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Monthly Musing
This
poem was sent to me in an email. I admit that when I
see that an email has been forwarded to me, I rarely bother to open it, but
since this friend has never previously sent me a forwarded email, I was
curious and decided to actually read it. This is what I found and I
thought I would share it with all of you.
Sisters
Time
passes.
Life happens.
Distance separates.
Children grow
up.
Jobs come and go.
Love waxes and wanes.
Men don't do
what they're supposed to do.
Hearts break.
Parents die.
Colleagues forget favors.
Careers end.
BUT...
Sisters are there,
no matter how much time
and how many miles are between you.
A girl friend is never farther away
than needing her
can reach.
When
you have to walk that lonesome valley
and you have to walk it by yourself,
the women in your life will be on the valley's rim,
cheering you on, praying for you, pulling for you,
intervening on your behalf,
and waiting with open arms at the valley's end...
sometimes,
they will even break the rules and walk beside
you...
Or
come in and carry you out.
Growing
up I was always a little bit jealous when my friends talked about
doing things with their sisters. I did not have a biological sister,
and even though my family adopted a five year old girl when I was
twelve, I never felt that closeness that other girls talked about
with their sisters.
When I read this poem, it made me see that I have
many sisters, and many of them I have met through my involvement with
The Gathering Inn. Just a few weeks ago, when a woman was leaving
the Inn after staying overnight, she remarked, "I feel like I have
known you forever." Another sister. I feel blessed that I have so
many sisters to share my journey with.
Namaste,
Shari
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Eckhart Tolle's Findhorn Retreat
Stillness Amidst the World
April 30th - May 1st
"When you lose touch with inner
stillness, you lose touch with yourself. When you lose touch with
yourself, you lose yourself in the world."
~ Eckhart Tolle, Stillness Matters
Our weekend will consist of four hour-long sessions
of watching this extraordinary DVD, each session followed by a brief
time of discussion, from which we will then covenant to enter into the
stillness until the next session. There will be opportunity for deep
awareness and newly awakened consciousness as we practice the art of
"being" rather than "doing", of perception rather than thought, of the
"Presence in the Present".
For more information and to sign up...
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Winona's Web
April 25th at 9:30am
Please join us Sunday, April 25th for a discussion of Winona's Web: A Novel of Discovery by Priscilla Cogan. Dr. Meggie O'Connor experiences a midlife crisis due to the failure of a
long-term marriage and fear of her fortieth birthday. Although Meggie
is the chief psychologist at a hospital in New York City, she relocates
to her deceased grandmother's estate in northern Michigan and embarks
upon a new life in private practice. Winona Pathfinder, a 69-year-old,
pipe-smoking Native American medicine woman, becomes Meggie's client
after her daughter despairs about Winona's unexplained desire to depart
from the earthly realm. As Meggie attempts to learn the motivating
factors behind Winona's death wish, their roles as therapist and patient
reverse. Winona teaches Meggie about prayer, energy, and spirits during
their soul-replenishing sessions. Winona's instruction and the healing
traditions of the Lakota Sioux Indians facilitate Meggie's metamorphosis
into a higher level of awareness regarding the purpose of her
existence. First-novelist Cogan, a psychologist and pipe-carrier, guides
the reader on an enjoyable and introspective journey of mysticism and
enlightenment. ~ Liz Rifkin of Booklist Buy the book from Amazon.com and support the Inn. |
Volunteer Opportunities
Lawn and Garden Clean-Up Days: We've scheduled two work days to get the lawn and gardens ready
this Spring: Sunday, April 25th after the Book Discussion, and
Saturday, May 15th, 9:30 am - 2 pm. Bring rakes, wheelbarrows, other
gardening tools.
Get on the Volunteer List:
The Marketing Team and the Facilities Team are both looking to create a
list of volunteers they can call when a need arises for specific,
periodic tasks such as setting up for a workshop, joining a painting
party, distributing fliers to local businesses, stuffing envelopes,
cleaning the studio or the house, researching potential client markets
on line, or shopping for chocolate (HA! Got ya!)
Please email
the office if we can add your name to the list (you will always have
the gracious right to say no when we call.)
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Lending Library
Our new Librarian, Beverly Heath, is almost done organizing and cataloging the book
shelves. There will be a sign out system for borrowing books.
If you have books you would like to donate to our Library, please do not
just put them on the shelves, please bring them to the office so that
Bev can log them in first.
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Potluck/Drumming Circle
April 14th at 6:30PM
The March Potluck was followed by a drumming circle as a form of
meditation. Those in attendance were so enthusiastic about the benefits
and joys of drumming that we will continue to include drumming at least
for the next few months.
If you have drummed before, you know how
wonderful it is. If you haven't, perhaps now is the time to give it a
try. You don't need any experience, musical ability, or your own drum.
Just come and connect to the wisdom and rhythm of the ancient time when
women were the drummers.
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The Intensive Journaling Workshop
June 11th - 13th
During this workshop, Ms. Kracke-Lambert will be presenting her
experience of working with a journaling technique established in the
1970's by Psychologist Ira
Progoff. Dr. Progoff studied extensively under C. G. Jung and the Jungian understanding
greatly influences this technique.
You will learn new tools for
observing and connecting to the inner movement of your whole life history and
see patterns of behavior that you may want to keep or not. You will
begin to understand the gift of your own life and the experiences that
have shaped it and how that can be of value as you move forward into
your future.
For more information and to sign up.
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Expanding Our Outreach
The Gathering Inn is looking to expand our outreach to a variety of
women's groups, including... but not limited to... women clergy, holistic
health practitioners, women's circles, organizations supporting
caregivers, and church women's groups.
We want to know how we can best
support women in their particular mission and work. If you know of
anyone who could benefit from having like-minded women to share their
journey, please let us know.
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Our Affiliates
Each of these affiliated businesses are independent
of The Gathering Inn, however they also offer their practices and
programs at and through the Inn. Their missions and purposes are in
alignment with the mission and purpose of The Gathering Inn, to promote
total health and wellness through various modalities, particularly for
women.
Anne Goewey,
Registered
Yoga Teacher, JumpStart!
js2health@gmail.com
978-928-4844
Anne M. Porcella
RMT, IARP,
Reiki Practitioner, The Reiki Room
anneporcella@gmail.com
508-615-3149
Expressions UnlimitedPhyllis Pomerleau, Chris Bergquist
Therapeutic Yoga; Grief
Recovery; Wholistic Health Coaching; Stress Reduction; Prepare for
Surgery, Heal Faster(c); Private Voice, Piano and Guitar Instruction;
and much more! 978-464-2433
www.expressionsunlimited.org |
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The mission of The Gathering Inn is to assist
and support women seeking to reconnect with their spiritual centers.
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