“The Circle is everyday ceremony: the invention of our most ancient Godmothers, who upon witnessing the myriad ways nature exalted this humble shape, claimed it as the spiritual center of their communities. Held by the simple rituals of opening & completion, honoring & appreciation, the Circle acts as a vehicle for both storytelling & transcending our stories. In Circle, we are conversing with the divine.”

–Baraka Elihu

There is something very powerful about women coming together in support of one another. We create space to be seen and heard, validated and supported. All-women spaces are necessary to the healing of women as well as our communities. We start with the women because it is with the women that the world’s medicine lies. Women represent life and creativity, love, mystery, nature and spirit. All things of which we are constantly interacting with but forget to be with consciously. Our lives sometimes require us to become numb and live on an automatic setting where we do what we “have to do” and what we’re taught to do rather than what we desire. We become survivors of our trauma and pain and of our fears and mistakes without ever fully recovering. Sitting in circles with other women can help us remember to breathe, to live and take life in for what it is meant to be, joy!

I swear by sister circles. They are powerful! I gather with women — friends, family and sometimes strangers — several times a year. May these five reasons inspire you to start your own circle or encourage you, your sisters and friends to meet at least once a week by phone or in person:

1. Women have more in common than not

Women are more alike than we even realize. Most of us have been through some kind of challenge related to heartbreak, betrayal, insecurities, etc. Some might have an idea on what our bodies should look like versus what they really do. There’s a guy we can’t figure out, won’t leave us alone, or excites us but he doesn’t know it. A power struggle is happening in the work place or school. Perhaps your child’s father is up to his old ways again. Whatever the deal is, you aren’t alone and connecting with other women who are willing to share their stories will help lighten your own load.

2. We provide support for each other

One of the greatest gifts we can give each other is the gift of listening and being present. This can mean everything to those who have no other support system. We never know what others are going through. We never know who just needs an ear of someone who will listen. Women have a knack for supporting each other in a way that is loving and compassionate. We can relate to each other because we are reflections of one another. If we sat in circles more often, we could heal our insecurities, become each other’s keepers and remove competition between one another. May our time together remind us of this truth.

3. We learn more about ourselves

Listening to the trials and tribulations of others can be an effective way to provoke self-reflection and inspire gratitude. We can learn by listening to others and find our challenges aren’t as bad as they seem. We can also learn the value of being present for others in their time of need. The ability to hold a compassionate and empathetic space in our hearts for others lets us know we are human. A group of women, including myself, just returned from a journey to Jamaica where we retreated in paradise for intense, transformational women’s work. It was such a powerful experience to connect with women from all over the country that I’d never met and find how similar our lives were.

4. We can help each other heal

Women, when we are healthy and in touch with our hearts, might feel deep intense emotion. We allow emotion. Many of us are emotional by nature. When we get together in circles and talk, tears might well up and flow. When tears flow, energetic buildup melts away from the heart. All-women spaces can provide deep emotional safety because women are usually intuitive and empathetic; we validate each other’s emotions. We need this in a world that is constantly telling us we’re crazy for feeling so intensely. Our world has little value for emotional outbursts and authentic expression that is unscripted and refuses to be neatly projected. That’s why the media is so fascinated with Kanye West!

5. Women are fun and fabulous!

I don’t know about your sister friends, but mine are beautiful, brilliant and bold! I love being with them because they keep me on my toes, always pushing me to be my best. I’m inspired by their style and sass. It’s great seeing myself in them. Women aren’t only the muse for many men, more importantly we can be a large influence on one another.

How do you support your fellow women? Let us know in the comments below!

READ NEXT: This is why intersectionality in feminism matters

phenomenal women

Get relevant content delivered to you once a week