Welcome. Over the course of 4 days:
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Learn how to create empowering women’s circles that nourish your community and your own sense of purpose.
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Deepen confidence in your space holding and facilitation, with a range of skills rooted in ethical practice.
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Develop a toolkit of rituals, techniques and practices to enhance your circles for the women who attend.
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Reconnect with this ancient tradition in modern times, to live your part in a global movement for change.
Course details
Calling the . . .
Circle Lovers
Yoga Teachers
Space Holders
Therapists
Visionaries
Circle holders looking for inspiration…
Who Is It For?
You have a passion for women’s circles and are drawn to holding your own sacred spaces for others.
You have some space holding skills and would like to develop your own best practice to enhance your facilitation and hold deeper transformation for your community.
You know you have the potential to hold powerful experiences through your circles, if you just had a wider toolkit of practices, techniques or rituals to weave in.
You are drawn to community and sisterhood and would like to go on a journey with women with a similar vision to you.
You’ve landed in the right place…
I feel so honoured to have shared a room with such a dynamic, gifted, loving group of women. That alone has been so transformative and healing for me. I feel fully equipped to begin my journey as a facilitator, but mostly I have a full heart.
- Lauren (Singer)
It was so great to be able to share, be heard and connect with other amazing women! The biggest thing I gained was feeling heard and seen… I found it so personally beneficial and healing…Anna is a fantastic teacher and I learnt so much.
– Clare (Founder of Her Land + Margate Mercury)
I gained a deep understanding of where I’m at and how I can centre myself and hold space, and the connection to the other women on the course..to deeply experience how circle felt was so powerful…it completed exceeded my expectations. Thank you!
– Nadia (Yoga Teacher)
The Women's Circle Training is here for you
Welcome, it’s so good to have you here.
Circles are at the heart of Shala, and as the founder here, I’ve poured my 2 decades of experience as a facilitator into this unique training.
Whether you found this training because you are ready to hold your first circle, or enhance the space you are already holding, this pioneering training you will uncover your own unique circle offering, alongside learning a toolkit that enables you to hold the potent space of transformation for the communities you desire to support.
I dedicate to you the experience I have gained during 12 years holding groups within the holistic world/retreats and 10 years prior to that as a drama facilitator…
Because when I ran my first circle, I wasn’t sure how to facilitate group conversation… I was unsure how many practices to bring in, or whether to leave more time for sharing… I worried whether people would get along…
But as I held more and more circles, I found a consistent way to develop inclusive group dynamics that created more empowering transformation for the people in the room.
This experience has supported me to become confident in my capacity to hold circles. And now, it’s my mission to support you to do the same. Because creating and holding circle is a craft..
And you can (re)learn it.. I trust that you are ready to craft your own unique way of space holding so you can facilitate inspiring and sacred circles that offer deep connection and healing to your communities.
So, where do we start?
We get really clear on why you’re doing it and what your intention/vision is…
We learn and practice advanced facilitation skills
You explore an extensive toolkit of practices, rituals and themes through regular circles on the training.
And build the confidence within yourself to allow the magic to happen…
JOIN THE CIRCLE MOVEMENT
Your Journey
Over 4 days - we move through 8 elements:
1/Circle Foundations
Learn the history of circle and why women circles are reemerging.
Create and clarify your circle agreements, intentions and vision.
Learn how to hold different types of circles, structure them and the practicalities of setting up your own.
2/Facilitation & Space Holding Skills
Discover your purpose as a facilitator and the role your body language and nervous system regulation play in holding space.
Learn to enhance levels of listening and the subtlety of advanced space holding skills. Practice facilitating in a supportive environment.
3/Female Archetypal Activation
Activate, heal and embody the feminine by connecting with the different energies of the feminine archetypes. Discover how to channel these into your circles.
4/Creating Sacred Space, Incorporating Ritual & Considering Themes
Experience a variety of ways to transition to sacred space. Consider themes for your circles and create, receive and practice a toolkit of potent rituals to draw on.
5/Grounding & Yogic Techniques
Experience a range of grounding and breathwork techniques and learn how to create your own guided relaxation (yoga nidra) and experience Partner Yoga techniques for bonding.
6/Astrology, Moon Phases & Cyclical Living
Understand how to work with the Moon phases and what themes to draw in, as well as learning to connect with astrological phases and how to weave them into your circle. Learn how to create New & Full Moon Circles.
7/The Inner Work & Group Dynamics
Explore Shadow Work – Including the Sister Wound and Witch Wound and explore research around group dynamics. Learn behaviour archetypes and how to navigate them to feel confident in your ability to rebalance circle dynamics.
8/Developing your Unique Circle Offering
Discover your unique circle style and leave the training with a clear sene of your vision for your circles and how to create them.
This is for you if:
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You have space holding skills, yet structuring a circle feels mystifying or challenging.
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You’ve gained so much from attending circles, yet are unsure where to start in holding your own.
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You have a desire to support women in your community who feel isolated.
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You’re looking for a deep dive experience of sisterhood and community.
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You want to feel confident in your facilitation and space holding skills.
Your circle running in a positive way comes down to the clear intentions, vision and setting out of consistent guidelines that we develop BEFORE the circle gathers…
Blended with the confidence and trust that all will be well on the day…
This training equips you to be an intentional, sacred and powerful circle holder.
What’s included in the Women’s Circle Training?
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4 days of Training – Includes experience of being in and holding circle.
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Course Manual - includes a large toolkit of rituals, themes, research & inspiration.
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Scripts for yoga nidras & meditations.
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Certification with Shala Women Training which is accredited by Yoga Alliance Professionals.
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Community of Facilitators.
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Potential for Mentorship after the training.
+ Bonus:
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How to create your own guided relaxations (Yoga Nidra) workshop.
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Astrology & Somatics modules
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How to incorporate Cacao into your circles.
You’ll walk away with…
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A clear sense of your vision and what you offer – deeply believing in its value.
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Able to go into your circles feeling confident with a brilliant structure – and a toolkit to change direction in the moment - because of the depth of the training you’ve experienced.
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Feeling part of a global movement that positively affects the planet.
And not just that…
What you learn in this experience will positively ripple out to other areas of your life and relationships, because of the skills you learn around listening, co-regulating and holding.
The Solstice Ceremony was just perfect. Anna is such a kind, caring teacher who holds space for women beautifully. The whole evening was perfectly designed- a cacao ceremony, journaling, a sharing circle, yoga and a gong bath in the garden to finish. Just divine. Anna has a lovely energy and that is reflected in the beautiful space she has built at Shala. I can't wait to return.
Elise Carter
I have attended multiple, seasonal sharing circles with Anna at Shala over the past year. I am grateful to have been able to share such beautiful, gentle and respectful spaces that have been led with intentional care. There is something incredibly powerful and moving about being in a sacred space of vulnerability and truth. I have received essential insight and strength from the opportunity these circles have given me to take time and space for my past, present and future self.
Alex Sainsbury
Hi, I’m Anna Brook,
Your Circle Facilitator
A warm welcome.
This training is a culmination of the 20+ years that I have been facilitating circle spaces.
My passion for Women’s Circles comes from my 12 years as a circle facilitator and Women’s Yoga Therapist. I have over 1000 hrs + of training with world class teachers such as Uma Dinsmore Tuli, Anoushka Florence & Swami Saradananda.
I’m an experienced retreat teacher and the founder of Shala Women – women’s wellness space in Margate where we hold a variety of regular circles/retreats.
Previous to this, I spent 10 years honing facilitation and circle holding skills as a drama facilitator with a myriad of groups, from professional wellness companies to inner city teenagers.
A life long fascination with practices, ceremony and ritual means I am drawn to create multidimensional spaces that weave together a rich tapestry of influences. I’m a trained Breathwork coach (specialist in trauma release), Cacaoista, Rite of Passage Ceremonialist (feminine ceremonies like closing the bones) and menstrual cycle/birthworker specialist.
I’ve had my work featured in Om Yoga Magazine, Tatler, Gather magazine, Margate Mercury and ‘Cene.
In the Shala Women’s Circle Training, I’ll share my extensive toolkit with you, so that you can discern the elements which align most with your experience and intentions for your circles.
Because the world needs circle more than ever…
I’m fully here to support you in developing your vision…
I also offer 121 Mentorship around Circle Facilitation & Space Holding - you can book your spot here
As featured in...
I gained so much! A sense of community. The quality of listening and holding space – authenticity and honesty. Planning and structure of circle – but then the fluidity of circle too. Confidence speaking in a group. Loved the manual. This course exceeded my expectations…Do it!
- Soraya (Psychotherapist)
I’ve been lucky enough to be a part of the incredible Women’s Circle Training and it’s such a rich, healing and (and fun!) journey where I’ve learned so much, gained community and done a deep dive into the transformative power of this work and my potential within it. Anna holds space with compassion, clarity, grace and humility. She brings deep embodied and contextual knowledge and wisdom to all her practices.
– Clare Callan (Community Arts Facilitator)
This was by far the best training I have attended...Anna brought 20 years experience, research and practice into a very thorough training. Every detail of it was carefully planned to empower circle holders to take their work into their communities. Anna’s kind, nourishing and encouraging manner is the loveliest way to learn
– Marina (Yoga Teacher & Coach)
Jo Miller
(Online Sessions - all Trainings)
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Somatics
Women’s circles are deeply relational, and they can both reveal and heal relational wounds.
In this session, we will explore the fundamentals of the nervous system and the connection between the nervous system and human connection. There will be a strong emphasis on preparing you as a facilitator to create an environment that nurtures healing and repair.
Jo is a trainee elder and somatic witch. She teaches and mentors other healing professionals internationally.
Astro Dejavu (Ruth)
(Online sessions - all Trainings)
Moon Phases & Astrology
Ruth is a trained Traditional Western Astrologer who studied for 3 years at London School of Astrology, receiving mentorship from some of the world’s leading astrologers.
She will guide you to learn the foundations of astrology, how to recognise pivotal timings, hold a moon circle and offer an introduction to your own birth chart.
Marcela Enriquez Wakeham
(Teaches on the Sussex Training)
Cacao Ritual Circle
Marcela Enriquez leads cacao circles through the somatic approach by holding a safe container throughout. She is a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (body orienting trauma therapist).
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Be guided in an authentic cacao circle from Marcela’s tradition – the Yokot’an Maya Tradition of Cacao, Mexico.
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Why cacao is the ideal medicine to offer in circles. Brief history of where cacao originates as medicine and its heart opening qualities in circle holding spaces.
Guest Facilitators
I’ll be joined by highly experienced facilitators in their specalist areas…
