This post is by Branches co-director, Emma.
A few nights ago, the women’s circle I started five years ago said goodbye to three of its members. Two were moving away, and one had decided their time in the circle had come to a natural close. The gathering was not focused on their leaving, but the prompt was to respond to these three words: Change. Time. Endings.
All the women leaned into the theme in a different way. Some reflected on how they had changed and grown over the last decade, others spoke about current changes coming their way and how they might look back on them in time. We spoke about endings that never were, changes of heart, and the spiralic nature of learning and understanding oneself.
It was beautiful to listen to each woman in turn, share from their heart into a group that had been nurtured for five years. We know each other well, but there remains a beautiful mystery to other people’s inner worlds. It is a gift and a privilege to be granted a window into these women’s hearts and minds each month when we gather.
One thing I spoke about was how grateful I was to be offering the Leading Circles Training at The Branches, about how fulfilled I feel about my work at the studio. To be able to teach others how to lead in community feels like my life’s work, and it is exactly what I want to be spreading and sharing with the world.
I am looking forward to seeing how our women’s circle will continue to evolve, now with 7 members rather than 10. It will be a new iteration as we figure out together who we are as a circle now. I am excited to see what will change in the group, what will be possible with this new configuration. I hold myself as a leader in this group. It doesn’t mean I make decisions for the group, or decide the direction. For me, leading a group actually means constantly calling us to reflect on ourselves, on the purpose and experience of the group, and how we can nudge and nurture the process to get more of what we want. More closeness. More investigation. More curiosity, vulnerability, support and shared joy.
If the idea of leading a circle sounds like something you want in your life, but it feels unattainable, I want to assure you, it is not. It is possible for all of us to experience this kind of intimate group friendship. We simply need to learn skills to be able to nurture this kind of experience. I have many years of experience of shepherding groups through processes of change and growth. From that experience I have created the formats and processes that I will be sharing in the Leading Circles Training. I am looking forward to sharing my experienced approach to circle leadership with just 12 individuals in this small group program.
And, if the idea of leading a circle feels farther off, I’ll leave you with some resources. This booklet I created has some contemplation questions to get you thinking about what kind of circle you might want to convene, and contains some of my favourite resources for thinking about group gatherings.
If you’ve been meaning to sign up for the Leading Circles virtual info session, the link is here. I look forward to seeing who I might spend the eight months contemplating and churning community leadership with.
Yours in the learning,
Emma
The Branches 