August 23 29
Now in its 28th year, WomenCircles will again draw women together from all directions to explore, redefine, and celebrate who we are. Diverse in lifestyle, cultural background, age, sexual orientation, and spiritual path, we have the opportunity to gather in this beautiful space and to find healing in our connections with ourselves, each other, the Goddess, and Mother Earth. At Rowe, women's spirits are honored, nurtured, and celebrated. At WomenCircles, we recognize the Goddess through many traditions, claiming her healing powers for our own and committing to her healing work. This year we will explore how beauty in all its forms inspires the sacred within each of us. We will enter into sacred women's mysteries through the rainbow path of the Goddess Iris and will envelope our spirits with the ancient healing qualities of color. Iris is a winged Goddess known as the sacred messenger. We will prepare ourselves and create arenas for each of us to hear the sacred message we most need in our lives. We will deepen our awareness and experience the magical forest of Rowe through a variety of activities to heighten our sense of beauty.
Through rituals, process work, wild celebration, and mutual acceptance, we find a path to the Goddess in ourselves and in each other. Healing work requires energy and seriousness of purpose as well as patience and compassion. Our goal is to honor and support each woman's different way and to share her tears and laughter. A feeling of sisterhood and mutual recognition is the highlight of the week for many women. This feeling will be created through the workshops, dances, and rituals that fill our days and nights. It's exhilarating to be in the presence of so many amazing women and to realize that we all share such magnificent beauty and power.
Many women return to this week of celebration, relaxation, growth, and healing year after year, and every August, newcomers are welcomed joyfully into the circle. Our talented, artistic, mystical, and visionary staff will offer a rich variety of workshops on topics such as crone wisdom, shamanism, Wicca, earth based traditions, herb magic, sweat lodges, tai chi, yoga, music, dance and drumming. We're also free to swim in nearby lakes, walk in the woods, sun on the rocks at The Whirlies, connect with friends over gourmet meals, or find a quiet place alone to nap or read. Attending lovingly to our spiritual selves can be challenging, but we're rewarded by the growth and healing we offer each other. To quote a woman of the circle, "Come, your soul will be eternally grateful."
Eclipse Fey has been a priestess of the Goddess for more than 20 years and co director of WomenCircles for 16 years. See page 19 for a longer bio.
Felicity Pickett, Director of Rowe Camp and Conference Center, is a kind and compassionate human being with a passion for dreams, Rowe and WomenCircles. Eclipse and Felicity and a seasoned team of powerful women will create a week of wonder and magical healing.
Staff includes Heather Alexander, artist, craftswoman, writer, and Reiki healer; Phyllis Brooks, teacher of Shambala Multidimensional healing, and both a flower essence and sweat lodge practitioner; Deluna, nationally known harpist, healer, and craftswoman; Joanne Dorrance, body worker, craniosacral therapist, and lover of poetry; Bright Flame, Dianic priestess of the reclaiming tradition and writer; Annie Hasset, singer and tai chi teacher; Elaine Silver, singer; Shawna Carol, founder of the SpiritSong Center.