Moon Circle for Women & Femmes

Leave your normal day world to gather in sacred space, weaving movement, myth, meditation and conversation in honor of the feminine. Invitation At Moon Circles, we gather together as women and femmes in a spirit of gratitude, curiosity, and reverence for the feminine mysteries of life. We steep ourselves in myth and movement, music and sacred conversation, allowing our deep collective wisdom to emerge. We leave assumptions of “who we are” at the door. We honor the soft animal of the body and allow her to lead us in our healing, instead of following the habits of the patterned, logical, masculine mind. We delve into the depths of the feminine in a sacred container that can actually hold her, in all her wildness. After all, that is the nature of the feminine: Wild. Uncontrollable. Embodied. Relational. Connected. Powerful. Magical. Ever-changing. In these circles, we practice coming home to the feminine within, and I'd be delighted if you'd join us. The Gifts of Lunar Energetics In Earthen Soul Work Moon Circles, we choose the theme of the circle by following the phases of the moon and the astrological sign she is in. For some people, this is a very visceral and physical way to relate to broader feminine energetics in the form of earthly and celestial cycels. For others, it is merely a metaphorical starting place for our embodiment practices. It does not matter which end of the spectrum you fall on - the point is, we get to attune our attention the feminine life force. We get to be inspired by the myths and the energetics represented by the different signs of the zodiac, and we get to practice embodying those energetics together. Doing this kind of energy work in community is extremely supportive of a healing or awakening path, not just because we can only learn so much by ourselves, but also because the feminine is inherently relational. When we gather, feminine energetics become more accesible. Other Benefits of Gathering on a Lunar Schedule: • Menstrual cycle awareness and regulation. The average mesntrual cycle lasts 28 days - the same length as one lunar cycle. The moon literally governs the oceanic tides, the lifeblood of the earth, and also can affect our menstrual cycles (amonth other things). • Shifting our attention to a schedule that aligns with nature and is regular! 28 days in a lunation, 13 lunations in a solar year. Simple, especially when compared to the wacky Gregorian calendar we use that has 12 months of varying lengths - sometimes 30 days, sometimes 31 days, sometimes 28 days - all for the purpose of what? Reducing our connection to the natural cycling rhythms of nature? • Honoring the phases of the Moon to help us tend to our own psyches. New Moons are considered a time of psychospiritual seed planting (intention setting is common around this time) and Full Moons are considered a time of psychospiritual harvest (review, revelation, and increased awareness). This practice can help us to develop a habit of verbalizing our will, and reviewing our actions over the course of a lunation, so that we can become better and better at doing what it takes to manifest the things we most deeply desire in this lifetime. • Attuning to the subtle energies in life. The Sun is obvious - big, bright, hot, and loudly present. It's energy is overt, in a way that we might consider masculine or yang energy to be. The moon, however, is much more subtle. If you don't purposely pay attention, you might not know where the moon is, or what phase she is in. However, she is always present, always commanding the tides, always influencing life in a deeper, less obvious way. Attuning to the moon can help us to attune to our own depths in a way that helps us to cultivate self knowledge and live in profound balance. What to Bring • Your whole self! Come as you are, ready to honor your body and emotions - happy, sad, mad, glad, sensual, tired, energized, grieving, celebrating, calm… it is all welcome. *please arrive on time, doors lock at 7:10pm! • Comfortable clothes that allow you to express yourself - whether it’s your favorite cozy groutfit or a sequin gown! Make sure you can move - we’ll be sitting on the floor for periods of time, punctuated with movement practices. • A water bottle. • A journal and pen. • Something to place on our altar - it could hold an intention that you've set for yourself, or simply something to represent your unique essence. Agreements Earthen Soul Work Circles are tightly held healing containers that create safety through shared agreements. Every participant must agree to the following in order to attend: • Confidentiality: Circles will often catalyze profound moments. After circle, please share ONLY what is yours to share, and hold all else in strict confidentiality. • No Rescuing: During shares, we offer loving witness without trying to fix, rescue, or advise one another. Phrases like, "I see you," "I feel you," and "I am honoring where you're at," are examples of ways to respond with compassion without trying to rescue someone else from their experience. • Respect for Self and Other: You have full freedom and responsibility to take care of your needs. You are empowered to do what is best for you in every moment, while respecting those around you. • Authenticity: We hold the intention to show up with vulnerability, honesty, and integrity. • No Expectations: We let go of expectations for our time together- it frees up the magic! What do we actually do during Circle? When you arrive, please place your item(s) on the center altar, take a seat around the circle. We'll reaffirm our Circle agreements and introduce ourselves before getting into practices that support the energy of the group. The most imporant aspect of the energy work I teach is embodiment - we cultivate a FELT EXPERIENCE of whatever we're talking about so that we can learn in real time. Other practices we might engage include the following: • Guided Meditations • Somatic Healing Practices • Energetic Transmissions • Journal Exercises • Explorations of Myths and Archetypes • Embodied Astrology • Soulful Conversation + Sharing • Feminine Reclamation Practices • Neo-shamanic practices We'll close circle with a grounding ritual that seals our practices and protects our energy as we depart. *Please note! The spiritual frameworks that we explore in circles (and there are many!) are just that - frameworks. They are lenses through which to observe and learn about reality, but they are not reality itself. I do not expect that everyone will hold the same beliefs, and I welcome folks of ALL traditions who wish to gather with open hearts and minds in honor of the feminine, and in honor of our personal and collective healing. About the Facilitator My name is Caroline Cating, I come from witches and druids and shamans and medicine women, and I am here to let the Earth speak. I am here to fan the flames of the feminine - what I have come to know as the fundamental spirit of nature - setting her ablaze in whomever seeks her. My relationship to the feminine has developed over nearly a decade of dedicated experiential practice and study, and I can tell you the feminine is NOT what our culture might have us believe... She is not "nice", placating, weak or subservient. She is the deepest love you've ever felt, and hell on wheels. She is the source of new life, and the destroyer of worlds. She is the miraculous mystery of animate life on Earth, and the subtle energy that connects it all in a unified hum. She is the great liberator, who shows us just who we are, who we can be, and how fundamentally intertwined we are with the rest of life. It is my deep belief that the ills we face and perpetuate as humans come from a systematic separation from the feminine life force. It is also my belief and great hope that much of our collective healing will come from re-establishing right relationship with her. That begins with recognizing and respecting her within ourselves.