This circle aims to empower girls to listen to their inner wisdom, understand their bodies' natural cycles, and honour their true, unique selves. It can be tough growing up amidst a culture that broadcasts unhealthy messages to girls and women. Kathy and Raina will mentor the girls in this circle to nurture their own inner compasses, so that they can navigate the world with confidence. Over five weeks, our circle will connect with elements of nature (earth, water, air and fire) and explore various ways they connect to our bodies, emotions, dreams, wisdom and spirits. To strengthen our bonds with these elements, each week we will activate a special item to represent the element we are working with that day. Through these nature elements we will also explore different pathways towards feeling regulated. The ability to determine when our nervous systems feel regulated helps us to connect with our inner wisdom. This knowledge is such a gift for young people experiencing physical and hormonal changes that start as young as age 8, and will continue for years to come. ​ During our time together, the girls will enjoy enriching activities such as; music, art, cooking/baking, theatre and more! ​ Week 1 Earth - Feeling of safety and belonging in the circle and space in which we will be gathering. Right action - treating everyone with kindness. Co-creating a safe container and making new friends. Explore environmental pathways to feeling regulated. Mother Earth stone or crystal activation. Beading friendship bracelets. Decorating a circle cake to represent what we each want to bring to the circle during our 5 weeks together. Dyeing wool for week 3. ​ Week 2 Water - Honouring cycles in nature and in our bodies/emotions. Finding compassion and understanding for ourselves and others throughout these cycles. Explore relational pathways to feeling regulated. Moon seashell activation. Making moon cycle art. Naming our matrilineal lines. Learning about the menstrual cycle and self care practices. Acting out the Spiral Story Menstrual play. Making custom blend herbal teas with each girl to support her individual needs and desires. ​ Week 3 Air - Connecting with the spirit of inspiration, imagination, dreams and creativity. Spirit feather activation with breath work. Exploring the embodied pathway to feeling regulated. Making prayer flags to honour our individual dreams, goals and gratitudes. Preparing chopped fruit, veggies and dip from scratch. Making drop spindles and learning to spin the yarn that we dyed in week 1. Possibly doing some weaving. ​ Week 4 Fire - Building trust and confidence in our inner wisdom. Playing a consent game and a game to learn about our inner yes and inner no. Discussing why feelings are important to listen to. Act out scenarios to find solutions for when it feels hard to honour our feelings (girls can give real life examples and/or we can make them up). Naming safe people in our lives who we can go to when we need support. Making salt dough candle holders and painting them. Inner light candle holder activation with beeswax tealight candles and candle gazing. Chopping toppings and baking sourdough pizzas. ​ Week 5 All Elements United in our Sacred Centre - Connecting with and celebrating our unique expression in this world. Receiving a gift to represent the inner wisdom and beauty in each girl. Decorating a special moon treat to share with the mothers. Mothers join us for the second half of the circle. Mother and daughter despacho ceremony, focusing on gratitude for our inner wisdom, bodies, voices, cycles, feelings, dreams, creativity, connection with nature and all the elements that were part of our five week circle. ​ Each week will include: Organic fruit, veggies and homemade dip for snacking on Art and food supplies Guidance of two experienced mentors
Mentors
Kathy experiences joy through helping young people connect with, and appreciate, their unique selves. She has co-facilitated girls' circles over the past two years, while partaking in the Journey of Young Women mentorship training. Kathy brings a variety of experience to the circle incuding; music, baking, fibre arts, and a deep passion for connecting with nature, moon cycles, and the wisdom of the feminine body. Kathy also works with youth at Little Oasis, as a facilitator in the Equine Assisted Learning program.
Raina loves supporting girls to have confidence in themselves and feel excited about their menarche rite of passage. She has led numerous girls’ circles over the past 12 years, including programs such as the Girls Empowerment Movement (GEM) and Young Women Rise at the Nelson Women’s Centre, Healthy Relationships and Health & Sexuality Education in schools, and she is a co-founder and current mentor at Maiden Star. Raina is a BC Certified Teacher.
Appreciation
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*Kathy and Raina have not collaborated before now. The testimonials below are from other circles they have co-facilitated with other mentors in the past:
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"I loved it and I learned a lot. There were lots of crafts, and it felt nice doing that with other girls. It helped me learn what to do if I had cramps, and what to expect, and what was normal. I’m glad that my mom could do it with me, because at the end we had a ceremony. It was really nice spending time with my mom. It felt really special. It made me be excited for my period!"
~Participant Girl, age 11
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"My daughter made lasting friendships with the girls in the group, plus she developed a more profound connection with me as her mother. Just two months after taking the program, my daughter received her first moon. Because she attended Maidenstar, she was able to embrace her period with grace and an ease of acceptance. She felt interconnected not just with me, but to all the women in her Life! It was a special bonding time for us, and now when she bleeds, she includes me in the experience." ~ Participant Mother
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"My daughters, ages 13 and 9, love being in Girl Circle with Kathy as a mentor and guide. They both appreciate her way of sharing and teaching about all that we go through as girls becoming young women. Her approach is natural, gentle and present. Through Kathy’s guidance, my girls have learned that acceptance, self-love, and honouring their bodies as sacred are important aspects of growing into themselves. As a mentor, she naturally models being comfortable in who she is, and being true to her authentic self. My girls are confident. They are connected to their own spirits, and they honour our Mother Earth. Kathy has been an integral part of them cultivating this connection with the earth, in their community and within themselves." ~Marie Sutherland
Mothers and daughters sharing their girl circle experience