Why We Gather: A New Moon Reflection on Voice, Connection, and Being Held

A note on the term Womxn

You will see the word Womxn throughout this post. I use it to include those of all gender expressions who identify as women or feel connected to that experience or to the divine feminine.

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I am not someone who naturally slows down. I tend to move through my days with a quiet pressure to do more, be more, do things better. My to do list can start to feel like a lifeline, something I hold onto to keep everything moving, even when I am already exhausted.

There is always something to get to, something to improve, something I could be doing better. And if I am honest, I can live in that space for longer than I mean to, without even realizing it.

It is exhausting. And in a way that feels harder to name, it can also feel deeply isolating.

What I Hear from Womxn in My Portland Practice

I hear this reflected back to me every day in my practice. Womxn sit across from me and tell me how tired they are. How much they are holding. How they do not feel like they can slow down even if they want to.

And so often, they are holding even more than I am. They are caring for children, partners, families. Showing up for aging parents. Moving through chronic illness or pain. Trying to make sense of the environmental crisis, the political climate, the uncertainty of how to support themselves and the people they love.

It is not just one thing. It is everything, all at once.

And it becomes overwhelming quickly. It fills all the space. And underneath that, there is often this quiet feeling of being alone in it.

Creating a Space to Gather Together

There are fewer and fewer places where we can actually gather in a real way. Not just to be around people, but to be with one another. To say what is actually true. To be witnessed in it.

I created this  New Moon Circle here in Portland from that place. Not because I had it all figured out, but because I needed it. And because I kept hearing, over and over again, that others needed it too.

There are things we carry that do not always have a place to go. Even with the people we love, it can feel complicated. Sometimes it does not quite land. Sometimes we stop ourselves before we even say it because we are not sure how it will be received, or whether the other person has the capacity to meet us there. So we hold it.

So we hold it.

Over time, that holding does not just disappear. It settles into the body. It lingers in the nervous system. It shapes how we move through the world.

A Space to Use Your Voice and Be Heard

This is a space where that gets to be different. A space where you can speak without being interrupted. Without someone trying to fix it. Without needing to explain or soften what you are feeling. A space where your voice can exist as it is.

Sometimes that voice comes out as words. Sometimes it comes out as song.

Singing Together in Community

Our songs are simple. Call and response. Easy to follow. You do not have to know anything or be good at anything. It is not about performance. It is about letting your voice move. There is something about singing that feels like it lives deeper than language. Like it is already in us. It feels connected to the people who came before us. To the parts of us that have stayed quiet. To the things we have not had space to say.

When we sing together, it is not just about the sound. It is about being in it together. Breathing together. Feeling something move that has maybe been still for a long time.

At each circle, we open with the lyrics By Grisha Stewart:

"We're not meant to hold it all together. Together we gather to hold it all."

This is exactly it.

Rooted in Feminine Energy

This circle is rooted in feminine energy, not as something gendered, but as a way of being and relating to ourselves, to others, and to the world around us.

Feminine energy refers to qualities of presence, intuition, reflection, receptivity, creativity, and relational awareness. It is the part of us that knows how to listen beneath the surface, to feel what is true, to soften where we have become rigid, and to move in connection rather than isolation—connection with ourselves, with others, and with the world we live in.

Feminine energy exists in all people. It is not limited to any one body or identity. It moves through each of us in different ways, and it can be reclaimed, remembered, and strengthened when we create space for it.

Because of that, this is not a traditional “women’s” circle. It is not defined by who you are supposed to be, but by what you feel drawn toward. It is a space for those who resonate with the feminine and are longing to reconnect with that part of themselves, and to do so in relationship with others.

This circle is open to womxn and anyone who identifies as a woman, including trans and non-binary people who feel connection to this work and this space.

At its core, this is about returning to a way of being that is more intuitive, more relational, and more connected...a way of being that reminds us we do not have to hold everything alone.

What to Expect at This Portland New Moon Circle

Each month, we gather in Portland from 6:30 to 8:00 PM on the New Moon.

The structure is gentle and intentional. There is guided reflection, space for journaling, moments of silence, optional sharing, and singing woven throughout.

More than anything, there is spaciousness.

You are welcome to arrive exactly as you are. You can participate fully, or you can sit (or lay surrounded by pillows!) quietly and take it in. There is no expectation to share or to sing, only an invitation to be present in whatever way feels most supportive for you.

Join Our New Moon Circle in Portland

If something in you feels a response to this, even if it is subtle or hard to name, you are welcome here.

We gather monthly on the New Moon from 6:30 to 8:00 PM in Portland.

Pre-registration is encouraged: www.andynd.com/new-moon-circle

Hosted by Dr. Andy Turner and Dr. Courtney Coile