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Spiritual and creative growth was abundant at 14th Annual Women of Wisdom Conference

Spiritual and creative growth was abundant at 14th Annual Women of Wisdom Conference
by E. Joyce Glasgow - SGN A&E Writer The 14th Annual Women of Wisdom Conference, entitled "Return to the Well," was held at Magnuson Park in Seattle on February 23 - 26th. This yearly event features both internationally known and local speakers and teachers on subjects including spirituality, psychology, creative arts, and other self-growth subject matter. BARBARA MARX HUBBARD This year's keynote speaker was Barbara Marx Hubbard, a visionary teacher and co-founder of numerous organizations, who spoke on the evolution of our human species into a realm where women will be taking their place as co-creators of our world. She presented her opinions that so far, women have channeled their creative energies into bearing and raising children and that now that many women of child bearing age are choosing not to have children they have the freedom to focus their creative energies into finding their higher purpose in serving humanity, or, essentially, "birthing" a new world co-created equally with men. Post menopausal women also now can use their time to channel their energies into serving their higher purpose on a global scale. She calls this period "regenipause" instead of menopause because, rather than just experience the systems of an aging body and growing old, it is rather a time of renaissance and rejuvenation, a time when a women can start contributing towards creating a more healthy and cooperative planet, utilizing their years of wisdom on earth to help with the process of creating "a new species" of "co-creators." CONNIE GRAUDS Connie Grauds, a professor at the University of California at San Francisco and former pharmacist, taught two classes on jungle medicine and her experiences as a shamanic apprentice for the past 12 years with a Peruvian shaman in the Peruvian Amazon jungle. She has founded a nonprofit to help save the Amazon, its very important healing plants, its animals, and native way of life. SHEILA BENDER Sheila Bender, a published Port Townsend writer, taught a workshop in creative spiritual writing and gave helpful hints to participants about how to approach writing with greater results. Some ideas include practicing utilizing the five senses in whatever you are describing and the important of the thoughtful use of good metaphors. She suggested that writing about a true situation can be true for others as well. Instead of trying to be "universal," she also thinks - interestingly - that the more idiosyncratic the subject is to the writer, the more universal and particular it can be to the reader. It is important, she said, for the writer to remain inside the situation in order to feel the emotions and that the reader needs very little narrative. TAMA KIEVES Tama Kieves, an inspirational teacher and author of the best selling book, This Time I Dance: Trusting the Journey of Creating the Work You Love, taught a two day workshop in nurturing your creativity and finding your true path in life. Kieves used to be a high powered, highly paid, corporate attorney, graduating at the top of her class from Harvard Law School. However, she was quite unhappy in that life and gave it all up to follow her dreams, not knowing where it would take her and ended up with a best selling book and a very full national teaching schedule helping others to have hope, faith, and to fallow their dreams. MARIA TERESA VALENZUELA Maria Teresa Valenzuela, a shaman and "curandero" from the Copper Canyon area of Mexico (famous for its high endurance runners), taught a class called "Shamanic Healing in Contemporary Mexico." This workshop was jam-packed with information on the numerous types of healers, each with their own specialties, "hot" and "cold" categories of healing plants and the blending of the worship of the native old deities with the introduction of the Spanish Catholic Saints, including the prominence of the Virgin of Guadelupe. She shared details of the prophecies of the Mayan people and their calendar and lots more amazing educational information. Valenzuela said that at this time in history, shamans from different tribes are being sent out internationally to share with as many people as possible old wisdom from their cultures for natural healing, spiritual advancement, living in harmony with the earth, its creatures and each other, and hoping to contribute to the possibilities of world peace and the saving of our planet with this information, before it is too late. There were a number of other wonderful women teaching at the conference. Many classes and talks were open to both men and women, as well as classes just for women. For more information about this unique yearly conference, or about the presenters and their publications, see www.womenofwisdom.org or call 206-782-3363.