Giving birth is possibly the most extreme and powerful experience a woman will go through in her life.

Traditionally, women would gather in the village, around the cooking fires and share their stories of triumph, their heart aches and their learnings with one another. This is how we would come to learn about the range of normal and all its wide and wonderful variations in birth and the postpartum period! We would learn about how the woman was tended to by the elders and peers in her community, what were her struggles, what were her moments of triumph.

In many ways, the circles that I offer are to re-create the modern 'village', where women can once again sit in circle together, speak and listen, and learn from one another. Sharing birth stories is a powerful way of honouring and remembering our immense strength and capacity as women and mothers.

Upon arrival you will be invited to have a tea and settle in.

Depending on numbers and people's willingness or sense of urgency about whether they want to share their own story, or simply listen to others, we will decide how many people will share in this session, and allocate equal time to each sharing.

We will aim to include some time for questions and reflections following each birth story, if it is welcomed by the teller.

We will close with a song or a meditation and a thanks giving to all that has been spoken and witnessed.

I hope you will join us!