As autumn's golden hour stretched into dusk, seven women gathered to mark this most liminal of seasons. There's always something special about coming together as the day softens into evening, when the world feels a little more permeable, a little more enchanted.
As we settled into our first circle, steam rising from tea cups and the late afternoon light softening through the windows, something beautiful began to unfold. There's always a particular kind of magic in these first moments together - when women who may arrive as strangers begin to recognise themselves in each other's stories. Each voice that joined the circle brought its own thread of experience, its own hopes for the evening ahead.
Some spoke of grief, others of anxiety, excitement and even anger, and others simply brought their openness to whatever might unfold. In these precious opening moments, before the deeper work of the evening began, we witnessed that age-old alchemy that happens when women gather with intention - the subtle but powerful shift from 'I' to 'we', from separate journeys to shared experience. These initial shares laid the foundation for everything that would follow - creating a container of trust and understanding that would hold us through scribble journaling, meditation, and our fire ceremony under the darkening sky.
Sarah led our first activity, scribble journaling. A practice that often surprises people with its power despite its simplicity. Pens moved across paper in peaceful meditation, allowing thoughts and feelings to flow without judgment. The room held that particular quality of quiet that comes when people are deeply present with themselves yet supported by collective energy.
The drum meditation that followed proved to be one of those magical moments when time seemed to shift. What felt like mere minutes to our journeyers was, in fact, a twenty-minute voyage. As one participant laughed afterwards, "I could have stayed in that space all night!" There's wisdom in that feeling—sometimes, our souls know exactly how much time they need, regardless of what our watches tell us.
Nature offered her own gifts throughout the evening. As we moved our gathering outdoors, three separate formations of wild geese passed overhead, their silhouettes dark against the autumn sky. Each passing skein drew our eyes upward, and spontaneous farewells were called out to these ancient symbols of transition and journey. It felt like a blessing, this reminder of the natural world's rhythms of release and migration.
The Samhain feast was laid out with love—steaming carrot soup, spiced wassail, soul cakes, and fresh bread—traditional fare for traditional times, served with modern joy. This has always been our favorite part of holding space—watching women relax into conversation over good food, the earlier depth of our ceremony work softening into easy laughter and natural connection.
Our fire ceremony carved out space for personal release, each woman taking her own time to let go of what no longer served. It's always remarkable to watch the energy shift after such moments - as if the fire itself lifts away whatever we've asked it to transform. This lighter energy flowed perfectly into vision boarding, where each woman's creativity burst forth in wonderfully unique ways. No two boards alike, yet each one vibrating with possibility and hope.
As we closed our circle and said our goodbyes, the night had fully settled in. Yet each woman carried away her own light - in her vision board, in her renewed sense of possibility, in the connections made and strengthened around soup bowls and sacred fire.
Sarah and I often find ourselves exchanging knowing smiles during these gatherings, particularly when laying out the feast or stirring the soup. There's something deeply satisfying about nurturing both spirit and body, about watching women relax into themselves over warming food and gentle ritual. It's no accident that our retreats always include time for breaking bread together - some of the most profound connections happen over a shared cup of spiced wassail or while reaching for another soul cake. This weaving together of ceremony and sustenance, of sacred space and comfortable conversation, creates the kind of magic we love most: the everyday kind that nourishes real lives and builds lasting connections.
If you feel called to join our circle, we're gathering again on December 7th for a special Yuletide Women's Retreat. As winter draws in and the year grows old, we'll be creating space to honour both darkness and returning light. Expect candlelit meditation, seasonal crafting, and of course, a feast worthy of the season - think mulled wine, winter soups, and traditional Yuletide treats. We'll work with the energies of deep winter, exploring what wants to rest and what wants to be reborn through gentle ceremony, meditation, and creative practice. Space is limited to maintain the intimate atmosphere that makes these gatherings so special.
For those seeking regular connection with like-minded women, our monthly Women's Circles offer a consistent touchstone of community and ritual throughout the year. Each gathering is a safe, nurturing space to explore, share, and simply be.
And if you're looking for a midweek pause, join us for our weekly Pause The Week sessions - gentle moments of respite where women come together to breathe, reflect, and find stillness amidst life's busy rhythms. These spaces are free of charge and very carefully held, ensuring every woman who joins feels seen, heard, and welcomed exactly as she is.
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