There is a moment when many of us begin to question everything, how we were taught to live, what success is supposed to look like, and why – despite following the “right” path – there remains a sense of imbalance. For Indigenous people, this feeling is not accidental. It comes from generations of disruption, being pushed away from our lands, our languages, our ways of knowing, and our relationships with one another.
Going Full Circle is about returning.
Not a longing for a romanticized past, but rather a way of being that has always resided within us. This perspective encourages us to understand life as a relational experience instead of an individual one. In this context, wellness is not a solitary achievement; it is something we cultivate through our connections with ourselves, family, community, and the land.
This program was created to support that return.
Decolonization is often misunderstood as something external or abstract. However, at its core, it is profoundly personal. It is the process of unlearning the beliefs that taught us to doubt ourselves and to measure our worth through systems that were never meant for us.
In Going Full Circle, decolonization is seen as a journey of reconnection. It starts with attentive listening and tuning into our bodies and their messages. This process evolves into rebuilding trust within ourselves and enhancing our instincts. From this foundation, it expands outward, reconnecting us with our communities and reminding us that we come from people who know how to live in balance.
Participants are encouraged to contemplate their personal experiences, identify how colonial systems have influenced their perspectives, and begin reclaiming their own ways of knowing and being. Reconnection, however, is only the beginning. What follows is action. What fills us up after decolonization is resurgence.
Resurgence is not a return to the past, but the renewal of our ancestral ways as living practices that evolve with us, despite and in resistance to colonial disruption. It’s how we show up in the choices we make, the way we carry ourselves, how we show up for others as well as the land. It is not abstract, it is lived.
Through the Going Full Circle program, participants receive support in transforming their ideas into tangible actions. Application decisions will be made based on participants’ ability to collaborate effectively. The cohort will work together to create a group project that is rooted in community, leveraging shared strengths, lived experiences, and a unified vision for change. This first cohort will specifically focus on Yavapai land and culture. While everyone is encouraged to apply, this space will intentionally prioritize grounding in Yavapai knowledge, relationships, and place. Participants will consider a deeper question: What can we create that serves a purpose beyond ourselves?
Colonial systems have conditioned us to separate the individual from the collective, often prioritizing independence over connection. Our traditions, however, remind us of a different truth: we are not meant to do life alone.
Going Full Circle supports an environment where relationships can be rebuilt in authentic and meaningful ways. Through shared experiences, open dialogue, and collaborative learning, participants begin to establish a support network grounded in accountability, care, and mutual growth. In this nurturing space, success transforms into a new and profound understanding.
Success is no longer measured by titles, income, or external recognition. It is now about achieving balance. It becomes about showing up for family, being present on the land and in community, while living in alignment with one’s values.
Going Full Circle is not merely a quick solution; it serves as a foundational approach that fosters emotional, spiritual, and relational well-being, rooted in a sense of safety and belonging.
This is what it means to go full circle. Not to end where we started, but to return to ourselves with deeper understanding, stronger relationships, and a clearer sense of who we are and what we are here to do.
Program Details
Going Full Circle is a 16 week, in person program. The cohort will meet weekly on Fridays from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM beginning April 17th. In addition to these sessions, participants will spend time outside of scheduled meetings working together on their group project.
If you are interested in being part of this first cohort, we invite you to apply below. Matriarch Ways will follow up with next steps.
Application link: https://forms.gle/XcNjt2sBnWhNy94p8