platitude.

Cultivating strong circles of sisterhood are our life saving devices during these intense and uncertain times.

With strong circles and connection to circles of other women –
that we are part of consistently,
that we can reach out to in times of crisis or challenge,
that know us, hold us and love us unconditionally-
we can weather any storm that comes our way AND
we gain the strength, courage and compassion to stretch in all the ways we are being called to grow and change.

Here’s a little bit on how my sisterhood circles were a life saving device these past two weeks:

Two weeks ago, I woke up at 6am to a fire orange sky outside my bedroom, the start of the California wild fires that for two weeks have ravaged northern california. Within 10 minutes I was out of my house, with my dog, partner, computer and cowgirl boots, with no plan on where to go. With an hour, I received 5 invitations from sisters to join them in their homes. That entire first day, not knowing whether we would ever return home, I spent in circle with 4 women and 2 men I’ve sat many times with around a kitchen table talking about life and many times teaching other women sitting in circle as we taught.

The next day, when I knew I had to leave the city of Sonoma due to the smoke, yet had nowhere to go, and didn’t like the idea of driving to the city with a dog and dropping $400 a night for a small hotel room… again it was the sisterhood circle that pulled me through. I had a deep heart knowing that I needed to be at the sea, where the air was clear and I could remain calm. Within 30 minutes of slowing down to feel what I needed, I received an invitation from a woman in my Feminine Super Power Year program, where we committ to living the feminine way, inviting me to stay at her vacation home – at the sea – as long as I needed.

The power of the what I like to call the ‘Wise Woman Web’ that connects us all … sisterhood in action.

And there are so many many more stories of how sisterhood showed up like sacred, strong circles around me — that made ALL the difference in how I was able to be during this super challenging situation.

The text messages, facebook comments, emails, phone calls (yes people called me), the circles and programs I was leading, women in my programs creating altars to soothe and calm and contain the fires.

So much love, support, care … connection. Something we each have to give, we all need but too often we hold back in or feel afraid to reach out and create.

This year one of the 6 major life force focuses I chose was  SACRED SISTERHOOD – to cultivate it, to offer it, to show up for it, to receive it, to live it.

And this week I invite you into a conversation to consider this act of cultivating sacred sisterhood for yourself AND perhaps even cultivating and calling it for others.

 Creating soulful connections with other women is essential yet most of us were not taught HOW to cultivate the intimate connections we need to thrive.

Tune into this episode of Feminine Power Time – with feminine leadership advisorChristine Arylo and her special guest, Shasta Nelson, founder of Girlfriend Circles and friendship expert and dive into: 

  • How can you strengthen your circle of sisterhood? Cultivate deeper relationships with the women in your life so that you have the support, care, love, connection and witnessing all women need to truly thrive.
  • Female health fact that might surprise you + the difference between BELONGING and CONNECTING – The research that shows you can be unhealthy in eating and exercise but healthy in friendship and be healthier than people who work out and eat well
  • Why friendships don’t just happen – get more conscious about the ingredients and actions for calling in + deepening your female connections
  • The 3 components all friendships need to thrive 
  • Why all friendships don’t progress to deeper connections + how to tell which ones have the potential for growth
  • What to do when you are feeling a ‘sisterhood deficit‘?
  • What you desire NOW to strengthen your sisterhood connections

 

Tune in

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To go deeper in strengthening your connection to the Feminine, stay connected with Christine by:

Subscribing to Feminine Power Time on Itunes

Receiving the Feminine Super Power Kit + Meditations + Christine’s Weekly Wisdom Letters.

*****

If you are called to gather other women together – through a program, event, offering, gathering, mastermind, circle – join us for the Art of Sacred Circle Training and Creative Incubator starts November 9th

Click here for the invitation

sacred_circle_new 

The time is now to gather others together.
As the Hopi Elders said
“The time of the lone wolf is over. Gather Yourselves. This could be a good time.”

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