Want To Harness Your Feminine Power? Try A Women's Circle

For the past 14 years, I've gathered once a month with an amazing group of five women for a Full Moon Circle.

Our circle consists of a Google executive, a business coach, an environmentalist, a top-notch photographer, a TED talk motivational speaker and me, a PR and marketing consultant. We're very different, but all of us work to serve others in some way, both in our professional and personal lives.

We use our women's circle as a time to strengthen our emotional reserves and tend to our spiritual gardens. After each circle, we emerge more energized, calm and confident — better poised to go out and change the world for the better. I attribute much of the happiness, balance and inspiration I experience in my life to these monthly meetings.

Here are five reasons why you might benefit from participating in a women's circle:

1. You'll get an endorphin rush from being heard.

Psychologists have proven that endorphins (the hormone of love and well-being) are released into our brains when we talk about ourselves. Some say that's one of the many benefits of therapy. In our women's circle, we start with a "Check-In", where each woman gets 10 minutes to be fully heard by the group. She can use this time to talk about how she is feeling in the present moment, any challenges she's had over the past month, and she can share her recent successes or anything else on her mind.

The rest of the women give their full and raptured attention without interruption. To be heard by a group of people who you know love you deeply, feels absolutely glorious. Women can share freely without fear of judgment, in an environment that feels completely safe and supported. Practicing the art of listening deeply also gives us a chance to tap into our empathy and patience, keeping us present in the moment without thinking about how we will respond.

2. You'll be seen as your highest self.

Being in the company of such extraordinary, talented women is truly inspiring. We exchange ideas and take turns leading creative exercises that challenge each other's intellect in a positive way. Being in the company of women like this will bring out your best qualities, beauty and brilliance — whether you see this for yourself or not.

These women remind me of who I am. Despite whatever challenge I am facing, or how skillfully I may be handling it, my circle sees me as a masterful creator on a path of abundance. Despite any weight gain, skin breakouts, or lack of sleep I may be experiencing, my circle always sees me as glowing and gorgeous. Each time I leave the circle I am seeing myself through their eyes.

3. Sharing your challenges with others will remind you that you are not alone.

Sharing your experiences with others can yield powerful revelations. Seeing my brilliant friends deal with the same life challenges as I do, makes me realize I am not the only person with these problems. We all have times of low self-esteem, conflicts at work or in our relationships, of feeling challenged by parenting, money, or health.

When we see each other transform our life challenges into opportunities, we feel stronger than ever. We are reminded that we can do the same. When we are stuck in our own problems, it can be difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I look to the wisdom of the group for new perspectives and I realize that as always, this too shall pass.

4. When you combine your intentions with others, the results are powerful.

Our circle has facilitated many powerful breakthroughs in all of our lives. Each month we share inspiring meditations, visualizations and exercises with specific intentions, and are consistently amazed at the power these have to create real results.

Focused group intention can amplify the results of individual thought. We've practiced anything from a meditation on resolving overwhelm, to an exercise for the manifestation of a life partner, a winter solstice ceremony for releasing negative thoughts and a visualization of our best selves, 50 years from now. Each month we combine our intentions as a group with a shared goal in mind.

5. There's a strong network to rely on whenever you need support.

Our circle is the rock of support and inspiration that we've all leaned on through broken hearts and broken bones, marriages, births, job transitions, health challenges and more, over the past 14 years.

We feel a strong sense of responsibility and dedication to each other, and that support runs deep. This translates into practical support when needed: wedding showers organized, meals delivered after the birth of a new baby, head shots for a new website, negotiation advice for a pay raise, and so on. In other words, we've got each other's backs.

If you're thinking that a women's circle could be a welcome addition to your life, I encourage you to seek it out in your community or create one yourself. When you hear the wisdom and brilliance the women in your circle have to offer, you'll begin to see the light, power and beauty in one another. You will also begin to hear and see it in yourself.

Sometimes it takes a sounding board to bring the resonance of your own inner wisdom to the foreground, with the presence of others to amplify your inner light as you allow each other to shine.