Why we sit in a circle
A circle is something very simple: sitting together, taking turns to speak and listening without judgement. Here's why it does us so much good.
For a long time, women have gathered to sew, cook, look after the children or wash clothes in the river. In those gatherings they also talked about the body, about births and about periods. Each woman shared what she knew.
Today many of us live our cycle alone, with whatever we find on the internet. Circles are a way of coming together again.
What a circle is like
It's simpler than it sounds. We sit in a circle, so that no one is in front or behind. We usually begin with a cup of tea and a moment of silence. Then, whoever wants to speaks in turn, and the rest of us listen.
There are only a few agreements, and they matter:
- What is shared in the circle stays in the circle.
- We speak from our own experience, without giving advice unless someone asks for it.
- We listen without interrupting and without judging.
- No one has to speak.
Why it does us good
Listening to others, you discover that what happens to you isn't strange. The tiredness of the menstrual phase, the sensitivity of the premenstrual days or the questions around your daughter's first period happen to others too. And each of us lives it in her own way.
Talking out loud about periods, calling them by their name and without shame, also changes something inside. What is named weighs less.
Come whenever you like
You don't need to know anything or prepare. Just come wanting to listen. In Circles you can see the upcoming gatherings and sign up, and in Community you'll find other ways to take part.