“I think one of the things that I feel is integral, is that we often believe that belonging is something that comes when we find people like us. And actually, belonging is something where we are able to be accepted despite our differences. I think that that's the key shift that many of us need to make about what community means. The power that comes from sitting with people and being with people who aren't like us and who do have different lived experiences and who are from different generations.”
—Gemma Brady
Hello lovely ones,
How are you feeling today? How is your heart?
I am so honoured to bring you this podcast conversation with Gemma Brady today.
Gemma and I have been connected, via the power of Instagram, for near on a decade now and it has been so beautiful to witness the evolution of her heart work in the world.
I am in awe of what she has created with Sister Stories — something that began in her living room and now offers the most exquisite holding for thousands of others. Seeing the impact that she has had on bringing Circle to more people has been extremely inspiring on my own journey.
Gemma was instrumental in supporting me and my confidence in bringing Circle into my own offerings, so I am forever grateful to her for connecting me with something that now nourishes me in many ways.
Gemma has a way of bringing such power and depth to the way she expresses herself, and this conversation was so insightful. I adored chatting to her about the medicine of circle, motherhood and so much more and I hope you enjoy listening…
“The thread that ran through my work, that was most captivating to me was creating spaces for people to tell heartfelt stories in a way that allowed them to speak their truth in a way that they might not have otherwise done.”
—Gemma Brady
This conversation felt like such a beautiful exploration of the depths and magic that Circle brings, and in the most diverse and expansive way.
“It's not a stage, the facilitator in those spaces, in my view, is actually a really gentle steward of the group. It's a genuinely circular, non-hierarchical experience, not a patriarchal top-down experience.”
—Gemma Brady
In this episode we discuss…
Being in the trenches with early Motherhood and simultaneously being in a creative expansion in Gemma’s work.
The path from working as a Documentary Filmmaker to creating a globally reaching business through Circle.
The many various ways that Gemma sees circle being integrated into different social settings, and how strongly she feels this is imperative for our cultural evolution.
How she weaves the early years of motherhood together with her heart work, and the importance she places on taking time to be creative.
The importance of community and what it really means to belong in a world where there is so much isolation and seperation.
And so much more…
***You can also listen to the episode on Apple here and Spotify here.
“I really think that there's such a reciprocity at the heart of holding the circle, because you are creating a space that is nourishing the people in the space. The vast majority of people I interact with, who hold them, say it fills me up as I do it. And that's a beautiful regenerative process. It certainly got me through the last couple of years of single motherhood”
— Gemma Brady
Gemma Brady is founder of Sister Stories, which is on a mission to make going to Women's Circles as common as yoga class. She has dedicated her life to creating spaces for people to tell important stories, be it on film, in writing or in their community. Beginning her career as an award winning filmmaker known for making sensitive documentaries, she believes in the healing power of storytelling and the power of the generous acts of both speaking and offering deep listening. In 2017, Gemma created Sister Stories as a means of offering women an opportunity to come together and experience the transformative power of being seen and heard. What started as a simple Circle gathering in London has grown to a global movement of women training to lead and share the transformative power of Circle in their communities.
Connect with Gemma here on the Sister Stories website, and here on Instagram.
Thank you so much for being here to listen to this conversation of Unravelling, I would love to hear in the comments if you enjoy this episode and if there is anything that surfaces for you when you listen.
Until next time…
With so much love,
Lauren
xxx
PS… if you are interested in deepening your experience within this space through Human Design, self tending practices such as Yoga Nidra, Sacred Business workshops and circles, and community connection, I would love to invite you to take a look at my membership space The Balm…
The Unravelling Podcast is a sacred space for you to come to when you feel the need to be nurtured, inspired and witnessed in all the beautiful messiness of life. You can expect an eclectic mix of topics that include Motherhood, Womanhood, Soulful Business & all that is Sacred. The episodes are intended to be soothing and gentle, yet powerful and impactful, weaving the beautiful art of storytelling together with life lessons, practical tools and a little bit of magic too. The journey of unravelling has many, many layers, and each of us are on our own unique path. My hope is that the words shared in each episode will offer a spark of curiosity and a moment of resonance, and help support you in your own beautiful explorations.
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