I have been sitting with this piece of writing for a while, as I have been in two minds whether to write it or just let it be something that goes under the carpet unsaid. I have thought long and hard about it and sat with all the different feelings that have surfaced and I feel a strong calling to let this story be told as I feel it may touch others and I feel these circles are only creating more divide and upset amongst the beautiful notion of sisterhood.
It is a circle based upon strong spiritual ideas of empowerment, support, listening, meditation, spirit, song, joy, laughter and above all the sisterhood.
Towards the end of last year I was asked to join a very special woman’s circle. Many of the women happened to be close sisters who I have known for a number of years. It is a circle based upon strong spiritual ideas of empowerment, support, listening, meditation, spirit, song, joy, laughter and above all the sisterhood. I have always loved working with woman so it felt only natural that I would jump head first into this amazing possibility. The way it works is that you come in as a seed and move your way up through the stages of sapling and blossom until you are birthed as a lotus. There is a $5000 ‘gifting’ that is required to enter circle. It didn’t occur to me then that there was anything strange or unusual about this structure. I was being backed to go in to the circle and when I would become lotus then I would be gifted $40 000, half of which would go to my backer and the rest would be mine. Once you become lotus you can be recycled back into the circle and start again or back other woman. We would meet each week via various technological advances so no matter where you are in the world we could all be connected. The whole set up didn’t even ring alarm bells. The jargon and spiritual notions behind really allowed me to think it could be another possible paradigm shift. There was such secrecy around that definitely felt like I was apart of something special and elite. The first two rounds went well and it was wonderful meeting such incredible woman situated all over the world. We were opening our hearts. Being a stand for each other was so healing and incredibly powerful. Soon I made my way to blossom. Having watched two sisters being birthed gave me the sense that this way of gifting does work and we are doing something different.
A couple of weeks into my phase of blossom, I started to feel that something was not right. I could not pinpoint it it was just a feeling. So I let it be and carried on. It was only after the summer when a close friend took the courage to really question everything about the circle and that it was actually a very clever disguise of a pyramid scheme. So I started to research and all the signs and things started to reveal themselves as clear as day. At this stage of my blossom position we were really struggling to find seeds and so I started to feel that we were recruiting addressing all woman who could possibly be apart of this circle, it started to not resonate with my beliefs of equality and I started to feel the need to get people in so that the others could move forward.
A couple of weeks into my phase of blossom, I started to feel that something was not right.
When I started to share my concerns with the women in the circle, I felt I was met with a lot of resistance. I was told I was bringing fear into the group for sharing my insights and revelations.
It would have been easy for me to stay in a little while longer, get the woman we needed, and become a lotus myself. What hit home for me was this notion of someone will always loose, the karma of taking these gifting was so seducing yet someone at the bottom of the pyramid would inevitably loose. The concept was always sold to me like a wonderful flower that is birthed; you move your way up and become a lotus. The truth is if you pick the middle part of the lotus up it becomes a pyramid and truth be told I am already a Lotus, we all are.
We don’t need this money system to buy sisterhood and empowerment. We can be that for each other without it having to cost anything.
My leaving this circle has left some close friendships frayed and that I some how have betrayed the sisterhood. This leaves me with much sadness.
We don’t need this money system to buy sisterhood and empowerment. We can be that for each other without it having to cost anything. If anyone is looking to join these circles or has been invited I strongly recommend you do some research as I really feel this is not something healthy or sustainable for the future times.
In Love and Truth
