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January
11  Celebrate the Temple: A Dance Workshop
15  Dancing to MySelf (multiple sessions)
19  Healing Oasis for Healers
25  The Circle, The Sound, The Song
28  Buddhism for Women

February
 1  Sparking Creativity (multiple sessions)
 2   Circle of Circles: Women's Well Monthly Open Circle
 4   The Poetry of Life
 8   Drum circle
 9  Healing Oasis for Healers
11  Buddhism for Women
22  Celebrate the Temple: A Dance Workshop
22  Call of Your Soul (multiple sessions)
24  Self Care for the Empty Nester
25  Buddhism for Women
28  Menarche Rite of Passage

March
 2  Circle of Circles: Women's Well Monthly Open Circle
 4 The Poetry of Life
 7  Inner Guidance Step by Step
 8  Advanced Inner Guidance
 9  Healing Oasis for Healers
11  Buddhism for Women
12  Dancing to MySelf (multiple sessions)
13-15 Call of the Wild: For Women Over Sixty
15  Celebrate the Temple: A Dance Workshop
16  Greening Consciousness
19  Drum Lodge: Elemental Healing Rhythms
20  Spring Equinox Celebration
24  The Deep River Within (multiple sessions)
25  Buddhism for Women
26  The Deep River Within (multiple sessions)
28  Living on Purpose in the Second Half of Life
29  Personal Clearing
29  Holding the Sacred Circle

April
 1  The Poetry of Life
 4  Celtic Goddesses of France and Britain
 6  Circle of Circles: Women's Well Monthly Open Circle
 8  Buddhism for Women
11  Coming from Sacred Intention (multiple sessions)
12  Celebrate the Temple: A Dance Workshop
13  Healing Oasis for Healers
18  Self Care for the Empty Nester (day-long)
26  Introduction to the Bhagavad Gita
29  Women's Wisdom in Tibetan Buddhism
30  Roots and Rhythm (multiple sessions)

May
  4  Circle of Circles: Women's Well Monthly Open Circle
  6   The Poetry of Life (date changed to May 13)
  9  The Deep River Within (day-long)
10  Gather the Women:Facilatator Training for Deep River
11  Healing Oasis for Healers
16-17 Awakening Our Dreams
31  Mantra Prayer Workshop

June
 7  Celebrate the Temple: A Dance Workshop

Healing Oasis for Healers
Come, sit in circle together with others who tend bodies, minds and souls. Do you do healing work, therapy, massage, acupuncture, or any other holistic practice? Do you mindfully tend children, elders, others? Spend a lunch hour (bring a bag lunch if you wish, we’ll supply tea) in sacred space, meeting and sharing with other women. Experience deeply nourishing personal and professional support, co-creating together as our wants and needs call forth. 
   This is a monthly open circle – attend whenever you can.  Pre-registration is appreciated, but not required. This circle is offered as a gift. A suggested donation is requested each session to help cover Women’s Well costs.  
Barbara Adler and Edith Griffin
Mondays, noon to 2:00 p.m.
January 19, February 9, March 9, April 13, May 11
Suggested donation per circle: $10

The Circle, The Sound, The Song
Throughout time and across all cultures women have gathered to sing – to celebrate and give expression to the intricate cycles of their lives and the world around them. Although our technological society has veered away from participatory music making, the last fifteen years have seen a powerful resurgence and renaissance of community singing and ongoing song circles.
   As we create a musical community for the day, we will interweave body and mind relaxation and breathing techniques with vocal and listening skills. As a group, we will experience the power of unison singing, the exhilaration of harmony and the profound spirit of collectively created sound and rhythm. We will learn rounds, songs and chants from around the world. We will dance, laugh, share silence and a sense of musical wonder, rekindling the transcendent joy inherent in making music together.
   Women new to the exploration of their voices as well as seasoned singers are warmly welcomed to join Susan and Marytha for the lively, humor-filled, grounded guidance for which they are renowned from coast to coast.
Susan Robbins and Marytha Paffrath of Libana
Sunday, January 25, 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
$100 early/$125 regular

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Buddhism for Women
A new series begins in January 2009. This circle is for women seeking a restful time and place to gather and learn more about Buddhism through teachings, discussion and meditation. Now offered at the Women’s Well for the fourth year, these classes take a step-by-step approach to the fundamentals of Buddhist thought and practice according to the Tibetan tradition of the Lam Rim, with an emphasis on women’s stories and bringing relevance to women’s lives. Topics include mind and meditation, teachers and teachings, life, death, karma and more. Pre-registration is appreciated, but not required. Full series or drop-in okay.
   The teacher is not accepting payment, but a suggested donation of $10-15 per class or $60-90 for the series is requested to cover Women’s Well costs.
Wendy Garling
Alternating Wednesday evenings, 7:30-9:00 p.m.
Jan. 28, Feb. 11, 25; Mar. 11, 25; Apr. 8
Suggested donation: $10-15 per class

The Circle of Circles: The Women’s Well Monthly Open Circle
All women are welcome at this open circle, where we share stories, make connections with the seasonal cycles of the Earth and invite our true voices to speak and be heard.
   This circle is offered as a gift. Those who are able to pass the gift along are invited to make a donation to the Women’s Well. Pre-registration is not required.
Women’s Well community
Mondays, 7:00-9:00 p.m.
February 2, March 2, April 6, May 4
Suggested donation per circle: $5

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The Poetry of Life
If it is true
we are living into wisdom,
so also wisdom
wears a face different
from what we once thought.
She is not static idea
or peak experience,
not the father's laws
or ancient judgments.
She is a quiet voice
heard in the heart,
a guide for living.
Join us as we slow down in the midst of our busy lives, allowing the gifts of poetry to relax us and weave our stories into a colorful tapestry of shared experience. Participants are free to read their own poems or favorites written by others, or to simply listen (no pressure to write/share). We will honor each woman’s voice, encourage creative expression, and share the grace and power of the spoken word, as our circle holds and offers up our reflections. 
Apara Elizabeth Borrowes
Wednesdays, 7:00-9:00 p.m.
February 4, March 4, April 1, May 6 (date changed to May 13)
$15 early/$20 regular, per evening

Women’s Drum Lodge: Elemental Rhythms Healing Circle
Join your sisters as we call in each direction of the Medicine Wheel with gentle rhythms, drums, chants, sounding and toning. Please bring singing bowls, chimes, shakers, rain sticks, wooden flutes, and/or drums of all kinds. If weather permits we will be bringing the Mother Drum to aid us going deeper into the Mother Earth with the heartbeat. These circles will teach us the power of deep listening and knowledge that will help take us deeper into our journey together as we heal ourselves and the Mother Earth. A-HO!
Laney Goodman
Sundays, February 8, April 19
6:00-9:00 p.m.
$15 early/$20 regular, per circle

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Sparking Creativity – Nurturing Your Inner Voice
Based on The Artist’s Way – A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron, this course isn’t about being an artist per se, or a writer, but it is about creative expression – feeling creative, confident and whole – and relies on writing as a means of facilitating self-discovery.  Each week you’ll read one chapter of The Artist’s Way and engage in “morning pages” (daily journal writing) and other exercises, such as artist’s dates, recalling nurturing experiences and buried dreams, creating sacred space for retreat and reflection, and generating lists of possibilities.
   Classes are taught in circle and begin and end with a centering meditation.  Julia Cameron’s Sacred Circle Rules of safety, acceptance, friendship, support and generosity are observed.  (Participants are asked to purchase or borrow The Artist’s Way for the duration of the course.  Instructor needs to talk with participants by phone or email before the first class meeting.)  Recommended for anyone in transition or wanting a fresh outlook, this class will hone your spiritual intuition and spark your creativity.
Carol Hohle
Course runs from February 1 to April 25. Class meets on six Monday evenings (note exception), 7:00-9:00 p.m.
February 9, 23; March 9, 23; April 5 (Sunday), 20.
$250 early/$275 regular

Celebrate the Temple: A Sunday Dance Workshop
Do you love to dance? Do you wish you could dance but fear you can’t? Come join a group of like-minded women in a safe, loving environment and let loose! During this two-hour workshop, we will celebrate our body temple. Using dance and following our own kinesthetic knowledge of how to move – what feels right – we will connect to the unique and sacred voice in each of us, which guides and protects us. Beginning with a group circle and some guided exercises, we will then move into the space to dance individually and together. At the end of the workshop, we will have time for a seated sharing.
Janet Farnsworth 
Sundays, 2:00-4:00 p.m. (note exception)
January 11, February 22, March 15 (3:30-5:30 p.m.), April 12, June 7
Suggested donation: $10-20 per class

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Learning to Listen to the Call of Your Soul: A Creative Journey for Women in Transition
There comes a point in every woman’s life when she begins to question the road she has taken so far. For some, this is triggered by a change in life circumstances, such as the loss of a job, divorce, loss of a parent or empty-nest syndrome. For others, it may simply be a silent questioning that begins as a tug in the heart. Whatever the trigger, we are called to examine our relationship to ourselves. In this class, we will go beyond words to experience what it feels like in our bodies to live in authentic relationship with our true natures. Using art-making, spontaneous collage, writing, meditation, breath awareness, and movement, we will explore how the soul speaks to us through our fears, shadow aspects, desires and longings. We will learn to re-connect to our bodies and to our own inner wisdom. In some of the sessions, we will participate in hula-hooping and a Nia (dance) class – no experience necessary. The Nia class and hula-hooping will be held at Yoga and Nia for Life. Please bring a large artist's sketchbook/journal to the first class.
Jennie Sandberg
Five Sunday evenings, 7:00-9:00 p.m.
February 22 to March 22
$150 early/$175 (plus $20 materials fee paid to the instructor)

Self Care for the Empty Nester
This group is designed to support women who are in the process of rewriting their life scripts and exploring new possibilities. Assist your heart in turning the corner from being an everyday parent to stepping more fully into your own life. Discover your new potential through deep listening, meditation, guided imagery, art work and humor. By sharing our stories as women, we can relax into the process, support one another and have our lives reflect who we are. No matter where you are in the process, the ages of your children, nesting, launching, empty nesting, all are welcome to join us.
Phone interview with facilitator prior to class 978 371-3377. Maximum enrollment: 12
Vikki Munroe and Ann Yelin
Four Tuesday evenings, 7:00-9:00 p.m.
February 24 to March 17
OR Saturday, April 18, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Sliding scale $70 - $120

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Menarche Rite of Passage Circle
As a girl crosses the threshold to womanhood, she is at a crossroads, a choice point. This is a sacred time, setting the stage for years of menstrual bleeding. In these circles we will model a sacred, connected, special “my time of the month” versus the dreaded “that time of the month,” which can be filled with shame, secrecy and disconnection. In a circle of mothers and daughters we will explore the cultural and personal meanings of menstruation, co-create a ritual to celebrate this rite of passage, and explore ways of living that honor our monthly bleeding. These circles are designed to strengthen the mother-daughter bond through personal sharing, ritual, and community.
   For young women who have begun their menstruation in the past year and their mothers or significant woman in their lives.
   For the first circle please bring an item for the altar that reflects what this rite of passage means to you, along with any drums or rattles you may have.
Tara McAvoy
February 28 and April 4, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
$150 early/$165 regular

Inner Guidance, Step by Step
Inner Guidance is a spiritual practice of seeking communication with Spirit in the form of a teacher, guide, animal ally, or one’s higher Self in order to obtain helpful advice and support. In this workshop we will relax and center into a light state of trance to connect with non-ordinary reality. Then we will seek guidance, through a simple process of asking and receiving, to open communion and communication with the voice of Wisdom and Compassion. Our work will involve body-centered awareness, spontaneous archetypal imagery, and inner dialogue. Sharing and discussion in circle will be an important part of our journey. Bring a journal. Participants will benefit from reading these articles ahead of time: Inner Guidance, Step by Step, and Obstacles to Inner Guidance (at www.aligningenergies.com/articles.html) 
Cerridwen
Saturday, March 7, Noon to 5:00 p.m.
$50 early/$60 regular

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Advanced Inner Guidance
You already know something about centering and connecting with Spirit for guidance. Now is a time to deepen your practice. In this sweet circle of seekers, we will connect with lost allies and inner resources, clear limiting beliefs and inner conflicts, and apply deep wisdom from Source to address the big issues of our lives right now. Activities will involve archetypal imagery work, inner dialogue, sharing and discussion. Bring a journal. Participants will benefit from reading these articles available online: Inner Guidance, Step by Step, and Obstacles to Inner Guidance (at www.aligningenergies.com/articles.html) and General Recommendations for Seekers (at www.aligningenergies.com/recommend.html).
Cerridwen
Three Sunday afternoons, 3:00-5:00 p.m.
March 8, 22; April 5
$50 early/$60 regular

Dancing to MySelf: Wisdom of the Feet
There lies in each of us a deep inner wisdom – a Voice – that uniquely knows, loves and guides us. At times, that Voice becomes difficult to hear. Whether from internal scripts, difficult relationships, or from the hum of daily demands, we can feel separated from our truest Selves. In this circle, we will invite our Voices to re-emerge. Using dance as our medium, we will “re-member” our Selves, and re-connect to the deep inner wisdom that flows through each of us.
   Each session will begin with a check in, guided meditation, warm-up and/or exercise designed to open us to our own bodies’ rhythms. Then we will move into 30-40 minutes of freestyle dance, inviting the body’s natural wisdom – the simple desire to move to the music – to be each individual’s teacher and muse. Afterwards, depending on the needs of the group, we will either continue in the individual dance or come together to explore our stories through movement. During this time, the facilitator will offer ideas to consider and/or incorporate, always with each woman’s movement honored as her own best guide for connecting to her most authentic Self. At the end of the class, there will be time for a seated sharing.
Janet Farnsworth 
Five Thursday evenings, 7:00-9:00 p.m. 
January 15 to February 19 (no February 5)
OR March 12 to April 16 (no April 2)
$60 early/$75 regular

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Responding to the Call of the Wild: For Women over Sixty
This circle helps women to define for themselves what “wild” means. Many of us, too busy responding to the needs of others, have not allowed ourselves to be “wild.” For some, even knowing who they are, what they want, let alone allowing themselves to enact that unknown part of themselves, is threatening. For others, being “wild” is not difficult, but homing in on what they want to do – or be – at this stage of their lives is a challenge. In this circle, building a bond between participants, we discover what we have in common, learn from each other, and from the facilitator, how differently we see being sixty and over.
   We do Jungian shadow work to help women discover the sides of themselves they have neglected, which are calling out for expression. Dream work is part of this, as are guided meditations, a Soul Profile, and group sharing. Each meeting begins with silent meditation and a poem. This is a circle full of energy and sharing.
Demaris Wehr
March 13-15
Friday evening, 7:00-9:00 p.m.; Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and Sunday 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
$250 early/$300 regular

Greening Consciousness
Are you becoming aware of the need to reduce your footprint on the Earth? Are you exploring ways to live a more sustainable life? Come join in a three-part workshop that delves into the shift in consciousness that facilitates and precipitates the outward manifestations of sustainable life choices. Using recent eco-conversion experiences as illustrations in response to consumerism’s myth of “more equals happiness,” we’ll begin to map out a path that leads to a “less is actually more” definition of happiness. Spiritual practices vital to an eco-consciousness will be explored, including the benefits of humility, gratitude, openness, and a new way of thinking about self (a “we self” rather than an “I self”).
Carol Hohle
Three Monday evenings, March 16, 30; April 13
7:00-9:00 p.m.
$120 early/$145 regular

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Spring Equinox Celebration
The equinoxes and solstices, marking the Earth’s annual journey around the sun, have been celebrated throughout the millennia. They offer opportunities to attune our energy to the natural rhythms of light and dark, expansion and contraction. In this seasonal celebration, we explore our connections to the flowing energy of the Earth. All women and girls welcome.
   This circle is offered as a gift, and no payment is required to participate. Those who are able to pass the gift along are invited to make a donation to the Women’s Well. Pre-registration is appreciated, but not required.
Women’s Well community
Friday, March 20, 7:00-9:00 p.m.
Suggested donation: $10

The Deep River Within: Taming the To-Do List and Finding Depth in Everyday Life
Beneath the busyness of our daily lives flows a deep river of creativity, passion, silence, and a place of contact with ourselves and what matters to us. Although "the deep river" is a powerful source of nurturance, the fragmentation and sheer pace of life in 21st century America often buries this inner dimension beneath the perpetual-motion surface of our days.
   This circle is about slowing down. It will introduce the three preliminary doorways and six core practices that can support us in allowing our own deeper currents to flow through daily life. With the help of experiential exercises, discussion, readings, creative expression, humor, and each other, we will explore ways to free ourselves from the tyranny of our “to-do’s,” and so to rest more in our deeper selves and in the gift of life itself. (For a one-day format, see May 9.)
Abby Seixas
At the Women's Well: Seven Tuesday evenings, Mar 24 to May 5, 7:15-9:30 p.m. 
Also offered in Weston: Seven Thursday mornings, Mar 26 to May 7, 9:15-11:30 a.m.
Sliding scale $185-$225*

*Due to current economic conditions, Abby is now offering a sliding scale for these groups. If the full fee is a hardship, please place yourself on the sliding scale, or contact Abby to discuss at  abby@deepriverwithin.com 

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Living on Purpose in the Second Half of Life
As we approach or navigate the second half of life, many of us begin to think about reinventing ourselves. We are likely to start asking ourselves some essential questions: Who am I?  Where do I belong? What do I care about? What is my purpose in life? 
   This one-day highly experiential workshop is designed for women at midlife and beyond who want to explore alternatives to the conventional view of retirement. It will provide knowledge and tools to bring more clarity about life/work direction, awareness and purpose to guide life choices, and the motivation and confidence to help you move forward. The facilitators draw on their deep experience, self-discovery exercises, pragmatic resources and goal-setting tools, and the magic of the circle’s sharing and support. Our goal is for participants to be inspired and welcome the "second half" of life as a time of challenge and opportunity and to begin to explore a sense of direction about "what's next.”
   Dress comfortably (including warm socks); bring a journal if you wish, and your lunch if you don’t want to take advantage of good local lunch spots. Tea is provided.
Meg Newhouse and Roberta Taylor
Saturday, March 28, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
$140 early/$150 regular
Includes materials (workbook and cards)

Personal Clearing
Directing our attention and allowing our feelings to arise without doing anything to fix, manage or resist them, automatically changes the energy in the space.
   Personal Clearing is a simple, safe, and gentle technique that uses pendulum dowsing to identify and release stress patterns stored in both the physical and subtle layers of the human anatomy. Clearing at such deep levels is like a spiritual "spa treatment" which can result in feeling less burdened, more relaxed, and more clear. At the highest level, this process works to connect you to your true essence.
   In this workshop you will learn how to create a “witnessing” space – a safe container – which allows deeply-held invisible patterns to shift and release with no pain or effort. You will learn that "doing" less and "being" more is the essence of this powerful work. Learn to tune into the energy field of another person to clear patterns that no longer serve and support them. Develop and deepen your sensing abilities to read and process information. Discover and cultivate the most powerful gift you can offer: spacious detachment. Feel more available and in the flow. Experience the true meaning of lightening up!
Stephanie Bennett Vogt
Sunday, March 29, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
$125 early/$140 regular

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Holding the Sacred Circle
The sacred circle is returning to our world. It is a way of being together that is respectful and deep. It begins and ends in a ritual manner, honors silence and deep listening, can hold differences, and invites all who are present to speak their truth and to be open to the collective wisdom that can emerge.
   Circle principles can be applied in many different situations, and are at the heart of the work of the Women's Well. In this evening we will both be a circle and talk about some of the principles and guidelines that underlie this process.
   All are welcome: women who are completely new to the circle; those who want to understand more about what underlies “circle magic”; those wanting to take circle ways into other settings in their lives; and those just longing to rest again in the circle for a while. Limited to 12 participants.
Anne Yeomans
Sunday, March 29, 7:00-9:30 p.m.
$20 early/$25 regular

Celtic Goddesses of France and Britain
Max Dashu shows her rare slide collection of ancient Celtic goddesses and women, in ceramic and bronze and stone. The snake-dancing women of Mavilly and Yorkshire. Magical cauldrons and sacred springs. Altar-stones of the Matronae. The horse-goddess Epona, bear goddess Artio, dairy churn of Rosmerta, healing serpents of Sirona and Verbeia, and the waters of Sul at Bath. Last but not least, the joyous Sheila-na-gigs. A not-to-be-missed slide show from the Suppressed Histories Series.
Max Dashu
Saturday, April 4, 7:00-9:30 p.m.
Sliding scale: $15-20

Coming From Sacred Intention: Art Created From Self-Exploration, Honoring Process and Product
This workshop offers a journey within to discover a concept that will lead to the creation of a meaningful piece of art. What is created can then become a symbol for something that deeply matters to us. With time and attention, we will explore what is within ourselves that wants to be honored, healed, empowered, celebrated or simply attended to. What matters most is the personal connection from which we draw the inspiration for our creative piece.
   We will use creative process, guided visualization, dialogue and journaling. We will also look at images to inspire us and will welcome our dreams and passions as collaborators. Involvement, focused attention, and personal responsibility will all assist us in connecting with and gaining from the overall experience.
   Artistic training is not necessary. However, intention, commitment and care are needed to create a piece of art that is more than technique and is connected to our cores. Self-exploration takes courage, and this circle will provide guidance for navigating this journey in a safe and supportive environment – discovering where you wish to travel within yourself and finding creative possibilities that honor that choice.
   Creative work enriches our lives by opening portals in powerful and fulfilling ways. It integrates parts of ourselves by honoring and respecting who we are and who we are growing to be.
   All classes will be held at Judith’s Lexington studio.
Judith Cooper
Three Saturdays, April 11, 25 and May 9, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Plus a private brainstorming session.
$250 early/$275 regular

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Introduction to the Bhagavad Gita: Job Description for a Spiritual Warrior
The Bhagavad Gita is an ancient spiritual allegory that speaks directly and intimately to each of us today, providing a much needed roadmap to standing on our own battlefield of life, confronting our enemies within, and rising fearless and free in sweet surrender to the Divine call. In such moments of victory, we realize we are here to offer our unique purpose in service to the greater good.
   Whether you already have a faith tradition dear to you or are searching, the Bhagavad Gita will speak to you. In this introductory workshop, we will explore such topics as: the text’s historical context and symbolism; the Path of Action (what we must do to manifest our purpose and realize a divinely inspired life); the Path of Devotion (what is to be realized about the nature of the Divine to discover that we live in the heart of God); and the Path of Wisdom (how we integrate our humanity with our Divine Self to become extraordinarily human).
   All are welcome! Recommended reading: An Ordinary Life Transformed: Lessons for Everyone from the Bhagavad Gita by Rev. Stephanie Rutt.
Stephanie Rutt
Sunday, April 26, 8:30-11:30 a.m.
$50 early/$65 regular

Women's Wisdom in Tibetan Buddhism
So, the heart of the matter is
To know that the dakini is your own mind.
     12th century Dakini Song
In Tibetan Buddhism, the wisdom of the awakened mind is symbolically gendered as the goddess Prajnaparamita. Further, her emanations as the dakini or “sky dancer” appear as manifestations of the limitless energies of feminine wisdom. In her wrathful appearance the dakini exhibits compassionate wisdom as she cuts through illusion and darkness. This presentation will explore the mysteries and symbols of women's wisdom in the Tibetan tradition to help us understand the nature of our own inherent wisdom and ways we can bring insight, power and transformation to our lives. The evening will conclude with a meditation on the mandala of the five wisdom dakinis.
Wendy Garling
Wednesday, April 29, 7:30-9:30 p.m.
$20 early/$25 regular

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Roots and Rhythm
Everything in the universe has rhythm;
everything dances. - Maya Angelou
Throughout time and history women have played drums for ceremony, ritual, celebration and the demarcation of seasonal and life passages. Many people believe that women are responsible for the first drums of West Africa. For many centuries, despite women’s core contribution to the world of rhythm, drumming was kept from women, eclipsed by static cultural and spiritual beliefs. But in the last two decades women have been returning to the drum, reclaiming the rhythmic birthright to which we are all entitled as vibrating cellular beings.
   In this four-week introductory class we will learn age-old rhythms of West Africa and the African Diaspora, focusing on technique, the language of the drum, as well as playing in community. Please bring an African style drum (djembe, ashiko, or conga) and a rhythm-ready heart. (Some drums may be available to rent for an additional fee. Please indicate if you need to rent a drum when you register.)
Marytha Paffrath of Libana
Four Thursday evenings, 7:45-9:15 p.m.
April 30; May 14, 21, 28
$120 early/$140 regular

The Deep River Within: Taming the To-Do List and Finding Depth in Everyday Life
Beneath the busyness of our daily lives flows a deep river of creativity, passion, silence, and a place of contact with ourselves and what matters to us. Although "the deep river" is a powerful source of nurturance, the fragmentation and sheer pace of life in 21st century America often buries this inner dimension beneath the perpetual-motion surface of our days.
   This circle is about slowing down. The one-day format serves as an introduction to the principles and practices of the Deep River process, as detailed in Abby's book, Finding the Deep River Within: A Woman’s Guide to Recovering Balance and Meaning in Everyday Life. With the help of experiential exercises, discussion, a touch of humor, and each other, we will explore ways to free ourselves from the tyranny of our “to-do’s,” and so to rest more in our deeper selves and in the gift of life itself.
   For the more in-depth seven-week form of this workshop, see March 24 listing. This introductory workshop, or another Deep River workshop, is a prerequisite for the facilitator training day on May 10.
Abby Seixas
Saturday, May 9, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
$115 early/$125 regular

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Gather the Women”*: A Facilitator Training for Leading Deep River Groups
Deep River groups have grown out of Abby Seixas's experience (and that of many others) that women in a circle of support are a source of untapped power. When this power is nurtured, it can fuel personal growth and help counter the effects of our speed-obsessed culture. This day-long training is offered to encourage the start of Deep River groups as places for women to learn how to separate themselves from the culture's drumbeat of go-go-go, and to make conscious choices about their own pace and priorities.
  The day will include didactic training, discussion, experiential exercises, and some practice facilitation. Helping professionals in all fields are encouraged to attend (including but not limited to: psychologists, social workers, counselors, nurses, doctors, clergy, teachers, coaches). If your work falls outside of these categories and you would like to attend, please contact Abby to discuss participation.
   PLEASE NOTE: Attendance at the day-long Deep River workshop on May 9, or another Deep River group, is a prerequisite. 
Abby Seixas
Sunday, May 10, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
$155 early/$165 regular (training manual included)
*From Jean Shinoda Bolen's book, Urgent Message from Mother: Gather the Women, Save the World  (Conari Press, 2005). 

Awakening Our Dreams
During this time of uncertainty and change, many are being called to create a new dream for the benefit of all life on Earth. On Saturday of this weekend circle, participants will experience the Awakening the Dreamer, Changing the Dream symposium – a DVD presentation interspersed with interactive exercises, sharing and reflection – designed to call forth the dream of creating an environmentally sustainable, socially just, and spiritually fulfilling human presence on Earth. The questions addressed in the Symposium are: Where are we? How did we get here? What's possible for the future? Where do we go from here? 
   On Sunday, through ritual mandala-making, each participant will awaken her personal dream of participation in social transformation and healing. Mandalas – the Sanskrit word for circles – embody wholeness, unity, creation, and self, and offer us portals into our deepest dreams and highest visions. The ritual process will include guided meditation, working with a variety of collage materials, and personal and group reflection. Potluck lunch on Sunday. All materials provided.
This circle is offered as a gift. Those who are able to pass the gift along are invited to make a donation to help cover Women’s Well costs and further its work.  
Katy Locke
May 16 and 17, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Suggested donation: $75-150

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Mantra Prayer Workshop
This workshop examines how prayer using mantra enables us to become co-creators with our inner Divinity. We will explore the nature of prayer as a remembrance of that which already exists within, in contrast to the more common view of prayer – asking for something from a Creator separate from us. We will examine how mantra, through the universal sound current, provides a direct connection with our Divine Source, illuminating and strengthening inner vibrations associated with particular qualities to cultivate an inner landscape where co-creation can flourish. We will weave such topics as how to design a mantra-prayer spiritual practice, how to create your heart’s desire using intention, and how to work with will and surrender. Finally, we will explore “seed sounds” and chant mantras from a variety of faith traditions. Specifically, we will look at mantras for attracting healing, cultivating courage, and receiving abundance. The outcome of this workshop will be to create your first mantra-prayer spiritual practice. 
Stephanie Rutt  
Sunday, May 31, 1:00-5:00 p.m.
$50 early/$65 regular

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