BYM Women's Retreat Workshops
Moving Into Ease
Carol Cober, leader
A gentle dance and stretching workshop, done to music, for one hour. I am trained in Rosen Method Movement. Participants should wear comfortable clothing. It can be done in-person and also on zoom.
A Reflective and Interactive Experience: Connecting with Selections from “That’s What She Said: Wise Words from Influential Women” by Kimothy Joy (2018)
Betty Ansin Smallwood, leader
In her book’s introduction, Kimothy Joy wrote, “That’s What She Said is meant to be shared and passed along.” And that’s what we’ll do: reflect on and make connections with influential women. She continues, “Our words have power. Our stories can change others. And, standing together with the women of the past and present, we can change the world—we can change the course of herstory.” In the workshop, after our individual sharings, we will explore universal themes about women that emerge from their and our stories and can indeed change the world… and ourselves.
Betty Ansin Smallwood is a member of Langley Hill Friends Meeting, former member of Adelphi and living at Friends House in Sandy Spring, MD. She is also a cheerleader and long-time attender of the BYM Women’s Retreat
Room set up: 13 chairs in a circle or at least facing one another; a medium size table to put some materials on; and access to a white board and markers, or chart paper, and markers.
Maximum number of participants: 12
Non-Zoom
BYM and Reproductive Justice
Sharon Stout and Martha Solt, leaders
This workshop will ask each of us to think deeply about our own personal beliefs on reproductive justice, including abortion and the foundations of those beliefs. We will talk about the work of the BYM Working Group on Reproductive Justice, share minutes from various Monthly Meetings and a draft that will be shared at Interim Meeting. A variety of books on this topic will be available to skim. Finally, Friends will be asked to think about what they feel called to do on this topic.
Turning Toward the Light on Our Journey with Stewardship of the Earth
Helena Jareb, Leader
This workshop will first focus on exploring and describing how we can re-center and turn toward the Light when various life circumstances or internal processes create obstacles to doing so. Next, processes from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) will be described and perhaps role played to illustrate how these may be helpful in re-centering and coping with obstacles that interfere with us turning toward the Light. This exploration and discussion will then focus on the internal processes (e.g., overwhelm, hopelessness, etc.) and external factors (people denying that climate change is real; the war in Ukraine, etc.) that create obstacles to our fully embodying a commitment to stewardship of the Earth. Then we will discuss how to effectively cope with those obstacles based on the earlier exploration and discussion. Finally, we will discuss how the other Quaker SPICES relate to this journey with stewardship. Connection with equality and community will be especially emphasized since our retreat this year focuses on inclusion. (If all this is too ambitious to complete in the time allotted, revisions will be made to what is covered, in collaboration with participants of the workshop.)
Five Crowns: Fun Card Game
Kate Titford, leader (Non-zoom only)
Fun Card Game with Kate - If you're feeling like a more chill, social time during the workshop time slot, please join us for Five Crowns -- a fun, rummy-style card game. We'll take it slow while we all learn the rules together. At one point, you'll have to manage a hand of 13 cards! Grab a coffee and join us.
Non-Zoom.
