Last year, we tried something simple but powerful in one of my circles.
We did something with our hands.
The women wove raffia baskets, moving their fingers in slow, repetitive rhythms while we listened and shared. And you know what?
It completely changed the feel of the space.
In a circle of 16, it allowed the woman speaking to share deeper layers of herself without feeling like all eyes were glued to her.
She could drop into her story, without needing to make eye contact if she didn’t want to, and still feel held and witnessed by the group.
The weaving gave her something to anchor into.
Why This Matters
As someone who has doodled in the margins of notebooks my entire life, I know that doing something repetitive with my hands doesn’t pull me out of an experience — it helps me stay in it.
It calms my nervous system, focuses my mind, and lets me be more present in the room.
And I’m willing to bet that this was a given in the women’s circles of old.
Our ancestors probably gathered around fires and hearths, spinning wool, shelling peas, mending clothes and weaving while they spoke.
Because it makes sense.
Because it’s deeply human.
And because our hands might need something to do while our hearts open.
Ideas for Your Circle
If basket weaving isn’t possible for your group, you can still weave this practice into your space (pun fully intended):
- Offer pens and paper for doodling or journaling
- Set out mindfulness colouring books and textas
- Encourage women to bring along their crochet, knitting, or hand-sewing projects
- Try simple handwork like threading beads, finger knitting, or shaping clay
You might be surprised how much deeper the conversations go when hands are busy.
✨ Want to Learn More About Holding Transformational Women’s Circles?
If you’re feeling called to create spaces like this — where women feel safe, supported, and seen — I’d love to welcome you into Together: Women’s Circle Facilitator Training.
It’s a fully self-paced program designed for mothers, creatives, and community-minded women who want to learn how to facilitate meaningful, sustainable, and deeply human circles.
👉🏻 Learn more and join us here.
Let’s bring back the ancient ways, in ways that work for our modern lives.
