welcome back my friends. I'm so grateful to be able to tell you today that I have one of my new besties here. This is Leah Pegram, and she is the founder of Her Sacred Circle where she curates circles and ceremonies and retreats to foster deep connection and living. And she nurtures a global virtual sisterhood space, also called the Sister Collective. And she also mentors women one-on-one in their personal journeys and offers a certification to support women who want to facilitate their own circles with love and presence. And I will put her contact and. Website in the show notes. Before you get to hear your voice, I need to introduce how we met. So I mentioned in the past that I moved south from. Very frigid New Jersey winters to the ocean here in South Carolina, and while poking around some really cute shops, I chatted with the owner of a crystal shop. And I was shopping for a gift. And the owner was so just so endearing and I said to her, Hey, how do I make some friends here like us? And she said, oh, let me look it up. There's a Facebook group you need to join. I was like, yeah, but is there anybody local? I, I am always welcoming online friends, but I want somebody to meet me at the beach for coffee or whatever. And she says, oh, I got you. I got you. You have to check out what Leah's doing. I'm like, Leah, okay, let's see. And I did. And I went on there and it turned out like. Less than a week later, there was an event and I'm like, Ooh, people. I can go. I can walk in and no expectations.'cause I'm a newbie and I don't know anybody. And let me tell you, my eyes landed on Leah. I knew exactly who she was. Not from Facebook pictures, but just by. She was like the goddess in the room holding the space for these beautiful people. And so without further ado, I'm gonna let you hear her voice. Leah, thank you for making space that I could come in and find some friends here in South Carolina. Welcome to Picture Love. Oh, thank you so much for inviting me into like this spade of, of something that you hold so dear. And you know, I, I love sisterhood. I love meeting new sisters, and I was so excited to meet you. You came in with just such like, just beautiful big energy, like, you know, here I am, I'm ready to meet people. You were so open. Uh, it was really fun and it was like you deep to start with connection, just wanting to. Um, have real conversations and I just so appreciate that. And then when I found out you did a podcast, I'm like, oh, okay. Well of course that makes sense because you're just so present in conversations. So, uh, I love that it's kind of led us to now talk in that, this way and, uh, you know, that was your, your first, your first circle. But we, we've since gathered, you know, since then, and I'm sure we'll have many more opportunities to connect and certainly a beach date with coffee. Two of my. Favorite things in life, so, alright, girl, after my own heart. That's awesome. But yeah, thanks for having me. I'm excited. Well like, like you hold space for people to gather and have real conversations and not worry about putting on the mask, the brave face, the, you know. The, the beautiful facades that magazines growing up showed us, and now social media presents, you know, even with all these filters where you can actually have a nose job and instant makeup just by choosing a filter. I love that you hold that space and I love that. Before we started recording, what came outta my mouth, I know was inspired by that and I said my podcast is, is like. It's my heart and I don't invite somebody in without a heart connection and a trust and a deep resonance because anybody who is following picture love also cares about that. So I am holding space for you in my heart, but it's so mutual and I think that that is the perfect definition of friendship is holding space for each other. And sometimes you take turns. One being weak and one being strong, and other times you're both a wreck and, and, and there's no judgment. It's okay. You just show up messy as long as you're showing up real and with the intention of reciprocating. So it's not one sided. That is what I wanna offer here in our conversations, and I know you offer in your, in your life, not just in what you do for the world. And thank you for the affirmations. I, I just, I really, really, I love you. I really do. Yeah. I love you too. And I, I love everything that you just spoke to because one reason that I, that I love Sister Circle and, and spaces like that isit is an invitation to step into a place where there is a practice of non-judgment. And I, and I say practice because I think that over time we've been conditioned, especially as women, to compare and to, you know, notice, right? And so there's this, pillar of integrity that we hold in, in the circles that I facilitate, that's called active listening. And it's this practice of being with another woman as she's sharing and just listening and like, what could that look like in our, you know, outside of circle relationships if like, as our friends and our family members are sharing with us. We're not putting it through any sort of lens of, of judgment. There's nothing that we're trying to deconstruct or figure out. We're just listening. We're just, as you mentioned, just like the, the, the heart space we're just holding like space and like I just, I have my hands out for those that can't see, you know, see the screen, like tenderly just holding space for the heart to just land and be in whatever it's in. You know, we do live in a world of filters, but life is hard and messy. And most of us have moments where we're crying in the bathroom floor, you know, before and after those filters. So I think the more we can lean into spaces like circle or the dear friendships where we have that opportunity to just be in all of it. I like to say, you know, being in our light, our dark, our beauty and our mess. Right. It's all there for us. But to be witness in it, oof, that is powerful. And I think, probably why I just feel so moved by spaces like circle.'cause it's a place where I know I can go and be held in that way, time and time again. I love that and I also love how unscripted it is. When I've seen you facilitate a handful of times now and you come in with a theme or a question, and then you leave space for whatever needs to be spoken, and I think that's beautiful because I've seen so much and I've experienced personally not just observed in others you know, the fear of. Of speaking, of being seen because of that comparison you were referring to, you know, that not enoughness or judging yourself too harshly Tell us a little bit about how you got introduced to circles. What, where did that come from? Yeah, so, circle was not something that I grew up knowing about. I was in my twenties and living in the mountains of Virginia in a beautiful, charming one stoplight in the whole county kind of town called Floyd, Virginia. And within that area, it has been. Just like a magnet for artists, musicians, those, you know, really living deeply connected to the land and kind of through that, people that were very connected to ancient ways of communicating and being with others, right? And so I found myself, I'm an event coordinator by trade, so that's what I went to school for. I've always been passionate about creating spaces for connection. And so as a profession, I've done event coordination from everything from weddings to corporate events, to music festivals. And so through that work I got linked up with one of my incredible soul sisters, Katie Wells, who owns a company called Interweave Conscious Movement, and she was holding some women's retreats and so I was helping her on the back end. You know, I have this version of myself, I'm a Capricorn and I call her clipboard Leah, right? And so Leah, with the clipboards, the one that's like doing all the logistical stuff. So that was kind of my role, the backend of this women's retreat. But I got to go participate as part of, you know, of my job. And so part of that retreat involved a women's circle. And so it was 2017 and I sat in this circle not really knowing what to expect. I wasn't familiar with the concept of circle. And sat down and, you know, instantly kind of felt some anxiousness and some of those, what I like to refer to as like the sister wound, those like memories in my own mind. Those, feelings in my own body that are remembering times where, you know, women in my life weren't very trustworthy or did judge in a harsh way or did talk about me after I left, you know? And so I was like, oh man, like we're in this space. We're all looking at each other and we're gonna share from our hearts like. How, how is this gonna go? You know, I, I did have that inner critic kind of come up, but I silenced her and I said, okay, like, let's give it a chance. We're here. Let's trust that we're here for a reason and let's be open. And so I was. And I literally have chills as I share this so many years later because that circle changed my life. I like to say that. It felt when I was in that space that my soul was doing something it had done for lifetimes. Like it felt so true, so resonant. Um, and there was like this, this remembering, um, within my body, within my bones, and certainly within the depths of my heart that, oh, wait a minute. This is how we connect. This is how we're supposed to exist with other humans on this planet. And so for those that aren't familiar circle, when I'm saying the word circle, what that means is it's an ancient way of communicating that's been happening all over the world throughout time. Um. And you physically sit in the shape of a circle and there's no hierarchy. So someone may guide a prompt or start the space off, but it's, it's a beautiful place where everyone is together in community and there's, there's sharing that can happen and it's a place where you are all looking each other in the eyes. So if you visualize people sitting in the shape of a circle, you can see everyone, you can take everyone in and it's a beautiful way to. Really hold what it means to be in community, you know? Um, kind of over, over time, and I'm getting a little off on a tangent, but I do think it's important because over time we went from this way when, um, people were living in villages and tribes and gathering around, you know, a sacred fire in a circle to talk about really life or death at that point. Like, what's working in the community, what's not, what do we need to do? The crops, you know, the hunting, like what's gonna happen? You know, women as they were cooking around these fires, would share wisdom, would share tradition, would grieve together, would celebrate together. It was the place where the women were really connecting, right? But then over time we evolved into a world where we sit in rows and someone is at the front. Speaking at us and not with us. And so over time, we've slowly kind of gotten away from these spaces. So here I'm in 2017 sitting in this way where people used to gather and it changed me. It really changed me. I, I never thought or had the intention of facilitating circles of my own and certainly not helping them guide women to facilitate circles of their own. Um, but I knew I wanted to talk about it. And so for me, what that meant was. I immediately called my biological sister Ryan and was like, oh my gosh. Like I sat in a circle and it's incredible. I'm telling my mom and like my close friends, and it kind of just started from there. You know, it's like when you feel like you've just tapped into like this incredible gift and you just want all of those that you love to know about it because it's like literally changing your life. That's kind of what happened and then have just continued sharing about it and, and now, you know, here we are all those years later. You've actually built a business where people can find you and learn about how to facilitate, not just participate in circles. Why don't you tell us just a little bit about that. Yeah. You know, so it's funny, as I mentioned, this was never like in the, the Logical Minds plan, right? I loved Circle. I ended up leaving the mountains of Virginia and moved to the beaches of South Carolina where we are now, right? And just started doing circles here. Over time, that community grew and then covid happened and we're all in our homes, and so we can't gather in circle that way. So the Facebook group that I created really just as a way for the local women here at the beach to stay in touch in between circles, then evolved into a global sisterhood space because women were really seeking connection. And women were like, you know, I have sisters, cousins, friends in different states and they don't, you know, they don't have circles. Can you know, can we expand the group? And so it did become a global space. And so we're all connecting virtually. And then from that, I actually just had a dear sister, Mariah Raven, who lives up in New York, reach out to me and she's like, you know, I really would love to learn how to facilitate circle, and I'd love for you to mentor me about like, what really worked for you? What lessons have you learned along the way? Um, you know, what hasn't worked, you know, all of those things. And so I sat with it and I was like, oh, okay. You know, I can create something, you know, for you. And so we kind of through this process together, so really started with. Someone just saying like, Hey, I have this need, can, can you, can you help guide? So then, yeah, it evolved into the program, return to circle and, I'd have to go look at the number, but well over 20 women all over the United States, from California to Florida to New York, are going through this process and have gone through this process and now facilitating circles of their own. And it's, it's a mentorship, it's online. And we do have like some time together on Zoom where I'm able to, you know, talk to them real time and. Each circle that these women are inspired to, to go and, and create. Like I like to say, we really just, we go create the space and then the circle does its own thing, right? But they're also unique and they, they each have their own stories of why circle is important to them. And, it's been really beautiful just to see how many different ways this deep soul call is meeting women. It's really been a blessing to be in that. So, I do have male identifying listeners. Mm-hmm. Are circles specific to women? Oh, no, no, no, no. I. I would love if every human on the planet had an opportunity to sit in Circle. Circle is for anyone who has the call, and I don't even wanna say longing, but the remembrance that we are meant to look each other in the eyes, and to talk with a little more steady compassion; to slow down a minute and breathe together. Most of what I do is sisterhood and so women identifying circles. But, um, I have facilitated circles with brothers and sisters and children and it's absolutely, you know, incredible. One of the kind of ripples from what I did here at the beach is, like a brotherhood, men identifying focus circle, started down here called reverence. And so that was kind of something that happened because, you know, the husband's, brothers and sons were wanting a space to gather. And so and so that's happened here locally, and I know is happening all over the country. So my invitation for anyone listening mm-hmm is if you feel the call to be in community in a really authentic way. Um, look into a circle, um, look into a community space in your area and just, just lean in with an open heart and be curious about, you know, how it can, can really move things in your life in a big way. Um, it's really, it's really incredibly powerful actually. So I have my perspective, but I'd like to hear from you today. Mm-hmm. What about somebody who is deeply rooted in religious backgrounds? Do they fit in circle? Oh yes, absolutely. And is there conflict? So what I do in the, in the circles that I facilitate, my main focus is sisterhood with the women circles. Mm-hmm. So for those, it's, it's all belief systems. Everything is welcome. I think that from that, so there, there's kind of like that umbrella of it, like there's circles where it's very community focused. Uh, the focus of the circles that I facilitate are love and empowerment, and I like to say remembrance. So just reremembering pieces of ourselves. And so that's open to everyone. And then what I think is also really beautiful is as you become in, Into more clarity of maybe your own personal beliefs. I have a very eclectic belief system, but if someone's very zeroed in on a path that really is bringing them to God's source, creator, whatever that word is for you in a really meaningful way, there tends to be spaces that you can find that dive deeper into that, right? Mm-hmm. So, often at different churches there's going to be, you know, bible studies or women's circles, you know, kind of in that way. Yep. There are. Earth based traditions, you know, where they're very kind of focused on that path. Mm-hmm. And so that's what I think is really nice is there's this theme in a lot of traditions where you do gather in a circle in a space for authentic conversation. And then how specific it gets based on your belief system is really kind of based on who's created a facilitating that I feel deeply called to have a space that welcomes all. And so a lot of the themes that I do. Aren't gonna be specific to any one tradition. Mm-hmm. It's gonna be a theme like, uh, like this month it's, it's'wise in her ways'. And so we're speaking to different influences of women throughout your life that have said something. Or maybe it's a song or a book or a poem or someone in your life that shared wisdom, and we're gonna talk from that. Mm-hmm. Right? Last month we all brought, you know, words that spoke from our heart. Way, you know, maybe one time it's gonna be, you know, um, things we wanna release. Right? And so it's a theme that everyone can, can tap into. And I feel that my personal call is to hold that kind of space. And so that's what, her sacred circle and the ones I'm doing typically tend to be about. The main theme is community and love. Holding that. I love that. And, and the acceptance that we're gonna have varying views and that all are valid. So, you know, for the good of all and to the harm of none kind of Absolutely that. And I think it's important, um, when we live in a, very charged world right now. When, when it comes to divisiveness, I feel like the depths of my soul that one of my missions is to just have some spaces where despite our religious or political or personal beliefs, we can step into a container of community. And I like to say the circle feels like an exhale. So it's this space where you can step in and just go. Mm-hmm. And the body softens. Mm-hmm. And the breath slows. And even though all of that about ourselves as individual exists mm-hmm. We can meet in a place, in a frequency that can be met by all. Despite that it's this place of love and connection and deep rooted connection to what lives in our hearts, right? And, and how can we hold our differences in a respectful way with integrity and with love. Now, while honoring the privacy of what is said in circle. Would like to refer to something very generally that I observed that I think is a really valid and applicable point I observed, a lady who has become a friend of mine at the first circle. I watched her struggling with something silently, like I could just feel it off of her and I could almost see the tension in her jaw. And, she was working on some stuff and, then the following circle, I saw her again and she was more concerned about making sure other people got there safely and found their directions. And she just was thinking about everybody else but herself, but she had some needs that were bottled up. And the fact that she was able to abandon the worry about what other people are going to say or think, but just let her heart speak to me. That was transformation at its best because she was bottled up and she has very, very heavy load and she needed to get it out, and it was so beautiful to see the instant relief just from getting it out and not worrying about what people are going to say and what people are going to think. And then when it was over, she was just getting loved on by people walking up and just giving her love. And, it was humbling and it was beautiful and it's just a reminder of, you know. Letting go of fears of being seen and heard. It's not about being seen and heard. It's the fear of the consequences of showing up that way. Showing your belly, so to speak, in the presence of others and the freedom that comes when you tell yourself, you know what, it's none of my business, what they think. It's none of my business, what they do. It's my business what I do with what I've got. And dealing with it and, and doing my work the best I can will help me show up better for them too, not just for me./ Mm-hmm. Yeah. I love that. I think when, when you witness. People share, share from a place of vulnerability, right? There's such a, there's such a courage there and a strength that it just gives this permission, right? Like, oh, okay, and, and you watch everyone's face just kind of shift, right? And they're giving themselves that permission. And so it's so beautiful when someone is able to move through maybe some hesitance or anxiousness around being in a space and sharing from their heart. When that moment happens, ooh You're right. I mean it's, it's massive transformation. What I feel is really important, and I, and I make it a priority in the circles that I personally facilitate and with those that I, I help guide is to, at the beginning of a circle space to set some agreements with everyone that has chosen to sit in that room. And so I call these pillars of integrity. And one of those is confidentiality. The other is active listening, which I know we spoke to. It's that practice of bearing witness, not here to fix, not here to judge, just here to hold the space and listen. And then the third piece is conscious speaking. And so that is that can I drop out of the racing mind into my heart, open my mouth, and speak from that place. Right. And at the beginning of a circle to look around and look women in the eyes and watch everyone together agree on those commitments and to hold those pillars of the circle before we even breathe together, before we even start I do think it helps, create a container of trust that what is spoken will be held. And I am so blessed and grateful to say that I think because. I hold those. Pillars with such importance in my heart and in my soul that the women that are magnetized to the circles that I do facilitate and create space for, they hold those pillars with that same respect, and we don't have issues where people leave circle and then go talk about it. Even the beautiful way that you just honored that story. You held that pillar of like, how can I share this in a way that honors the lessons and can help people maybe understand what circle's about without sharing anything about the woman, right? Mm-hmm. Like no one would know what that story is about. And so that's just a testament to, the type of world we can live in and the way we can operate. I hope this conversation is supporting you as much as it is me. So to hear the rest of the conversation, tune into the next episode of Picture Love Podcast.