~ by Dr. Carrie Chmielewicz
A Harvard study shows that women who have close female friendships are staying healthier and happier as they age.
Is sisterhood the most powerful force for a woman’s health?
In many cultures, women live as a community of sisters; friends sharing their life together.
Sisterhood for the Soul
Traditions like the Red Tent allow women to come together during menstruation, often with synchronized cycles. This is a beautiful time for nurturing, and keeping each other resilient and happy. In Western cultures, women are often isolated in their own homes, and opportunities to come together and share time are much more limited.
When women support each other, incredible things can happen. They need restorative powers of a tribe of sisters, and are natural nurturers and empathic givers. It is vital for them to receive and be nourished as continual giving
out ends in depletion, an increasingly common health problem. Women instinctually know how to nourish each other and just being with each other is restorative.
Here in the Southern zone, a group of women have created their own Sisterhood Gatherings. Four times a year, women meet to recharge themselves and each other; they come from miles to cook, dance, sing, eat, laugh, cry, and confide in each other.
A safe container for those in need of emotional support or are facing difficult life changes is created. Triumphs are celebrated and supported. From young teens to elders, information is shared among the generations to mentor a healthy feminine balance for both young and old.
The true benefits of friendship are immeasurable. Recent studies are showing that strong social ties between women decrease our chances of disease, reduces stress, and promote brain health as we age. A sister is a precious gift. Appreciate each one that you have.
For more information about the Sisterhood Gatherings and future gatherings, contact sisterhoodgathering@gmail.com.
