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WOMEN’S PRESENCETM
ENEWS is presented by Barbara
Wieland Mark, Ph.D. and Roxanne
Howe-Murphy, Ed.D, co-founders
of Women’s Presence™ Retreats.
This occasional newsletter
offers the growing community of
women interested in midlife
transformation an opportunity to
learn about unique retreats and
opportunities for support, as
well as access to newly released
material through links to our
web site at
www.womenspresence.com
If you are not a regular
subscriber to WOMEN’S PRESENCE
NEWS, click
HERE to register for your
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April 5, 2005
What’s in this issue of Women’s
PresenceTM eNotes?
Reflections from the March WP
Retreat
Thoughts from participants
A Community of Women
June 8-12 Retreat -
Earlybird discount through April
15
This month we
share some reflections from our
March retreat and updating you
on our upcoming retreat.
“Listen,
are you breathing just a little,
and calling it a life?”
~~Mary Oliver
Reflections from the March
Women’s Presence Retreat: A Walk
in Trust
One-by-one, they arrive. Each
woman enters the door at
Stillheart with her own story,
her own questions, her own
nervous anticipations, her
excitement, her internal ‘plan’
for dealing with the unknown of
coming to a 4 night residential
retreat, and her own yearnings.
What trust it requires to take
these first steps!
Each woman is greeted with
warmth and a trust that those
who are here this time are meant
to be here. Within hours (often,
within minutes), conversations
and connections began taking
place. There’s often a sense of
familiarity here—there are other
women who are trying to figure
out this time of life--- (but
why are the facilitators calling
it “midlife????”) Still, each
woman has her internal
conversation about how she will
‘fit into’ this new grouping of
women.
As the program moves into deeper
discoveries and disclosures, the
feeling of safety and belonging
grows. Each woman’s sharing of
her own experience helps every
other person in the room. The
tensions noticeably melt and
hearts open to one another with
greater acceptance and
recognition. Trust expands in
being with other women who truly
care and are willing to witness
one another just as they are.
There are guided conversations,
exploration in dyads,
presentations of ideas related
to what it means to be in
midlife. There are meditations,
personal reflections, physical
movements/yoga movements. There is
space for being alone, as well
as being with others.
These activities and experiences
are offered in the spirit of
trust that they would touch
women in just the way they
needed at this time.
As the retreat progresses, new
awakenings, major insights, and
amazing releases occur. Each
woman, in her own way, in her
own rhythm,
unfolds—authentically,
naturally, organically. There is
an unmistakable sense of
sacredness among us.
We (Roxanne and Barbara) cannot
predict the specific path that
each participant will take. What
we do know (and trust) is that
through the exploration of the
unknown, that each will find her
way to something precious within
and that it, in its time, will
find its expression in the
world.
The retreat is a “trust walk”
for all of us, and a primary
teaching of the retreat. Through
opening ourselves into that
which is unknown (and midlife
certainly presents us with many
unknowns) and staying present to
what arises, we open to support
that is available and to the
myriad of possibilities that
await our recognition. True
trust exists only in the present
moment, and it is here where we
find our greatest source of
aliveness.
We’d love to have you join us
for our “trust walk.”
Thoughts
about the benefits of the
experience from women attending
the March retreat:
-Much better understanding of
what happens during midlife
transitions and why I am feeling
the way I do;
-Having a language around this
passage in time and permission
to go through it;
-Tools to use to move through
this transition with ease,
grace, & joy, and a positive
outlook;
-Living more in the present
moment;
-Realizing that I need to make
time to “just be” and be
accepting and non-judgmental of
my feelings
-I feel more grounded and at
peace;
-I feel nourished and opened-up,
lighter and more energetic;
-I feel worthy, beautiful,
alive, playful and creative;
-I’m inspired and excited to
take action;
-New girlfriends!
Go to
http://www.womenspresence.com/aboutreteat.html
to read additional comments by
past participants.
A Community
of Women
One of the most delicious
aspects of our retreats is the
phenomenal women who show up! We
very quickly move into the
deeper aspects of our lives and
experience more of our inner
strength and authority when in
the presence of others who are
asking similar questions and are
committed to coming into their
wholeness.
Prepare to fall in love with
some truly outrageous women
(including yourself, of course!)
Women’s Presence™ Retreats:
The Transformational Power of
Midlife
Midlife ignites the fires of
self-examination and propels us
to move toward integration and
wholeness.
NEXT RETREAT:
Wednesday June 8 at 5:00 p.m.
through Sunday, June 12 at 1:30
p.m.
What to
expect:
A retreat program designed to
support you in your life
transition—
Time in the
group for dialoguing, sharing
your experience honestly,
learning from others, being seen
and heard and recognizing that
you’re not alone;
Opportunities to
learn about the natural journey
of midlife and gain a new
language, new perspectives and
tools from experienced
facilitators;
Intimate
conversations and inquiry in
small groups or dyads;
Learning how
your body can support you at
this time, through the gentle
inclusion of yoga stretches
integrated into most morning,
afternoon, and evening sessions;
Sweet time for
yourself in the afternoon for
swimming, hiking, reading,
journaling, sleeping—your
personal down time for
self-nurturing;
Delicious and
nurturing meals three times a
day, prepared by a wonderful and
talented caterer,
Laughter,
creative expression, meeting
incredible women, coming alive!
plus
Enjoy four nights stay at
the beautiful Stillheart Retreat
Center.*
A sanctuary for
rejuvenating your mind, body and
soul
*Situated a
world apart with 16 acres of
hiking trails,
* Each guestroom includes
comfortable bed(s) with down
comforters; a private, furnished
deck or patio, and a private
bath with oversized tub
* Spa facilities include a
beautiful pool, sauna, and
outdoor hot tub
* Spacious and gracious workshop
space with stunning views
Facilitators:
Barbara Mark, Ph.D. and Roxanne
Howe-Murphy, Ed.D., Women’s
PresenceTM co-creators and
principals, are both executive
and life coaches who bring
gentleness, experience, wisdom,
and an abundance of love to this
retreat work. Roxanne and
Barbara compliment each other’s
contributions through their own
areas of expertise, insights,
passion and through their
presence and commitment to the
women participating.
Kasondra Jannsen
is an accomplished yoga
instructor who skillfully and
gracefully brings the teachings
of each session into physical
form. Customized yoga postures
and stretches are integrated
throughout the retreat in the
spirit of mind-body-spirit
interconnectedness.
An earlybird discount is
available through April 15!
Register NOW to reserve
one of our remaining spaces.
Register at
www.womenspresence.com
* Conditional on
availability, Women’s PresenceTM
Retreat participants have the
option of staying additional
days at the retreat center on
their own for more personal
retreat time. Arrangements are
to be made directly with Stillheart.
We look forward to meeting you
there.
Blessings,
Roxanne and Barbara |
Retreats for Women