All female groups

[Philosophia]

I was wondering if anybody here has experienced an all female group or coven and what were your experiences? Do you feel more comfortable, at ease, etc.? Or did you feel unbalanced, disliked, etc.?

[alwaysfallingup]

I have had the singular pleasure of being in two all-women's groups. The first was together for three years before the group went their separate ways because some of the women were being called to solitary practice at that point in their lives. It was in this group that I received the bulk of my ritual training. Now, I get to serve in the HP capacity for my group, Stellaluna Circle.

I absolutely LOVE working in women's circles. I feel like there are wonderful balances within the group...I feel that we have shared experiences and knowledges that are born out of our universal experience as women. There are also areas of difference, including specialized knowledge, opinions, and likes/dislikes. To me, women's circles feel safe, open, supportive, inclusive, and experiential. I also get the wonderful experience of seeing the other women in my group blossom, bloom, and share wonderful experiences as we all own our bodies and our faith. Everyone participates, everyone shares.

I'm not saying that it couldn't be the same in a mixed-gender coven, and there's always a possibility somewhere down the road that I'll participate in mixed-gender activities. But at this point, I feel that I get the most benefit, comfort, security, and enjoyment from women's-only activities.

[Vigdisdotter]

I was wondering if anybody here has experienced an all female group or coven and what were your experiences? Do you feel more comfortable, at ease, etc.? Or did you feel unbalanced, disliked, etc.?

Not Dianic, myself, but for years I was part fo a women only full moon circle. Adn I quite enjoyed it :) I think it's very valuable for everyone to learn to work with othrs of teh same sex. The energy DOES feel remargably different then a mized sex group but that's nto a bad thing. I don't see either way as "better" then the other, jsut differant.

One time, after I'd been with the group a couple years, we had a new person come out to circle with us, a stately older lady who wore a white blouse, modest skirt and pearls. And as soon as I was approaching the circle I thought to myself, who let a guy in here?!

Sure enough the lady was a cross dresser, though s/he made a really convincing lady. It was just a shock to my system as I'd become accustomed to feminine energy in that particular group :)

[Tanya]

I've been part of 2 groups.
The first was agressively lesbian and anti man... I didn't feel comfortable there, and DID feel that tings were as out of balance as in a catholic church. Frankly, I didn't even feel supported as a woman, as they had the view that there was only one acceptable way to be a woman. I hated it.

The second was a "Stitch & Bitch" we didn't deny to importance of the male principle, we just enjoyed taking a break from it and having a laugh... no one was trying to change anyone's feelings about men, and no one disliked men....but we found ourselves a little freer in our expression by not having them around. That one was lovely.

[EvieLee]

I've been in both situations before, but haven't had the luck of finding a Dianic working group in my area. The energies were different and I most definitely prefer women only groups to mixed-gender ones, only because of my own issues with men that sadly filtered through into the groups. So for me mixed-gender groups are incredibly uncomfortable and didn't feel particularly harmonised at all.