Image by @digital_errors

The art of circling has been around for centuries. Traditionally practiced amongst woman, circling is a prominent ritual within our everyday lives, infiltrating the celebrations and gatherings of people of all ages and genders. In fact, many of us circle regularly, whether we realize it or not. However, as more and more women are finding their ways back to their ancestral roots and exploring how we can connect deeper with each other, our bodies and the earth, moon and stars, the art of traditional circling is starting to make a comeback into our monthly practices and routines. It only takes a quick scan of your local Eventbrite listings to see that women are circling regularly in your community. Businesses like Soul Sisterhood  and The Rock Store host regular full moon and new moon circle sessions, and there are hundreds of women in metropolis cities across the country who act as experienced and knowledgeable hosts and guides for these powerful events.

Image from Soul Sisterhood Full Moon in Taurus Eventbrite Listing. 

We spoke with C.N.H.P Reiki, Women’s Creatix and Spiritual Director Natalie Kehren, founder of Holistic World Healing to learn more about the roots of this sacred practice.

How long have women been circling and where do the roots of this practice stem from?

The art of women circling is ancient, and in my opinion, triumphant. There is evidence dating as far back as 800 CE. You can see it’s roots across every culture, old and new. Gathering around fire pits on the May long weekend, to book circles or all the way back to women menstruating in Red Tents. It’s roots rest as long as women have been alive and menstruating. The art of menstruating itself is sacred and believed to be a time of deep, authentic spiritual truth, cleansing & birthing. It is the cleansing of the old to make room for the new. And as women, we are blessed to have the opportunity, supported by universal spiritual energy, to do this every 28 days. It allows us to grow faster, house more healing energy and bring it out into the world through our consistent dying and birthing process. The learning and unlearning. The sharing and the shedding. That itself is true empowerment… it is truth. And it connects us all, each and every woman existing. It amazes me every time I think about it. 

Why do we circle on the New Moon and the Full Moon specifically?

Each moon brings something different as it is connected to the Universal sky and astrological components happening all at once. Yet, the underlying theme remains for each the New Moon and Full Moon— and often, each woman has one that is her favourite between the two.

The moon’s cycle is 28 days- and right now you connecting the dots in your mind that our menstrual cycle is 28 days as well. This is the connection and their is no coincidence about it.

The New Moon is all about cleansing, turning inward to see what needs to be released, transformed and brought to the surface. This is the very time your physical body tends to be menstruating, releasing, detoxifying & transforming- if aligned with the moon’s cycle. (Please do not worry if you do not bleed during the New Moon, your journey is blessed always). This is a strong time for releasing exercises, rituals and supporting the cleansing you and your fellow sisters are going through. It is a deeply intuitive time, therefore you may crave to be indoors and inclined to self-care-which is a great way to help you body, mind & soul through this time.

The Full Moon is all about an increase in energy and the time when your body is ovulating—you are most fertile at this point in your cycle and that is supported through the Moon’s energy. You feel sexually empowered and excited. It is a time for manifestation rituals, affirmations and using this increase in energy to magnetize what you’d like to see in your life, in yourself and in your world. It’s an affirming time. You may also be more social and crave to get out and be around people, or try new things. 

Why is this practice particularly one that is female-focused?

It is female focused because of the 28 day cycle connection. We are so deeply effected by the moon’s cycle. This was recognized long ago, has been and is felt every day.

Do our wombs/cycles play a part in circling?

Yes, absolutely. As we are aware the physical role of the womb is to grow, nurture & birth new human life. This is true in symbolic & energetic methodologies as well. The womb is the centre of our creativity, our intuition, our truth. It is where we hold the historic roots of our past and the past of all women. It burns in pain each month to release trauma and toxic energy living there from this life time, and others. For our souls and the souls of our sisters.

It is the birthplace of new ideas, of creative ventures, of our soul’s truth. It is SO important our wombs are able to be free. That they are expressed, loved, noticed & taken care of. By connecting to our wombs, we can truly move mountains at an unstoppable rate. It’s empowerment backed by universal life force. It’s truly incredible.

We are a force, connecting everything and everyone around us through the connection of our wombs and the 28 day cycle. Supporting and reenforcing our transitions each moon is so very powerful. You may be sitting in a circle in Toronto, Canada yet imagine the other thousands of circles going on around the same time world wide, under one moon.

Do you see now the power of women?

What can someone expect from their first circle experience?

This is always my favourite. I remember my first circle-it was extremely uplifting, supportive and actually, felt like home. Someone can expect to experience a level of support felt from each women in attendance, as well as the moon itself. It sounds crazy, I know- yet it is an energy that is so familiar you will feel it’s embrace and welcome it with open arms.

A circle is typically 1-1.5 hours long and each is different depending on the woman hosting it— which is the beauty of it. You will sit in circle of course, some are more talkative and social, while others can be more intimate and a private space for deep reflection. It depends on the energy of the moon that month and the woman’s lineage/style behind it. Our souls hold the roots of different cultures, therefore, find a circle of women that speaks to you! Keep going until you find the perfect one. Just set that intention and watch it come to life.

Autumn/Fall Equinox: September 23rd, 2019

What Is It? When the Southern and Northern Hemispheres experience an equal amount of daylight. In the Northern Hemisphere it marks the beginning of fall, when daylight hours start to shorten until winter Solstice in December.

Key Words: Reflection, change, harvest, gratitude

The spiritual meaning of the fall equinox can be found in the holiday of Mabon, celebrated in Paganism and other faiths that revolve around nature. Mabon marks the middle of the harvest cycle, a time when we are called to reflect upon and recognize the bounty that Mother Earth has brought to us over the past year. This is a time when we express great gratitude for a bountiful harvest and start to stock our pantries for the colder months ahead.

As many of us have transitioned our work from the fields to more modern methods of harvesting and creating bountiful existences, the Autumn equinox can be viewed as a magical time to honour our growth and abundance from a spiritual, professional, financial and relationship perspective. Finding ways to give thanks to yourself for all you have achieved over the past year is an important part of your journey. The more gratitude you give, the more reasons you will find you have to be grateful.

A way to tap into the spirituality of this Autumn equinox is to set aside a dedicated time of reflection and gratitude. Reflect on where you were this time last year in each area of your life that you find relevant; self-love, partnerships, work, etc.  Honour your journey and symbolize your gratitude with the simple lighting of a candle or new addition to your altar, such as a crystal that inspires and speaks your reflective energy. You can even do something a little less woo-woo like place a pumpkin on your doorstep to honour the abundance you have manifested.

Further to, the Autumn equinox is a time when both the days and nights are equal in length, inviting us to recognize what areas in our lives are craving balance. For example, if you have been scurrying away during the harvest season and running yourself a bit ragged, you are invited to surrender to your body’s important need for rest and recovery. These next couple days are a magical time to call balance into your life through self-care and meditation. We happen to love that we are in a resting period of the moon’s cycle (Gibbous) during this equinox, which allows us to pass our trust over to the universe that everything is happening exactly as it should.

Enjoy this Autumn equinox. Rest and prepare for the next phase of your journey.

Image by

John Gibbons

For those who are very in tune with the planets and find themselves to be affected by natural and universal shifts, you may find yourself stepping into this Summer Solstice with an unexpected lump of emotion in your throat. Not only are we at a halfway point of the year, a time when we are meant to take stock of the past six months of our work, accomplishments, losses and spiritual growth, we are also at a critical period when we should be looking forward to the six months ahead, visualizing our next steps, setting our intentions, all while letting go of that which no longer serves us.

It’s a lot of pressure.

To top it off, this Summer Solstice happens on the exact same day when the sun moves into Cancer, which can characteristically be an emotional time. In addition to being the most emotional of all astrological signs, Cancer is also ruled by the moon, the ruler of all our feelings. So we have a trifecta of emotional turbulence running currents through our small human bodies.

So while we encourage acknowledging and honouring our tendency towards ups and downs, passionate outbursts, powerful tides of love and sincere vulnerability to heartbreak and disappointment, we do not view Cancer season as a time of weakness. To the contrary, the season of Cancer gives us the opportunity to demonstrate our hardshell strengths in the face of adversity, while embracing the opportunity to balance our masculine sun energy through the Summer Solstice with our feminine ties to the moon.

So How Do I Do That? 

Ritual. Ritual is everything when we are working with our universal connections. Rituals do not need to be anything extensive, that you’re not familiar with, they can be subdued, mindful moments of acknowledgment and self-love.

Here’s a couple ways to implement ritual this Summer Solstice:

Honour Your Work

Take 5 to 10 minutes and write down what you have accomplished over the past six months. Read your list as many times as you need to over the next few days to let acknowledgement of your accomplishments resonate within your soul. Further to that, write down what you want to let go, what hasn’t worked out and give yourself acknowledgement for trying. And then, tell yourself that everything that didn’t work out, or that no longer serves you is something you will not be taking into the next 6 months of the year with you. Let. It. Go. 

Smudge Your Space

Start the next six months off with a clean energy slate. Smudge your workspace, closets, and home with sage or palo santo. Clear old energy and make room for new positive frequencies.

Use Citrine

Said to embrace the energy of the sun, Citrine is one of the most powerful stones to use for stimulating passion, strength and the power of manifestation. Citrine is connected your Sacral and Solar Plexus chakras where our feelings of personal power, will and determination are found, as well as our capacity for abundance and joy.

Keep Citrine close to you over the next few days. Hold it in your hand while you meditate or visualize the next six months to come.

Self-Care with Meditation

This is a beautiful ritual that ideally we would make time for everyday. Take an hour to your self  and do something that is only and completely for you. Whether it’s yoga, a bike ride, a run, a salt scrub, drink a warm calming wellness tea afterwards. Then settle into a meditative state for about 10 minutes or more if you can. Clear your mind in preparation for what is right around the corner, while practicing tools to help deal with any Cancer-induced emotional tides.

Ryan Holloway

Meaning

June’s moon cycle is recognized as the Strawberry Moon, aptly named by Algonquin tribes who recognized it as the best time to gather wild strawberries as they started to ripen.

On June 13th, the new moon enters Gemini and is also a Supermoon, recognized as a sacred point in the year, the halfway point. If you have been working towards something special in 2018, now is the ideal time to reflect, acknowledge and appreciate how far you’ve come at this halfway mark. How much work have you put into your intentions and desires over the past 6 months? Give yourself some serious self-love for working towards your dreams, and reflect on every brick that has been lovingly laid by your hand to create the foundation of your intentions since January.

This is an excellent time to turn to the horizon and calculate what the next 6 months will require from you in order to finish the year off with satisfaction. Remember, all goals are valuable and small wins go a very long way. Leverage the momentum of all positivity from the past few months into your focus forward. As for the negative energy? It has no place within you or around you. Let it GO!

We’re in luck as we head into the next stages of our journey towards our intentions and goals. The energy of Gemini offers extra self-expression, creativity and opportunities to speak our truth. And because of its Supermoon status, these energies will be especially vibrational, offering us the opportunity to leverage them to our benefits.

Our inner beings are highly accessible during this moon phase, opening up the possibilities to find great alignment and discover our capacities for joy. Let go of the ego and the superficial. Pick up a journal and let your inner being channel through to the page. Intention and goal writing will work strongly in your favour this moon when it comes to manifestation. Not a big writer? Try vision boarding, bullet journaling, or mantra.

Local Toronto Ceremonies and Rituals 

Soul Sister Sacred Circle – New Moon in Gemini

The Soul Sister Sacred Circle is a recurring new moon event designed to bring likeminded people vibrating on similar energy frequencies together, to enhance our manifestations, while leveraging intention setting practices. Expect astrological readings, visualization practices,affirmations, oracle readings, reiki, vegan snacks and wine. And it’s totally free.

New Moon Vibes – Cacao Ceremony & Crystal Singing Bowl Soundbath

Embrace powerful soul cleansing and prepare to leverage manifestation techniques through a ceremony with cacao, said to be the food of the gods offering a strong heart-opening effect. Crystal Bowl sounds will work to heal and set vibrations into perfect alignment for the power of the moon cycle ahead.

Rainbow Energy Healing, Meditation and Sound Healing Circle

This event doesn’t fall on the beginning of the new moon, it is within the first stages of the new moon on June 15th. This unique experience is offered in a sacred space and tailored to the specific needs of all who attend. If you are looking to connect with likeminded people and leverage healing energy into the Strawberry Moon, we recommend this event.

While April’s full moon goes by many names such as the Full Sprouting Grass Moon, the Egg Moon or the Fish Moon, our favourite name by far is The Pink Moon. As true believers in the spiritual power of the colour pink, we cannot help but be slightly disappointed that Sunday’s full moon will not actually be the colour pink. April’s full moon is called The Pink Moon as a nod to one of spring’s first flowers to bloom; the wild ground phlox. 

Ritual is always important during a full moon, as this is when we are meant to move into full action to support our intentions set in the new moon cycle. It is also when energy and creativity are at peak, making it important to leverage our inner momentum towards the direction we want our life to go.

However, if the intentions set during the new moon cycle are not coming into fruition as we had hoped, it is perfectly ok to accept that with love and kindness. This means we must take the time to check in with ourselves, see where we are emotionally and physically and honour our progress.

As we head into spring, we are invited to embrace this opportunity on Sunday to shed anything negative that may be holding us back. It is time to truly let go of winter’s darkness and embrace the light, stepping into who we are and who we are wanting to become.

We’ve rounded up some of the opportunities in Toronto to gather with like-minded individuals and embrace ritual together on Sunday:

Soul Space Toronto — College Street and Ossington Avenue Toronto

Soul Space Toronto is holding a Tantric Kundalini Dance: Full Moon Sacral Healing Ceremony on Saturday, April 28th, 2018 from 3:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. The ceremony costs $44 and will show you a combination of Kundalini Tantra yoga, guided meditation, sound healing, and rainbow energy healing to self-heal the entire energy body (Women Only)

Image Credit: Soul Space Toronto

Full Moon Meditation — 310 Bloor Street West, Toronto

On Sunday, April 29th from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. there will be a free full moon meditation class that offers Kundalini yoga and mantra meditation. This healing practice takes place at Tartu College as the full moon lights up the sky. All levels are welcome, even those who have no meditation experience and instructions will be given to you.  This event is a fundraiser, part of a four full moon meditation series that raises funds for charity: water and attendees have the option of donating online or bringing something to the studio.

Misfit Studio — 761 Queen St. West, 3rd Floor Toronto

Misfit Studio is hosting an evening of rising together and creating a new love of courage and clarity. Full Moon Goddess Circle: Pink Moon takes place on Sunday, April 29, 2018, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. This event is intended to reprogram our bodies to feel nurtured and worthy of deep love. In this full moon circle, you’ll encourage yourself and others to shed their old skins. By the end of the evening, you’ll leave supported, renewed and ready to take on the world. Tickets are  available online for $44 and will be sold at the door $55

SMPLFY Studio — 890 B Dundas Street West, Toronto

Get the family involved in the Family Full Moon Gathering event that SMPLY Studio is hosting on Saturday, April  28, 2018, from 1:00 p.m. to  3:00 p.m. Connecting each family member’s intention can lead to one of the greatest and healthiest transformations. For only $20 your family can enjoy an environment for families to play, heal and learn together; along with taking part in guided meditation and enjoying live music. A guided journey will take place teaching junior and senior minds about the Full Moon, Spring Teachings and lessons on self-empowerment.

Are you hosting an event for the Full Moon? Get the word out and feel free to share  it to our events listing page.