For Women · Monthly · Online
Wisdom Circles
The Wisdom Circles are a place to begin or to belong alongside deeper work. A monthly gathering where women slow down, speak truthfully, and reconnect to what actually matters.
This circle is for you if...
You have been craving real conversation, the kind that goes beneath the surface
You feel isolated in your inner life, even when surrounded by people
You are drawn to a practice that honors both the personal and the collective
You want to explore this work before committing to a longer container
You already do deep work and you know the power of doing it in community
What happens inside a wisdom circle
Each gathering has its own life; there is no fixed script. But every circle is held within a consistent structure that creates safety and depth:
Opening
We arrive together, grounding, breath, and a moment of intention
The Palabra Mayor
A theme or question is offered. Each woman speaks from her own experience uninterrupted, witnessed, and received.
Reflection & Practice
A somatic or expressive practice woven into the gathering to move what words alone cannot reach.
Closing
We leave differently than we arrived. Something has been put down. Something
has been gathered
Some sessions are held in partnership with Indigenous wisdom keepers, including Wiwa and Muisca lineage holders, who bring teachings that deepen and expand the circle's work.
How can you participate in the Wisdom Circles?
ONLINE CIRCLE
Monthly · Virtual
Available worldwide
For women who cannot attend in person or who simply prefer the intimacy of their own sacred space.
SPECIAL CIRCLES
Held periodically in partnership with Indigenous wisdom keepers.
Open to all · Announced in the community
Some gatherings are held in partnership with Indigenous wisdom keepers,
including sessions with Wiwa Saga Ana of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, who has joined us via Zoom to share ancestral perspectives rooted in relationship with land, spirit, and community.
Investment: Sliding scale because this work should be accessible
Join for a single session or as an ongoing monthly practice.
Every circle investment directly supports Bridgepath's community initiatives in Colombia's Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta.
What women say about the circle
I attended a women’s circle led by Maria Claudia Montes. Claudia is a wonderful leader who is both scholarly and incredibly insightful. In this group, I connected with amazing women and left feeling truly heard, understood, and supported. I highly recommend her circles to anyone looking for a safe and welcoming space.
About María Claudia Montes, facilitator of the women’s circles
The Wisdom Circles are facilitated by Maria Claudia Montes (MSW), certified yoga therapist, integrative coach, and founder of Bridgepath Foundation.
Maria Claudia brings over a decade of experience holding space for women navigating burnout, life transitions and the call toward deeper alignment.
Her facilitation draws from somatic tools, expressive arts, trauma-informed practice, and ancestral wisdom traditions, including her own Muisca heritage.
She does not come to the circle with answers. She comes with deep listening, a steady presence, and the kind of attention that makes women feel seen.
Credentials:
MSW · NYU Silver School of Social Work
Certified Yoga Therapist
Integrative Life Coach
Hypnotherapist
Muisca heritage · Colombian roots
Founder, Bridgepath Foundation 501(c)(3)
In a world where many people feel isolated, fragmented, or unseen, Wisdom Circles offer a safe and intentional space to slow down, be witnessed, and reconnect to yourself, to others, and to what truly matters. These circles are about remembering our shared humanity.
Questions about the wisdom circle
What is a wisdom circle?
A wisdom circle is a structured gathering where women come together to speak, listen, and be witnessed without advice, without judgment, and without interruption. Rooted in the Círculos de Palabra tradition of Colombia's Indigenous communities, it is one of the oldest and most powerful forms of collective healing that exists.
What is the difference between a wisdom circle and a support group?
A support group is typically problem-focused, centered on a shared challenge. A wisdom circle is life-focused, centered on the full depth of a woman's experience. There is no fixing here. Only witnessing, speaking, and being heard.
Do I need experience with this kind of work?
No experience is needed. The only qualification is a willingness to show up honestly. Many women come to their first circle not knowing what to expect and leave knowing exactly why they came.
Can I join just one session?
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What does sliding scale mean?
It means you pay what is genuinely accessible to you, within a range that allows the circle to be sustainable. If cost is a barrier, reach out before registering. Maria Claudia will always find a way
Are the circles only for women?
The monthly Wisdom Circles are currently held for women. Special circles held in partnership with Indigenous wisdom keepers may be open to all. Each event listing will specify.
How is this connected to Bridgepath Foundation?
Every Wisdom Circle investment directly supports Bridgepath's community initiatives, including the Shembuta Ley de Origen documentation with the Wiwa people of Colombia's Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. Your participation in your own healing reaches further than you.
Each gathering invites participants to listen deeply, speak from the heart, and experience the healing power of being in circle together.
The circle is open, come as you are
You do not need to know what you are carrying. You do not need to have the right words. You only need to be willing to arrive
The next circle is waiting
A healing that goes beyond you
Monthly stories from the Sierra Nevada and from individuals finding their way back to self.
No spam, just what matters.
Bridgepath Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Serving individuals and communities globally
Bridging Mind, Body, Spirit, and Earth
