The vision of East Coast Women's Gathering is to provide an opportunity for women to gather in circle to see and witness each other, to listen and encourage one another in stepping more fully into the unique gifts we each carry, gifts that are so needed in the world right now. 

Angeles Arrien tells the story of the Ancestors on the other side looking upon their grandchildren and saying, â€œOh, maybe this one will be the one who will bring forward the good, true and beautiful from all the past generations and the generations to come. Maybe this one will be the one that will bring the end to all the harmful family patterns, maybe this one will be the one.”

We have traveled unique paths to arrive at this moment to remember who we are. You are invited to join our circle of community to show your true self, your soul, your spirit, and come to understand the value of your light in the world. You may say you are not ready, that maybe someday you will face your fears, your pain, your sorrow. Truth is, there never is a “completely ready.” There never is a right time. If that were not true, we would not have created the words heroine, hero, or courage. Now is the time. The collective WE need You. Our Mother Earth is asking for your voice, your story, your creativity. One of the most peaceful but powerful forces in these times is to stand firm in a community of peace and love.

We welcome the wide diversity of women who desire to deepen in respect and care for your woman soul, to bring your truth and the wholeness of your unique way of knowing and being into the world. Spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically honoring all gifts of all women, the universe calls us forward to be of service in the world. We look forward to being in circle with you at the East Coast Women's Gathering. 

If you are not able to attend and would like to support transportation costs for our Honored Elders and guest Elders and/or provide a financial gift to our scholarship fund, you may do so by clicking here. We are honored and blessed by your generosity.

Creating Altars

Altars are created in most cultures around the world. There are many different ways and many different intentions that guide the creation of altar. Altars may be seasonal; they may honor celebrations and passages for individuals or communities. They may have a specific healing intention, or show respect and honor specific beings, ancestors or spirit guides. They may be casual and ephemeral; they may be formal and long-lived. They are created with joy; they are also created in sorrow.

Altars are a bridge to the sacred. We bring special objects – beings really – from our everyday lives to guide us and help us access and walk through the doorway into sacred space. 

How we respectfully gather and put things together to create altar brings relationship forward with intention  - relationship between many realms of being: with ourselves, each other, the circle, the beings that individually create the altar, the collective wholeness of the altar as one entity or energy, the earth, the sky, the 4 elements and the 4 directions, spirit, mystery. 

When we create an altar, we make visual, energetic homage to enter sacred space; our attention and intention is called forward. Our awareness deepens, and we may move toward sacred realms. When we create or interact with an altar, we connect to the heart and move with care, attention, respect and humility into an open listening awareness of compassion for all life.

At East Coast Women's Gathering, you are likely to encounter more than one altar. On some occasions, we have had grief altar, ancestor altar, an altar honoring women veterans. We invite you to participate in creating altars to deepen our connections across time and space as we focus on our intention for coming together now.

These are extraordinary times. Women are called to awaken and be change-makers – to not just survive, but to thrive, consciously re-creating how we live in relationship with each other and with our beautiful planet, our home. Renewing. Re-membering.

For our collective, community altar, the elders of the gathering create altar in the center of our circle to honor Spirit, to declare and focus our collective woman soul intentions and to humble ourselves to the mystery of what is moving toward us, that which is already in our becoming. Prayers of gratitude and respect, requests for guidance, safety for all beings and a radiant weaving of the energies to flow out in a good way through all our lives may be part of what is brought to the energy of the altar.

All women are encouraged to active participation and interaction with altars at East Coast Women's Gathering. Please consider.

Before you pack, take time to listen within and let yourself be guided to bring some treasure or every day item from your life to place on any of the altars. It may be especially helpful, in the context of our women's soul energy and focus, to inquire and explore how the 4 elements: air, fire, water and earth and how the 4 directions: east, south, west and north show up in your life….if they do. Also your awareness of sky above with celestial possibility beyond imagination and land below, the ground of our being. 

Come home to your heart. Open and listen; bring what will help you create a bridge to the sacred. It will create connection for others as well.