We weren’t meant to mother alone.
We weren’t meant to move through rites of passage in isolation: our first bleed, our births, our postpartum, our aging.
But the world we live in today is far from what our bodies, hearts, and souls were designed for.
Women’s circles are one of the oldest ways women have gathered. Think of it like a soft exhale after holding your breath all week. These spaces aren’t just a break from daily life - they’re a return. A return to the sacred. To your body. To one another. To wisdom that lives beneath the noise.
What is a women’s circle?
A women’s circle is a sacred space where women gather (physically or virtually) to share, listen, reflect, and support one another. There is no hierarchy. No fixing. No competition. Just the quiet power of being witnessed and held in the presence of others. Even the facilitator is not coaching, fixing, or giving advice - unless it is requested.
Sometimes we move our bodies. Sometimes we meditate through a guided visualization. Sometimes we cry or laugh or share stories. The circle itself is the container.
Unlike ceremonies, which tend to mark a specific event or life transition like a blessingway, a rite of passage, or seasonal celebration, circles are rhythmic and ongoing. They are like a pulse we return to, rather than a peak moment we reach.
Ceremonies may be woven within a women’s circle, but a circle in itself is about consistent nourishment. It's the tending, not just the celebration.
Why reclaiming this ritual matters
Modern motherhood is deeply fragmented. We scroll instead of speak. We schedule instead of sit. And even in our best attempts to create connection, something often feels… missing.
Women’s circles restore what’s been lost. Not in a performative way, but in a very practical, soul-deep way. When you sit in circle, you practice being seen and seeing others. You unlearn the false idea that you have to do it all alone.
And here's the science to support it: studies have found that social connection (especially among women) can significantly lower cortisol levels and boost oxytocin. This is sometimes referred to as the "tend and befriend" response, a female-driven stress regulation strategy that builds safety and resilience through community.
When women gather, it’s not just feel-good fluff. It’s biology, psychology, and spirit working together.
What happens in a circle?
Circles often follow a loose structure: an opening ritual (like singing, breathwork or intention setting), scribing or journaling, a somatic practice, a time for sharing and reflection, and a closing moment of gratitude or grounding.
At Birth Humanity, our womb-centered approach to gathering also honors nature's seasons, the cycles of our bodies, and the collective wisdom we each carry.
In 2024 I (Elise Bowerman) completed Womb Circle Facilitator Certification through Womben Wellness (Usha Anandi). Our circles are reflections of this education and sacred practices.
We may explore themes like:
- Returning to the body after birth or trauma
- Honoring the motherline and ancestral healing
- Menstrual cycle wisdom and reclaiming feminine rhythms
- How to make decisions rooted in intuition and clarity
- And simply: “How are you really doing?”
There’s no need to show up polished. In fact, showing up exactly as you are is the medicine.
For mothers: this is a lifeline
If you're a mom, you’ve likely known the fog of early motherhood, the bone-deep loneliness, or the push-pull between giving everything and trying to remember who you are. Women’s circles are one of the few places where the whole of you is welcome. Not just the mother. Not just the partner. But you: in all your phases, seasons, and contradictions.
They offer a moment to be poured into, instead of pouring out. To listen, be heard, and remember that you’re not alone.
Making it part of your life
Circles don’t have to be grand or complicated. At Birth Humanity we have threaded circles in prenatal and postnatal yoga classes since 2009, in Aligned Mother, and are gearing up for a local weekly circle in West Bloomfield in the fall of 2025.
It’s less about what you do and more about how we are together. And it’s something we can reclaim, right here, right now.
Our newest circle invites women of all ages: from those who’ve just had their first bleed to those stepping into their crone years. Because there’s power when generations gather. There’s wisdom in being witnessed. Stay tuned.
This is how we remember.
This is how we rise.