Moon Circles

The act of coming together as a community in a circle is one of the most ancient and sacred forms of social interaction. According to moon circle expert Ann Landaas Smith, tribes would ritualistically gather together around a fire, join in a meal, share stories, worship their gods and goddesses, and pass down traditions and wisdom that kept them alive and healthy. 

Moon circles, in particular, traditionally grew as a women’s gathering, since a woman’s menstrual cycle naturally syncs with the lunar cycle. Celebrated during the new or the full moon, it was a time for women to come together, connect with nature, and embrace their femininity in a safe and sacred space. 

Fast forward to modern day and we see that many women are once again embracing the ancient practice of moon circles. This is wonderful, however, I can’t help but feel that we are limiting ourselves by hosting moon circles solely for women. 

Why? There are a few reasons that I believe this to be true: 

First is that the moon affects much more than just a woman’s menstrual cycle.  The “lunar effect” describes the correlation between the lunar cycle and its influence on all living beings’ (animal and human, male and female) behavior and emotions. We all feel the moon’s energy. 

Second is that the human experience of gender is no longer able to be contained in the limiting boxes of just male and female, and our true selves often expand far beyond just the physical makeup of our bodies. 

Lastly, I believe that we are all connected – and I believe that it is essential that we collectively grow and evolve together.

I believe that bringing people together as a connected community is one of the best ways to ignite love and healing amongst people. So therefore, just as we have evolved as a human race, I think it’s time that moon circles evolve too. 

I see the moon circle is an opportunity for us to honor our primitive traditions in a modern way. It’s an opportunity to create a sacred space for all people to share in growth, insight, and connection – both to each other and to our true authentic selves. Ultimately, it’s an opportunity to bring us back to our roots, while also nurturing our future.