First Moon Circle

Celebrating MENARCHE - a rite of passage

Period positive circle for girls/children aged 9-12years

Celebrating MENARCHE - a rite of passage

Period positive circle for girls/children aged 9-12years

Give your daughter/child a positive, empowered start to puberty and menstruation by bringing them to their once-in-a-lifetime special First Moon Circle experience.

Our next First Moon Circle is on 28th July 2024 for girls/children and their mothers or caregivers to gather, to learn and to celebrate the changes that puberty brings. An empowering, fun, sacred and inclusive circle that goes way beyond school’s basic, limited period education and focuses instead on cycle self-care and self-love so children feel prepared, informed, confident and supported to experience puberty and their first periods.

First Moon Circle is a beautiful and empowering alternative to traditional period education featuring craft, conversations and a special parent-child celebration.

About the First Moon Circle

First Moon refers to a person’s very first period – their menarche.

A First Moon Circle is a group education and celebration of this very important and powerful rite of passage.

Whether they have started their period, haven’t bled yet, or if any of their friends have – this is the perfect opportunity for girls/children to feel proud, gain knowledge, become empowered and know how to support themselves physically, emotionally and spiritually as they enter womanhood/adulthood.

Your child will love this beautiful, magical activity where they can learn all about how they can look after themselves as they grow up. Covering self-care, and how to get the best out of their superpowers as they begin their cycle, First Moon Circles are a fun and enjoyable way for girls/children to learn, play, and feel supported at a pivotal time in their lives.

Your child will receive an amazing gift bag and their own beaded bracelet that they’ll make with you during the session to remind them of what they learn. Plus they’ll get to keep a 22-page booklet that explains all the knowledge and wisdom they’ll need to support them through puberty and into adulthood.

Mummas, you’ll learn something in this too—even if you’d had decades of menstrual cycles yourself!

The final part of this session is a beautiful mother-child celebration(family constellation style) where you can gift your child advice, wishes and show them you’re supporting them as they grow up.

What to expect at a First Moon Circle?

First moon circles are split into 2 halves. Mothers/care-givers will sign in daughters/children and leave them in the facilitator’s care for first half and join later for second half.

First Half : Children only session

We start with a 1.5h experience just for the group to come together in an informal environment, have fun, be silly, make new friends, and learn accurate information about what’s happening to their physical body, as well as their emotional and spiritual selves as they approach and encounter menarche (the first period, or first moon). There will be storytelling, colouring and snacking too!

Your child will learn about –

What periods and puberty are & what happens during this stage of development
An introduction to the female body, hormones, and the reproductive system
Signs and clues that their period may start soon
What to expect with the first period and subsequent periods
What is healthy and normal, and when and how to ask for help
Body and earth friendly period product options(organic & cloth pads, menstrual cup and tampons) and a chance to get familiar with different options
And they can ask me any and all awkward, embarrassing, curious questions they’ve not felt able to ask yet

Second Half : Mothers join for the celebration

A celebratory time where mothers/caregivers are invited to join us for 1.5h to share what the girls/children have discovered. Everyone, together will learn about menstrual cycle awareness and cycle self-care. There would be a beading ritual and a blessing ceremony too!

Here the intentions are –

Role model that it is possible to talk openly about periods and puberty amongst friends and adults
Introduce Menstrual Cycle Awareness (remember, the period is just 1 part of a 4 stage cycle!) and how our energy, superpowers and needs change across the month
Introduce cycle self-care (a couple of examples include: why rest is important, why its ok if suddenly they might feel a bit cranky and how to nurture themselves through the pre-menstrual phase)
Introduce basic and simple cycle charting method
In a BLESSING CEREMONY parents share wisdom with everyone present, which helps the girls feel supported and remember that they are not alone, and that all women before them have been through the same experience
To celebrate a very special time in your child’s life – and to frame the natural process as normal, healthy, magical, and a time a child meets her/their power

Who is this for?

The First Moon Circle is perfect for girls/children aged 9-12, whether she has started her period in the last 1-2 years, has’t bled yet, or if any of her friends have. A First Moon Circle is the perfect opportunity to encourage children to feel informed, be confident, learn to be proud of their body and themselves, and have lots of tools for self-care and self-awareness as they move through puberty and beyond.

First Moon Circles are inclusive spaces suitable for children who will have a female puberty and menstrual cycle, even if they don’t identify as she/her. This circle welcomes children who are non-binary and are trans-males if they wish to learn about how their body works, and to have tools to embrace their developing cyclic nature.

This circle welcomes children who hold other marginalised identities related to race, sexuality and ability and I can accommodate your child’s needs to help them have a safer experience. If you have any questions regarding this please contact me to discuss before booking for the circle.

The value of a First Moon Circle

This once-in-a-lifetime experience is priceless!

Your child connects with the wisdom of their body, attains self-confidence and a lifetime of self-respect through the First Moon Circle.

And in addition, each child receives a beautiful, thoughtfully curated and generous gift bag. This take-home gift bag includes their own ‘moon kit’ (a combination of sanitary samples, and beautiful self-care items to support and to remind of this special day).

A copy of the ‘First Moon Guide’ – a keepsake 22 page resource full of fact sheets, guide to self-care for the cycle and a beginner cycle tracking sheet. Both mother and child will learn a lot from this!

Their own handmade beaded bracelet to remind them of the magic of their cycle and self-care.

Resources and references for self care items will also be shared.

Once you register, I’ll send you some information to prepare you, the parent/caregiver, ahead of the day, as well as to help you prepare your child for what to expect. I’ll also share guidance with you on how to prepare your positive guidance/blessings that you want to share with your child on the day, which in turn will support you to keep this open conversation going at home.

Schedule

TBA

Limited Seats. First come, first serve.

Refund/Cancellation Policy

There is no refund for this circle. In case you cannot attend for any reason, please inform us 48 hours prior to the workshop. You will be invited to attend the same circle when it happens again. In case there is a difference in price next time, then you will be asked to pay the difference to attend.

Fee for the Circle

TBA

Private First Moon Circle

Did you know First Moon Circles are available for you to book as a private event just for your child and their friends or cousins? This way, the group explores the topics together, ensuring they have a strengthened friendship and each other’s ongoing support for when they need it. These are suitable for children aged 9-12 and for a minimum of 5 children per private event. If you’re interested in booking a private First Moon Circle, please contact me personally.

Pictures from a previous Women's Circle

Facilitator

Hello! I'm Sakshi!

In addition to being an internationally certified First Moon Circle facilitator, I am also an internationally certified menstrual cycle coach and educator. I hold online as well as offline workshops and I offer one-on-one sessions.

My desire is to bring education and awareness around the menstrual cycle and promote open dialogue and communication around everything related to the menstrual cycle. I am passionate about driving social change through communication, inclusion and collaboration. And very importantly, my work lies at the intersection of science and spirituality.

I also use alternate therapeutic modalities in my work. I work with individuals to support them through times of stress, anxiety, menstrual problems, sexuality issues, relationship issues, money blocks, health issues, behavioural problems, addictions, fears et cetera.

FAQs

What is a rite of passage?

A rite of passage is an important transformational event that occurs in a lifetime and signifies leaving one group identity and the initiation into the next phase. They can be physical (birth, menarche, motherhood, menopause, death) or cultural (graduation, marriage, divorce, et cetera). Menarche or the first period is a rite of passage and a very important one.

What is the importance of a rite of passage?

To teach, inform and educate individuals responsibly
To celebrate growth
To prepare individuals to handle change
To teach responsibility and the skills of the new role
To pass on knowledge, heritage, and culture
To build a support network of family, community, and peers
To affirm identity and belonging

Why is it beneficial to celebrate menarche(the first period) as a rite of passage?

Menarche defines a transition in a young person’s life which impacts their self-worth, self-belief, and self-confidence.
Celebrating menarche leads to body positivity and period positivity.
Celebrating menarche ensures better long-term health, wellbeing, sense of identity, and empowerment.
Celebrating menarche supports the young people to feel belonged to their community
Celebrating monarch helps a person feel more connected, proud, and safe to live in a body that is cyclical.

Won’t the children learn about periods in school anyway?

Are you sure about that? Most schools teach very perfunctorily about periods, if they do that at all. And so far, I don’t know of any schools who teach about the entire menstrual cycle in addition to the periods. Also, school education, currently does not hold the sensitivity and reverence that a celebration of menarche deserves. In this circle, your child will not only learn about periods but also the entire menstrual cycle in a period-positive and body-positive way.

Can children attend even if they don't know anything about periods?

Yes absolutely. The whole idea of this circle is to educate and give accurate information to the children and their mothers. And for this, no prior knowledge is necessary.

Can children attend if they know mostly everything about periods?

Most definitely! The purpose of this circle is not just to educate them but also to CELEBRATE their bodies and their cyclical nature. When this is done in community, with peers, it creates a lasting memory and a deep sense of belonging in each person who attends.

What if my child is hesitant to attend?

I will support you to encourage your child regarding this circle, and you can reach out to me for that. Also, once you register, I will be sharing precise information with you for preparing yourself as well as preparing your child.

After registering, how can I prepare my child for this circle?

Once you register, I will be sharing precise information with you for preparing yourself as well as preparing your child.

Is this circle only for girls and neuro-typical people?

Not really. This circle for girls and all young people who menstruate, neuro-typical as well as neuro-divergent. It is an inclusive, open space. Please get in touch with me for any concerns you might have.

Can this circle be held personally without announcing publicly?

Yes, that is called a private circle. It would only be for your child and her friends or cousins, whoever you and your child wish to invite. A private circle will not be open to my regular clients and the public.

In a private setting, the group explores the topics together, ensuring they have a strengthened friendship and each other’s ongoing support for when they need it. These are suitable for children aged 9-12 and for a minimum of 5 children per private event.

Please get in touch with me over WhatsApp to discuss this.