Winter WomanSpirit 2006

Creating and honoring life transitions through ritual.
Keynote speaker Selena Fox, psychotherapist, teacher, author, and founder of Circle Sanctuary, and international Nature Spirituality resource center.
Hosted by the women of Countryside Church in Palatine, Illinois.

The CMwD's Women and Religion Committee presented the 18th Winter WomanSpirit Conference this year in Palatine, IL. About 180 women attended from Friday evening, Jan. 27 through Saturday night, Jan. 28 with optional attendance at the Sunday Worship Service. This year's theme was Lifechanges - Our Transforming Power: Passion, Reflection, Growth. The keynote speaker was Selena Fox of Circle Sanctuary.

The Opening Ceremony or Ritual set the tone for the rest of the conference with drumming and chants of "She Changes" (Starhawk). Women of the W&R committee read poems and a story about change and transformation, and then, in a lively moment, the participants were encouraged to bat balloons around while calling out words which led them into change: meditation, dancing, friends, WomanSpirit, grandchildren, yoga, painting, new job, etc. Selena's spoken meditation led us all into the Spirit of Transformation for the weekend. While participants chanted "Gathered Here " (Phillip Porter), they filed out and left on the Transformation Tree the leaf shapes they had decorated earlier with words of wisdom, change, drawings. We sang and drummed our joy of being together!

The following day included Selena's Keynote. She spoke without notes and from her heart of how each of the directions has strengths and wisdom to help us with our Life Transformations. Spilling over into us and encouraging us, her wisdom and joy and our chants and laughter sent us off to morning workshops. Many of the workshops were repeated in the afternoon. Topics ran the gamut from Tai Chi, Yoga, Facing Your Fears, Slaying Dragons, to Drumming, Movement, Handwriting, and others. The women feasted on a wonderful Mexican lunch, shopped at the wonderful vendors of women's things, chatted, exchanged notes, met in small groups for more conversation about transformation and committees, and then feasted on Italian food for the evening Banquet. The Closing Ceremony was filled with thanks and gratitude for the local committee who wonderfully managed all the Palatine Church transformation and set up and tear down as well as arranging all the vendors, workshops, hospitality, and meals. Thanks were also given, especially, to Selena Fox and to others who gave of time and energy and joy - including the participants themselves! The evening celebration included a Drumming Circle and the Coffee House where participants volunteered to entertain their sisters with dance, song, poems, one-acts, and music. If, as Selena stated, a good hearty laugh boosts the immune system for 24 hours, we surely were boosted for many days!

This winter celebration has become a tradition for many. It encourages women to live, laugh, learn, and support each other in our search for meaning in each individual life. By sharing, we become stronger and more willing to speak our truth and transform our lives. I would not miss it!

-- Sherry Dearborn, W&R Secretary, Peoria, Illinois.

Thanks to Claudia Dancing, Sally Gonzalez, Gretchen Ohmann, and Jan Park for these photos.

Click here to view these pictures larger

Last Updated on Thursday, 20 August 2009 08:24

Menu