women's circles

A place where you can meet other women and come back to yourself

A women's circle is a small group gathering, led by someone who holds the frame and flow of the meeting.

We sit together to speak and listen differently than in many everyday conversations: without interrupting, judging, comparing or giving unsolicited advice.

You don't need to know what to say. You don't need experience with circles. You don't need to come with an "important topic" either.

You can simply come as you are.

Why we gather in a circle

People have gathered in circles for centuries, around fires, during shared work, conversation, celebration and life's important moments.

Today's women's circles draw on many different traditions and practices, but their essence is very simple: we meet face to face and give ourselves time for real presence.

A circle lets you experience a relationship where you don't have to fight for space in the conversation. Each participant can speak from her own experience while the others listen.

Not in order to respond right away or fix something. Sometimes simply to say: "I hear you."

Why circles matter today

We live in a world full of communication, and yet many of us long for a conversation where we can really slow down.

We hold many roles. We work. We run businesses. We care for people close to us. We raise children. We build relationships. We move through changes, successes, breakups, new beginnings, losses and ordinary everyday overload.

A circle can be a place where, for a while, you don't have to achieve anything or convince anyone. You can meet other women, hear their stories and see how many different ways of living life can fit around one circle.

restores contact with the body, emotions and your own rhythm
gives a safe space where you can speak the truth
teaches attentive listening, without fixing or judging
lets you meet other women without needing to prove anything

What a women's circle is

Women's circles can look very different from one another. Some are one-off, others meet regularly for many months. They can be open or form a closed group. They can focus on a specific theme or leave space for whatever participants bring on a given day.

Some use meditation, movement, bodywork, nature, creativity or ritual. Others are built mainly around conversation. There's no single right way to lead a circle.

That's why on be here. you can read the description of each gathering and find a space whose form and style of facilitation feel right for you.

All circles listed on be here. take place in person. Real, shared presence and face to face contact matter to us.

What a gathering can look like

Opening

The facilitator welcomes the group, presents the frame of the gathering, the guidelines and, if the circle has a theme, its intention.

Settling in

A moment of silence, breath, movement, meditation or another practice may help you leave the pace of the day behind and truly arrive in the space.

Sharing round

Everyone has space to speak. In many circles, whoever holds the talking piece speaks, while the rest listen without interrupting, judging or offering unsolicited advice.

Practice or further sharing

Depending on the character of the circle, this may include conversation, writing, movement, creative work, body-based practice, ritual, or simply another round.

Closing

At the end, we return to the shared circle and close the gathering. One of the most important guidelines in many circles is confidentiality, personal stories of other participants stay within the group.

Candles, herbs, music or symbolic objects may be part of some gatherings, but they aren't what makes a circle. What matters most is the quality of presence and relationship between people.
You'll find details about what to prepare in each event listing and in the circle guidelines.

Circles and the rhythm of nature

Some women's circles meet in rhythm with the new and full moon, the seasons, or important moments in a woman's life. For their participants, nature and cyclicality become a way to pause and reflect on what's currently happening in their lives.

Other circles don't refer to cyclicality or spirituality at all. On be here. you'll find many different ways of gathering in a circle. Choose the one that feels right for you.

When you might want to come

you miss connection with other women
you're going through change and need a place to talk about it
you want to step out of your everyday roles for a while
you're looking for community in your city
you want to learn to listen and speak about yourself without judgment
you saw a circle nearby and simply thought, "I'm curious what this is like."

That's enough. You don't need experience or a special reason to come to your first circle.

A circle is not therapy

A circle can be a place of support, connection and deep conversation. Difficult experiences and strong emotions can come up in it too.

Not every circle, however, is psychotherapy or a therapeutic group. The facilitator is responsible for the frame of the gathering and should clearly communicate the scope of their work and qualifications. Some experiences may call for a different kind of professional support than what a circle can offer.

If you're in crisis or need specialized psychological, psychiatric or medical help, please seek the appropriate form of professional support.

You can read more about this boundary in the article Circle vs. Therapy.

Find a women's circle near you

You don't need to know whether circles are "for you". You can come to one and see. Browse gatherings in your area, meet facilitators and choose the space whose style of leading resonates with you.

Find a women's circle →