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The Power of Virtual Circles!

It is no surprise that our current worldwide Covid19 health conditions are changing the way we interact on a personal and business basis. Our monthly Women’s Wellness Circles are no exception.

As the social distancing measures rolled out the third week of March 2020, and the Newmarket/East Gwillimbury Circle was fast approaching on the fourth Thursday, a decision needed to be made.

As the host, I made the quick decision to try something different and bring March Circle online.

This experience was new to me.  However, I had a fantastic coach in Dany Spencer who led me through tutorials and thankfully the Zoom meeting platform is a very user-friendly program. Dany posted a simple reference sheet on the Facebook Circle event page, and I found a short YouTube tutorial to share.

The response for March’s topic and presenter, Chris Anne Donnelly, was strong.  I wondered if it could be as meaningful to connect through our computers or Smartphone screens as it is in our monthly, in person gatherings.

Our night arrived, and to my thrill, 35 women joined in. Not only did I have my local attendees, with the virtual venue I had women join from B.C., Toronto, Collingwood, and Bracebridge.  As well, other Women’s Wellness Circles’ hosts from other locations, joined in to support the experience.

Thankfully, Chris Anne is very comfortable communicating authentically online, after developing her numerous tarot decks with an international Hay House team.

I am continually in awe of how Spirit works to support Circle!

We had such a special evening, connecting inward with a meditation, having a beautiful conversation on how we were experiencing the unfolding of the new conditions, and finally receiving a personal card message from Chris Anne.

We all wrapped up the gathering feeling just like we do when we meet in person – reconnected, uplifted and knowing we have others supporting us during all times.

Following this, all of the Women’s Wellness Circles’ hosts gathered for an online meeting to discuss how we can move forward in each of our respective communities this way, until we can come together in person.

Our hosts are magnificent leaders, and it is exciting to watch as we continue to connect with our groups.  The power of Circle and connection has not diminished in these times.  In fact it’s become extra important in a new way as social beings, to continue to invest into support and to invest into our mental and emotional health during this self-isolation period.

As well, the gift of slowing down and tuning in, for those of us not on the front lines, provides space to make new choices and to engage in learning and opportunities that uplift and support us. These conscious actions create healing ripples and a circle of support to all, just like a warm hug.

On that note, I would like to share a special Circle poem created by our Vaughan Women’s Wellness Circle Host, Terri Klein.

Enjoy.

The Essence of Circle

A circle – an eternal bond.
A way to feel safe; to connect; to belong.

A circle of women – welcoming and inviting.
An intimate connection, both intriguing and exciting.

A women’s wellness circle –
A sacred space to gather and share.
A time for empowerment; a time for self-care.

A circle of love and support – a means of protection.
Enhancing both external and internal connection.

A shared experience – a hand to hold.
A continuous flow of positive energy. Yes, I’m sold.

For here we are valued – here we are heard,
Even if we choose not to say a word.

All can be felt – as our energies combine.
Together we grow; together we shine.

We are here for wellness – we are here to heal.
We each have permission, once again, to be real.

We invite you to join a virtual online Circle.  Reach out to the hosts and get more information.  Together we are stronger.

With much love on this re-setting journey,

Karen Armstrong

Reiki Master, Biophoton Light Therapist & Enneagram Coach
www.in-side-out.com

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A Critical Time for Renewal

Recently I completed training to become the Women’s Wellness Circle host for the Ottawa-West area and was very excited to start preparing for my launch. With the unfolding of our current global events, much has shifted and been put “on hold”, including the launch date of my new Circle.

The past two weeks have been filled with many waves of emotion, shifting from feeling positive and optimistic to sad, angry, hopeless, fearful, overwhelmed and spiritually confused.

I’ve been allowing myself to be present to these waves and to feel, trusting my body and my experience, although sometimes anxiously waiting for it to end.  Eventually I experienced a shift to a place of inner peace and tranquility that has sustained. This space has offered me some clarity that I feel called to share.

My personality is governed by the archetype of “Seeker”, and my astrological sun sign is Aquarius.  Therefore, this whole issue of pandemic has me feeling called to dig deeper, search for greater meaning, direction and purpose.

I truly believe that every experience holds a different meaning and significance for each individual and that it is up to us to explore and discover what our experiences mean for our unique selves.

As a holistic nutritionist, my understanding of symptoms in the body is that they are simply messages… whispers or sometimes screams, drawing our attention to an imbalance. These symptoms are simply language, a way the body uses to communicate a need or an issue that needs to be addressed.

I view the Covid-19 virus as a symptom that is calling our attention to an underlying global issue, our relationship with this beautiful planet. I sense that the way humanity as a whole is interacting and inhabiting the planet is an imbalance that needs our attention.  Mama Earth has been expressing the need for our attention, consideration, care and support for some time.  Now she is speaking more clearly and directly than ever before.  The message I sense is this:

“People, Stop.  Look, Listen, Feel.  Stop the Distraction.  Open your Eyes, your Minds, your Hearts.  Connect inwardly. Dig those Heels into the Roots of the Earth.  Become one with Nature’s Pulse and Rhythm, the Home to our Collective Immunity. Unplug the devices.  Allow your nervous system to Settle, Ground and Relax.”

We have been instructed to socially isolate. I prefer to consider this a divine invitation to go inward and engage in self-care and to “cocoon” that has the capacity to naturally result in tremendous personal transformation.

This is a time to reconnect with our true selves, to investigate our personal values and what is meaningful to us, to reflect on the life we have created for ourselves and consider whether it aligns with our truth, and our heart and soul.

Choosing to trust this process means accepting that we are temporarily meant to distance from one another, knowing that we will reunite enlivened, recharged, and renewed, ready for deeper, more meaningful and productive connection.

Once we have done our work individually, we will be able to step forward as a collective and take incredible measures toward healing humanity and healing our planet.

I feel it. I believe it. Do you?

To assist us in this process of solitude, here are some practical self-care measures:

  • Eat whole, natural foods from the plant world. Plant foods not only provide nourishment but also increase our vibration, our energy and our essence.
  • Move your body in ways that feel gentle and natural. Stretching, yoga, dancing, walking.
  • Connect with nature. Walk, wander, hike, garden, explore.
  • Meditate, reflect, write, read, pray, breathe deeply.
  • Sing, listen to music, play, craft, laugh and love.
  • Choose carefully what and how much you engage online. In response to our social isolation, many online opportunities have been created. Some are wonderful ways to uplift, inspire and maintain some form of connection with one another. However, if not mindful, we can easily get lost amongst these opportunities and turn toward them as a way to deny, distract and numb.
  • Honour this time with sacred respect.  Practice letting go of attachment to outcome.  Some positive affirmations that work well for me are:  “I am willing to let go.  I release all tension, worry, fear and sorrow.  I let go, and I am at peace.  I am at peace with the process of life.  I am safe.”

Last but not least, let’s all look forward with positive anticipation to when we can all reunite in person. The celebrations, hugs and group sharing will be extra magical when the time comes!

A big thank you to Jill, for inviting me to be a part of the Women’s Wellness Circle family. I am truly honoured to be bringing this to life in Ottawa and look forward to sharing and connecting with a renewed sense of grace, insight, appreciation and gratitude once we are through this.

Much Love and respect,

Natasha

Wellness Educator and Advisor

https://www.facebook.com/natasha.g.villeneuve

naturallynatashav@gmail.com

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A Circular Solution for our Evolving World!

I can’t express the joy I feel with my unfolding adventures with the Women’s Wellness Circle!

This role as host is something that is divinely aligned with my soul. In the last year and a half I have learned so much about myself.

When I began hosting Circle, although I knew I wanted to do it, I was still a bit hesitant to step ‘fully in’ because I didn’t know what that would look like or how to do it.

Turns out, this is a continual learning that has no end.

This way of thinking has brought me full circle with the understanding that there will always be more lessons to learn, more education to acquire, more excitement to be had, and so many more friendships to make.

Just as life is an ongoing journey, so is my Circle experience.

When I think of all the amazing women I have had the opportunity to meet and share time with so far, it has truly been a gift. My world has become richer with the countless blessings shared with others who are of like-mind and want to gather in community to learn and grow as well.

You are accountable for your own personal wellness and Circle encourages this.

What a wonderful opportunity to discover new and supportive approaches to being healthy, to being your best. Our presenters specialize in such a vast spectrum of expertise; there are many options to improve your mind, body and spirit.

Of course we have homework to do and thankfully there are many gifted women ready to share a panorama of information and perspectives that we can integrate into our decision making and daily life to attain our wellness goals.

As you broaden your view, you can make better choices that best suit you…this is genuine empowerment!

Along with gaining valuable information and education, we enjoy the story-telling, and we are touched by real life examples of healing and change.

Whether we’ve uncovered another question, made a decision, reached a conclusion or been filled with inspiration, it always serves us for the better, in one way or another.

Most of all, we gather together to experience a sense of belonging, community spirit and social interaction.

The connections made during time spent in Circle are special because you have the opportunity to develop more personal relationships thanks to the warm and inclusive atmosphere.

In this space of open hearts and open minds, I have seen some incredible changes in many of my Circle mates. They have become less reserved and are learning to ask more questions and speak their truth, without judgment.

I too, have changed…my life has become richer thanks to Circle. I see every day as being filled with great possibilities.

It’s has also taught me that you never know who will enter your world. Whether it was the day I met Jill and she shared the concept of Circle with me, or the many ladies that are drawn to gather each month, or someone you click with and you feel you have known them forever, or the presenters who provide timely information or life changing ah-ha moments.

When you glance across the faces present in Circle and see the smiles and gleams in their eyes, there is a sweeping feeling of AWE that rises up.

This is the energy that unifies us together without question or condition.

Here we find that in the busy and sometimes chaotic or stressful periods of life, the Universe is once again is in sync as we embrace a small glimpse of our own world fitting within the larger world picture.

Since our lives will always continue to move and shift, it is us who needs to adjust and remodel what we know to be true. But we don’t need to do it alone. Great minds and spirits of women from all directions come together and those bonds become real, and we take that knowing into every area of our lives.

I am filled with gratitude that I chose to be part of Women’s Wellness Circles and to provide such a special and important space in our ever changing world.

 

Come, join us in Circle!

Debbie Armstrong

https://www.facebook.com/WWCbarrieinnisfil/

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The Couple Bubble

Love is a beautiful and yet confusing subject, one that has been explored, defined, and redefined throughout history. Like with so many other complex concepts, guidebooks are offered, and theories and models are tested, in order to discover how to build successful relationships.

While books on this topic are endless, the one that my husband and I have found to be truly transformative is called Wired for Love by Stan Tatkin. This book reinforces “a new marital narrative…a conscious partnership.”

Tatkin explains in this new story about marriage, the commitment shifts from the needs of self to the needs of a relationship. To make this shift, he offers 10 principles.  I would like to address one of them, my favorite by far, “The Couple Bubble.”

As human beings we are naturally predisposed to the need to feel safe and secure. We all seek our very own comfort or safety zone. For this reason, we seek out a partner and/or a family and friend group.

According to Tatkin, if you’re in a marriage that feels compromised, what both partners can ask themselves is: Do you see yourselves as individuals first and as a couple second, or vice versa?

The “couple bubble” is a term Tatkin used to describe “the mutually constructed membrane, cocoon, or womb that holds a couple together and protects each partner from outside elements. It is an agreement to put the relationship before anything and everything else.

It means putting your partner’s well-being, self-esteem, and distress relief first. As well, it means your partner does the same for you. Essentially, what it boils down to is that “WE come first!”

In order for a “couple bubble” agreement to work, both partners have to create it, buy into it, own it, and prioritize it. The tasks of devotion and caring for the other’s safety, security, and well-being needs to be honored with sincerity.

What’s important to note is that devoting yourself to your partner’s sense of safety is according to what makes them feel safe by their definition, not by your understanding of what that should be.

It’s one thing to talk about the “couple bubble” in theory, but quite another to use it well. If you buy into the concept, then you will consider it to be your “primary means of support and protection.” You and your partner each get to use it at any time, in any place, and given any circumstance to ask each other for help and expect that help in return.

My husband, who attended a workshop with Stan Tatkin and delved deeply into this book, now supports and understands the “couple bubble”. He believes that “If we don’t support each other unconditionally, then we cannot possibly realize the full potential of our marriage and see how amazing it really can be.”

It wasn’t always this way for us. Like so many other couples, my husband and I have had our share of struggles. Thankfully, this past summer my husband agreed to attend a wellness conference with me: and this is where he met Stan, learned the concept, and introduced it to me. Ultimately, this idea resonated with both of us.

Experiencing this “couple bubble” together over time shifted the dynamic of our marriage and helped us to carve out a new kind of partnership. It doesn’t transform relationships overnight, as it is a process that takes ongoing energy and commitment, which is what it takes to build every new habit.

Anything we understand intellectually still has to be felt emotionally and lived experientially. This becomes an ongoing learning process and commitment.

Each of us has our own ways of feeling supported.  However, we ALL need to feel safe and secure—connected, protected, and cared for. For some it’s a “couple bubble” that is required and for others it’s a friendship circle that can act as a means of support and connection.

Women’s Wellness Circles are offered monthly and do that as well. They create an inclusive and intimate environment and safe space for women to gather and grow. In essence, a Women’s Wellness Circle can also be seen as a “bubble” – mutually constructed by like-minded individuals who are seeking support, empowerment, friendship, and community.

When people feel seen, heard, understood, and cared for, they feel happier, worthy and more fulfilled. The kinship of the Women’s Wellness Circle is available monthly and can serve women seeking comfort and safety in a complementary capacity.

I encourage couples, as well as those who are seeking a partner, to read this book, or to find other supportive means that resonate with you.

Conscious partnerships and connections ultimately build healthier and more sustainable relationships, marriages, families and communities.

 

Terri Klein

Author, Speaker, Coach

 www.newlife-chapterone.com

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Daily Practises Create a Decade of Growth

Do you have a regular daily routine that you implement to set the standard and the course of your day ahead?

If you hit the ground running the moment your alarm sounds and your feet touch the floor, you are likely going to miss the opportunity to be grounded, centered, and focused from the inside-out.   Instead, you are going to wind up chasing after to-do lists, kids, and schedules in a stressed out and incoherent manner.

While it doesn’t need to take a lot of time, performing a simple daily routine to be grounded will make a huge difference in your current physical, mental, and emotional state and will impact the attitude, energy, and power you bring to your roles, responsibilities, and activities over the course of your day.

All of the Women’s Wellness Circles that gather monthly in communities across southern Ontario (and soon across Canada) begin with the ritual of an opening intentional activity so that the attendees have a chance to fully arrive, settle in, relax, and be present to the evening ahead.

There are many simple and effective ways to do this: quiet reflection, one minute mediation, deep breathing, visualization, prayer, gratitude, and gentle integrative movement like Brain Fitness activities.

Some of our Circle locations begin with a poem, either written by the host, an attendee, or another source. This, too, is a wonderful way to become present, ready, focused, and energized for the evening ahead.

It may be winter from the place I write this. However, it is the start of a new year, and a new decade. In this event it is appropriate to consider the words of Mary Oliver’s poem, ‘The Summer Day’, that are inspiring and that ask the most important of all questions: “What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”

Each day contributes cumulatively to the creation of our lives. Each day we have an opportunity to show up more, less, differently, or the same as we always have.  It’s up to us!

A small daily practise can play a significant role in the quality of how we do it.

 

The Summer Day

Who made the world?
Who made the swan, and the black bear?
Who made the grasshopper?
This grasshopper, I mean-
the one who has flung herself out of the grass,
the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,
who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down-
who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.
Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.
Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.
I don’t know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn’t everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?

 

Copyright 1992 by Mary Oliver.
All rights reserved.

 

To your New Year and New Decade,

Jill

Founder & Mentor of Women’s Wellness Circles

www.jillhewlett.com

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