“When the women gather the world will heal.”
Hopi Indian Prophecy
Find Your Tribe.
Love Them Hard.
Woman. Mother. Sister. Caregiver. When was the last time you took time for yourself? Time to truly slow down, breathe, reflect, plan, and dream – just for you. Our monthly Goddess Gatherings promote self-care, creativity, self-love, and sisterhood. These sisterhood gatherings give women a safe space to come together, connect, share, and empower. It is a space where you can take off your mask to be completely and authentically yourself.
Renee Beck who wrote the Art of Ritual says so perfectly "The purpose of ritual is to increase balance and connection within ourselves, with each other, with the world, and with the larger rhythms and energies that bring stability and light to our lives." - Renee Beck
Allowing the feminine side of the psyche to manifest through empathy, care, and creativity is a profound way to truly connect to ourselves, our families, community, and Mother Earth.
Gathering in a women’s circle reconnects us and activates the power of our ancient ways. Circling with women reminds us of the times when women were honored for their feminine wisdom and their connection to Mother Earth’s healing powers. It is a space where we can appreciate who we really are as women and our place in this society.
Together, we remember where we come from, where we are going, and how we want to get there.
Together, we envision and manifest our dreams.
2023 Gatherings
Our Goddess Gatherings are planned around the Wheel of the Year festivals and astrological movements. Each month we will delve into the wisdom and rituals to help us observe seasonal insights through the guidance of our co-creators. We will explore seasonal eating, sacred crafting, sound bathing, storytelling, dreamwork, movement, and other nature-based offerings to help you deepen your connection with the natural world. We invite you to join us.
We meet monthly, beginning in January through December.
$40.00 investment per person. As long as space is available, you can join an individual gathering when tickets become available or you can pay in full. NOTE: This investment is non-refundable, regardless if you miss a gathering.
When possible, we meet outside.
The gatherings are held at private residences and beautiful outdoor locations throughout Middlesex, New London, and New Haven counties.
Our gatherings are limited to 12 women and typically sell out months in advance.
Please note that dates and/or topics might change, but we will always give you plenty of notice!
January 8, 2023
Celebrating the Wisdom of Winter (Part I)
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
SOLD OUT
February 5, 2023
Goddess Dream Circle
1:00 PM -3:00 PM
Private Residence in East Haddam
SOLD OUT
March 12, 2023
Full Crow Moon Fireside Cacao Ceremony
1:00 PM -3:00 PM
Private Residence in East Haddam
SOLD OUT
April 6, 2023
Pink Full Moon Gathering
6:00 PM -8:30 PM
Private Residence in East Haddam
Get Tickets
May 7, 2023
Spring Rising (Part II)
1:00 PM -3:00 PM
Location TBD
Get Tickets
June 11, 2023
Goddess Gathering: A Holistic, Mindful Movement Experience
9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Hammonasset Beach State Park
Get Tickets
July 16, 2023
NO GATHERING THIS MONTH
August 6, 2023
Cooling Your August Fire (Part III)
1:00 PM -3:00 PM
Location TBD
COMING SOON
September 17, 2023
Autumn Equinox | Mabon Celebration
6:00 PM -8:00 PM
Location TBD
COMING SOON
October 28, 2023
Blood Moon | Lunar Eclipse Bonfire
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Private Residence in East Haddam
COMING SOON
November 12, 2023
Eating for Fall & Winter (Part IV)
1:00 PM -3:00 PM
Private Residence in East Haddam
COMING SOON
December 10, 2023
Sacred Self Care
6:00 PM -8:00 PM
Private Residence in East Haddam
COMING SOON
FAQs
Can you tell me more about the Goddess Gatherings?
Our Goddess Gatherings are a gathering of women, often around a theme, to reflect, share, listen and connect. The themes of each gathering are thoughtfully selected to nurture (re)connection with ourselves and the world around us. Each woman will have the time and space to contemplate and share as much or as little as she would like to about the theme—her feelings about it, her experience, and her relationship with it. Sharing is not compulsory - listening respectfully and compassionately is contribution enough. All women are welcome.
Who are the facilitators?
All of us at Friends of the Forest are deeply in touch with the more than human world. We are herbalists, gardeners, wildcrafters, foragers, wise women, healers, and nature lovers. Every Gathering is created as a sacred space around the energy and intention of the natural world. Everyone we work with is an experienced, ethical professional who has met our high standards in providing the best services for your well-being. We welcome you to connect with nature, live with the seasons, tune into your body’s needs, and explore a little earth magick with us. Meet our co-creators.
Are these gatherings for women only?
Yep! Our Goddess Gatherings are of women, for women.
Is there a minimum age requirement for this event?
Our Goddess Gatherings are designed to be a mindful and contemplative experience; it would be more suited to anyone over 16.
What must I bring?
Please bring a brunch dish to share with the group.
No meat dishes, please, and no alcohol.
Bring a yoga mat, blankets, cushions, and/or whatever will make you comfortable.
Please feel free to bring any crystals or beautiful gifts from the earth that can support our space in feeling safer, more welcoming, more tolerant, or more sacred.
If you have a personal journal, you are encouraged to bring it along.
What if it rains?
In such situations where an outdoor gathering is planned, we will contact you at least 60 minutes before the event to confirm if the gathering will proceed or be canceled. Participants will either be refunded or can register for another Gathering without additional charges.
What is the cost?
$40.00 investment per person.
Benefits of Attending our Goddess Gatherings
We connect to ancient wisdom and our innate knowledge by joining together. We provide each other with a gentle, loving, and magical space where we can rediscover, nurture and honor the feminine within. These gatherings can recharge us with energy when we feel weak and helps us remember the power and wisdom of feminine energy. It is also an opportunity to connect with other women on the same path of inner and personal development, supporting us in achieving our goals and dreams.
A Place for Community
As an inclusive space, we welcome all ages and bring together generations. Great-grandmothers, grandmothers, mothers, and daughters sit together in solidarity. The elders pass down their wisdom learned through experience. Together, shared strength circulates through every generation, a way to empower each other to participate meaningfully in the community and pave the way for future female generations.
Help Us Deal With Stress
When we feel stressed, we go into fight or flight mode, which releases a hormone called cortisol from the adrenal glands. Men typically respond to this release of cortisol by becoming more aggressive. On the other hand, women generally respond by wanting to gather; something is known as the tend and befriend response. A supportive gathering of women offers this and will activate oxytocin, the hormone of nurturing and connecting with others— the same hormone released when you cuddle and makes you feel safe.
Realize You Are Not Alone
Have you ever felt isolated while facing a challenging situation, feeling that no one understood you? At our gatherings, you get to hear the challenges other women face and often find out they face similar obstacles as you. This helps you get through your challenge and creates a commonality in which you no longer feel so alone.
Circles with a sacred center are the oldest form of social interaction. Cave art, paintings, and other ceremonial relics suggest that human beings gathered in circles to hear stories, worship, eat, and pass down their traditions more than 30,000 years ago.
Women, in particular, would gather regularly based on lunar and menstrual cycles. These were often opportunities for intergenerational connection as grandmothers, mothers, and daughters spent time together. Collective wisdom regarding the transition into womanhood, one’s role in the community, medicine, traditions, recipes, spiritual lessons, and much more were shared in the circle.
Unfortunately, things began to shift around 6,000 to 4,000 years ago, when patriarchy and hierarchy began to eclipse ritualistic and community-oriented practices. Linear progress began to replace circular and cyclical ways of being. During this time, female leaders began to be persecuted, and accusations of witchcraft swirled around powerful female healers and spiritual teachers. Women's circles decreased in popularity.
The History of Women’s Circles
Today, women all over the world are meeting in alignment with the moon to share their experiences and wisdom and to cultivate community and collective growth.