Sacred Circles: A Guide To Creating Your Own Women's Spirituality Group [Paperback]

Robin Deen Carnes (Author), Sally Craig (Author)

Book Description

Release date: February 3, 1998

From Jewish to Christian, Mormon and Pagan, women's sacred circles are sprouting up everywhere, in astonishing variety providing a haven where essential female values can be discussed and embraced.This much-needed guide celebrates the rich diversity of women's spiritual lives and offers practical, step-by-step advice for those who want to create and sustain a spirituality group of their own.

Sacred Circle shows us how we can use a group to explore our relationship to the sacred, and honor the divine in everyday life. The authors, drawing from their own group experiences as well as those of many diverse groups around the country, share the model they've developed, while offering wise advise on how and why groups work. They propose circle basics, such as listening without an agenda and rotating leadership, and also offer reflections on the power of personal storytelling and thoughts on reclaiming and reinventing ritual. Women longing for a powerful and supportive feminine community in which to thrive spiritually will find vital wisdom here.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

"A major contribution to the spiritual revolution."(Rev. Lauren Artress, author of Walking a Sacred Path)

Women's spirituality groups are sprouting up everywhere, in astonishing variety, providing a haven where essential female values can be discussed and embraced. From Jewish to Christian, Mormon, and pagan, sacred circles have become safe places, free spaces, environments that foster the development of women's individual gifts. This much-needed guide celebrates the rich diversity of women's spiritual lives and offers practical, step-by-step advice for those who want to create and sustain a spirituality group of their own.

Sacred Circles shows us how we can use a group to explore our relationship to the sacred, and honor the divine in everyday life. The authors, drawing from their own group experience as well as those many diverse groups around the country, share the model they've developed, while offering wise advice on how and why groups work. They propose circle basics, such as listening without an agenda, rotating leadership, maintaining confidentiality, and keeping the focus on spiritual growth. They also offer guidelines for running the first and subsequent meetings, reflections on the power of personal storytelling, thoughts on reclaiming and reinventing ritual, themes for creating a more intimate group, and suggestions for dealing with conflict.

Sacred Circles provides all the tools needed to start and nurture a healthy group. Women longing for a powerful and supportive feminine community in which to thrive spiritually will find vital wisdom here.

"Sacred Circles will gladden and deepen the lives of countless women, bringing them home to the rich, feisty community they deserve. True self-discovery and spiritual growth arise, like flame, in the simple radiance of shared experience--and Sacred Circles shows us how."--Joanna Macy, Ph.D., author of World as Lover World as Self

"Hurray for Robin and Sally! We need this book . . . to guide us ever upward in the spiral dance of our women's circles, which lead to empowerment for each of us and All Our Relations."--Brooke Medicine Eagle, author of Buffalo Women Comes Singing

"A wonderful and much-needed tool."--Jennifer Louden, author of The Woman's Comfort Book and The Woman's Retreat Book

About the Author

Robin Deen Carnes (right), a former corporate human resources manager,teaches Yoga Rhythmics^SM, a spiritually based blend of yoga and dance.

Sally Craog (left) is an orginaizational consultant, gardener, and drummer. Together, they lead workshops on creating women's circles.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: HarperOne; 1 edition (February 3, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062515225
• ISBN-13: 978-0062515223
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.7 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #93,265 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 33 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent resource - very thorough March 3, 2001

By Colleen Murphy

Format:Paperback

This book has it all if you want to start your own group. Easy to read, fleshes out every aspect needed to get a group going, and spiritually thougtht-provoking. A friend and I have begun our own group as a direct result of this book. Particularly helpful was a chapter offering fully planned out meetings (theme and alter suggestions, readings, group activity options). It's all mapped out. It also has lists of other resources that are available to support woman's groups (books, videos, music, web sites, etc.)

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Guide April 10, 2002

By Jean Shinoda Bolen

Format:Paperback

If you are thinking about forming a women's circle with an emphasis on spirituality, this is an excellent guide. There are helpful how-to suggestions, principles and examples. It is deservedly listed as a resouce on the millionthcircle,org website.

27 of 29 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Life Changing and Thought Provoking February 15, 1999

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

Regardless of whether you intend to start a women's group or not, this book is extremely thought provoking. I gave it to a friend and the discussions it instigated resulted in a deepening of our friendship. I recommend that you do not read it unless you are prepared to be challenged. It is fantastic and I am certain that I am a better person for having read it.