CHAPTER 1

Gathering the Gals

There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror thatreflects it.

—Edith Wharton

The energy of women gathered is extraordinary—healing, exhilarating, sometimesover the top, but always inspiring. Women have been gathering for centuries forfriendship, strength, and solidarity. Women's circles have existed throughouttime, and we have joined together during our cycles in moon lodges and red tentsacross many cultures and throughout the world. This time together, away from menand everyday obligations, is a chance for communication and understanding.Celebrations are born and rites of passage noted and observed as a result.Sacred time and space is created with these gatherings, a place to find solace,joy, and commonality. It can be empowering and enlightening to spend time withother women on a regular basis.

My Gals

My goddess gals, they are a grand bunch. We have laughed until we fell over,sang at the tops of our lungs, greeted the sun with yoga, traveled to the seaand to the woods, and eaten some of the most delicious meals together. The foodalways tastes luscious when we are together, no matter what. If we order takeoutand drink beer it is a banquet. The joy of working together to create mealscan be magically tranquil and energizing. For some gals, cooking is stressful,so that needs to be respected. For a few of us, cooking is grounding and thekitchen our place of peace and empowerment. We always balance out our cookinggroups among kitchen goddesses and those who are happy to be choppers, stirrers,and servers—works like a charm; like butter, in fact.

The happy hum of the gals in the kitchen buzzing around and doing their ownthing is especially joyful. I can freeze-frame moments from our cookingescapades and sigh at the memory of the contentment and simplicity of thosetimes together. All of our special goddess spice added to the meals makes for asurefire feast. Simple understanding and acceptance creates an atmosphere forthe delicious to settle on every tongue. So read on and learn how to gathertogether a group of goddesses on your own. Laughter and a little mischiefawaits, with many added treats here and there.

She Started It

Let me tell you about my goddess group and how it evolved. Nine-ish years agoHeather was the new gal in town from California. Her husband was going tograduate school here in Boston, and she was looking to meet people and make somefriends while she was on the east coast for a few years. A woman she knew backhome had a sister in Boston. The sister in Boston had a friend who was an artdirector at an ad agency. The friend at the ad agency had a friend from the townthey both used to live in. And the friend from the ad agency had just met awoman who was representing a photographer—and so the first goddess dinnerconvened at a campus apartment over wine and pizza. It happened that easily. Weget together once a month for dinner, sometimes at restaurants but usually atsomeone's house for a more intimate atmosphere, or just in case we all get tolaughing very loudly (and you just know that someone is going to snort or chokeor spew wine across the table in the process), telling bawdy tales, or needingto have a little cry. It offered a chance to just be women for an evening. Weare still mothers, daughters, partners, businesswomen, but in this company weare free to speak our fears, hopes, and dreams without having to explainourselves or play just one role.

Nearly a decade later, some of the characters are the same and some havechanged. Heather is happily ensconced back in sunny California but keeps intouch and encourages visitors. She even started a west coast branch. We haverecently become international, with a Goddess-UK chapter created by one of ourlovely original members up and running.

The Whys and Wherefores

My top five reasons to create, join, or belong to a women's group are:

5. It gets you out of the house and out of your head.

4. It provides a dream sanctuary.

3. It gives you a place to listen and be heard.

2. You get to just be.

1. It makes you feel good!

5. Gets You Out of the House and Out of Your Head. Having something to lookforward to on a day or a week that may be feeling pretty gray otherwise canshift everything to the positive side. It sets in motion assured and joyfulanticipation. We can get into routines that can lead to ruts if we aren't awareof it. Attending a get-together will cause an energy shift in us no matter what.Instead of being alone with too many thoughts and a bowl of cereal for dinner,or with our families or partners and not an inch to ourselves, for a few hourswe can get away from it all. There may be times when you are busy or tired andthink about not attending. I can tell you that those are the days and nights youwill be happiest you got yourself there.

We can revel in our sisters' hopes, dreams, and concerns, generate food anddrink and laughter. Sharing a good laugh is an automatic energy and mood lifter.It shakes us out of our own way for even a little bit of time. Laughter isbonding and liberating in the company of women. Not to mention that there'ssafety in numbers. It is great to have a posse, to know that no matter what,your gals will back you up. Even and especially when you have talked yourselfinto believing a course of action is a good one for you, your posse will find agentle way to remind you that you may want to rethink it. I love to know thegirls are on my side no matter what.

4. Provides a Dream Sanctuary. We...