Here we were again, gathered in our little women’s circle of four. It was always great to catch up on each other’s life and work stories, share books and information and whip up a tasty potluck lunch with the dishes we had each brought. This time, though, something felt different for me. As I drove up to the house where we were to meet, I wondered what would be next, where we were heading. It was always uplifting and rewarding to be together and our gatherings had been of immense value to me, but were they still? Was our circle still serving my and our evolution? Were we still learning or, sweet as it was, had we settled into a rut?
I shared my thoughts in the circle: either it was time to end our shared journey of many years, or we had to dive deeper to sense afresh the next phase of our collective purpose. I spoke rather reluctantly – it was almost unthinkable that we might not gather again, as we had done for so many years. Nevertheless, my proposal struck a chord with the others, and we decided not to make a new appointment unless one of us sent out a new invitation. We parted feeling somewhat disoriented, but calm and quiet.
That was the end of our shared journey; no new invitation was ever sent. We never came together again in the same way. The group had served its purpose, perhaps reaching the end of its potential. This experience was a lesson for me in conscious closure (a term I learned later from Vanessa Reid). If you stay tuned to the subtle levels and future potential, you too will perceive when something is over, with no need for struggle. Done.
The new form, with a different purpose and potential, came into being with the Women Moving the Edge gatherings. In my little Flemish women’s group, we had learned along the way what it means to be fully present. Now the road opened to another purpose and another potential: how to be truly co-creative and generative. This was a different journey altogether.
It is a big shift.
A different paradigm.
A great transition.
In so many ways,
at so many levels.
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