This is a vision for women from all stages and walks of life, to gather in circles, large and small, for support, inspiration & spiritual renewal.
The concept of Miriam’s circle is informal and open: of women coming together on the night of the Full Moon to rejuvenate our spirits for the month ahead.
There are many ancient religious traditions that associate a sacred relationship between the moon and women. The evenings include creative affirming rituals, story-telling and whenever possible, circle dancing!
How Miriam’s Circle Began…
There are so many ways to nurture our serenity and we need to use them all. In July 1998 a group of friends gathered together in my Durban home in response to an invitation to form a women’s circle of creative spirituality and ritual. We had a vibrant evening, discovering, in our common rejection of the narrow conservative church services available and a deep thirst for a more wholistic, energizing, women-centred spirituality. From that exhilarating gathering, Miriam’s Circle was born and each year wonder –fully continues. The basic concept of each monthly gathering is an opening and closing invocation of prayer followed by creative affirming rituals, in-depth discussion and whenever possible circle dancing! …. Essentially we are a gathering to give support for our life’s journey. The only certain thing in life is this – we will reach our journey’s end. It is all the in between parts that are complicated!
Initially we gathered on the night of the rising of the new moon, but by the second year we were drawn to move the meeting time to celebrate the luminous rising of the full moon. There is not only a special significance for us as women to celebrate the lunar cycle as our bodies follow a monthly cycle of fertility, but there are many ancient religious traditions which associate a sacred relationship between the moon and women. Over the years Miriam’s Circle has explored and shared many numinous life-affirming dimensions to our understanding of spirituality and creativity.
I invite you to celebrate with Miriams Circle wherever you are.