RIPPLES IN AND OUT FROM THIS WEEKEND
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From: Pauline M.
Date: Thursday, October 11, 2007, 8:30 AM
Subject: Ripples in and out from this weekend
Reply to: 261210
ID: 258682

Dear Jeannie, Bonnie, Lucky, Andrea, Anita and everyone!

While catching up with my student's Journals I have been proceesing all the happenings, meetings, emotions and information I carried away from our inspiring Baltimore Retreat. I feel as if part of me is still with you all and as I take a break and walk through our woods I seem to hear your voices and see your smiles.

It is clear to me that this is the beginning of a new phase in my life. This time it is not prompted by crisis but rather a calm and decided re-entering, like coming home. I want to assist, support and encourage Evolutionary Women in whatever capacity and in whatever way I can.

I have written to Sheila Ward and as this letter explains my thinking I attach it here: October 9th 2007

Dear Sheila,

You will be surprised to receive a letter from me at this time of year – it’s not Christmas!

I had to write and tell you of the amazing thing that happened this last weekend. About a month ago I suddenly signed up for an Evolutionary Women’s Retreat near Baltimore. This instinctive move was prompted partly because I’m considering retiring from teaching in 2008 and I was looking for where to go next.

The Retreat began last Friday, October 5th until Sunday. We were asked to bring a stone or a small sculpture for the altar and I took the carved river stone from Zimbabwe, which you gave me in 1995. It has been with me constantly since then.

After dinner on Friday evening we were to start our first session. Before starting the convenors said they planned to read some letters from people who were unable to attend the Retreat. Imagine my surprise and delight when the first letter they read out was from you! I was asked to describe the connection between us and I told the 37 women in the room that you saved my life when I was in a very bad place and that is the truth. Thank you.

Now for a little about the Retreat. I came to realize that this organization is very special. There are two particular reasons; first, it acknowledges and encourages women’s spirituality and values, while supporting them in entrepreneurial ventures with practical advice and help. I have come to believe that women will never be able to make the changes they wish for in today’s world unless they have economic power alongside their spiritual power.

The second way that Evolutionary Women is special is their involvement in Light Pages. This project is Internet networking as each organization has its own Light Pages and each can be reached from the others. Members are listed with as much or as little personal information as they wish to reveal and there are Bulletin Boards and Calendars to enable close and diverse connections. Members can ask for help and advice and advertise events through these channels. As well as Evolutionary Women the organizations involved so far are Gather the Women, Peace X Peace, Standing Women Global Village and Vessels of Peace. The website is www.lightpages.net I presume that you discovered the retreat online so maybe you know all this.

Because of my six years of online teaching I am used to communicating authentically using the Internet so it seems that I will be working with this, voluntarily, in some way. That is exciting for me and a continuation of the adventure that started when I came to The Grange in 1994. So you see that you were at the Retreat after all in three different ways – your letter, the stone carving and my presence!

I enclose a video of Barbara Marx Hubbard made for one of the first retreats and shown at the beginning of this one.

We are both well and have recently had an extension built which is an art studio for me and display area for John. We are pleased that it turned out to be a beautiful room for meditation and yoga as well. John is creating more and more stone sculptures in between teaching History at two universities. I enclose a photograph of a marble piece, called ‘The End of Meditation’, which won a prize this summer in a show entitled ‘Interior Space’. The prize is a month long show at the same gallery next July, so he has to get busy!

I hope that you, Alec and your family are well, All my love to you both, Namaste, PS I wanted to write this in longhand but it would have used too many sheets of paper/trees!

All my love and enthusiasm go out to you my dear Evolutionary Women,

Pauline

---- On Wed, Oct 10, 2007, Jeanie DeRousseau wrote ---

Dear Anita, Sylvia, Pauline, Sarah, and EVERYONE!

Bonnie and I are sitting together at Lucky's house in Baltimore, feeling the energy from everyone's postings... the flow of the river continuing... how "lucky" can we get!

We love how Anita and Anna took the cocreation "on the road" [big smiles]. I've been to Washington DC, New York and back to Baltimore since Sunday, "on the track" (Amtrak) of more collaboration, while Bonnie, Lucky and Andrea have been "taking next steps" for Evolutionary Women.

All this moving around on the outside is surely reflecting what is going on inside... (Syl and Pauline, we can't wait to hear more when your inner threads and outer travel come together!).

And Sarah, YAY! you can feel the transmission!!! This field is sub substantiating!!!

We are One!
Much love, Jeanie

P.S. Bonnie wants to convey from Lucky that right in this moment, the new moon is starting. The weather here is completely reversing from hot to cool and rainy. The seasons are shifting as we're sending this email.

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