The Women's Institute of Maine

As spring blossoms at last across our state, I am reminded to give thanks for being able to count on the promise of each new season and stage in life.  Often what we think we are building may falter, but something else turns out to blossom in unexpected ways and places.  Since the spring Equinox  March 20th, I have been reminded of this blessing again and again, challenging me to remain wide open to what the universe wants me to do, and letting go of any delusion that I hold the wheel, map, or watch.  

What has arisen for me so suddenly and surprisingly has been two opportuntiies to write in national online publications. My three part series, "Feeling Shaky?  Common Ground is on its Way"  is hitting the presses starting this month at www.soulfulliving.com .   In addition, I have been asked to write for "Allies for the Common Good," an online interorganizational newsletter which goes out to the memberships of a dozen of my very favorite women's organizations across the country.  My first article, "Appreciation - A Secret Portal?" will be appearing  on their site, Allies for the Common Good,   within weeks.  We've provided links to these amazing organizations on our global links page.  They include:  Gather the Women Global Matrix, Circle Connections, LightPages, Imagine the Good, Sole2Soul Walk, Women of Spirit and Faith, Spheres Circles, Standing Women, Women Waking the World, Evolutionary Women, Weaving the World, Ways Women Lead, Millionth Circle.

As you may know, I began WIM as an online and in person community hoping to spur and support women's circles across the state.  I have had challenges building a network of circles thus far but I haven't given up yet!   I will soon reveal my big surprise - an international collaboration   I am cultivating this month which will act as a firecracker to light and unite women's circles.  But while I am waiting for the circles to be ready to catch on,  the publishing opportuntieis arrived unexpectedly. Rather than lamenting my "failure" to get circles going, I never lost sight of the absolutely precious lifelong friendships I have made through the circles I have hosted so far.   I've realized that while I thought I was serving others through WIM, the joke was on me, as it is MY life which has become so enriched by the women in WIM.  I am truly in awe of each woman I have met in our circles. You are all remarkable beyond words!!! How lucky am I to know you?  Is there a number beyond gazillion?  

So what this confirms for me once again is that the form our contributions take aren't what matter. Just keep doing what you love and eventually the universe will find just the right niche for your gifts and will shower you with unexpected blessings. But you must let go.  Trust it...Expect it....and don't forget to notice what else has blossomed in your life that you weren't consciously cultivating!  Remember you weren't really in control of the wheel anyway, and something which fits you much better is on its way.

Winter is a time in Maine where you either resist the cold, the accumulating snow, the sense of isolation, or you embrace if for the gifts it offers.  Having lived in Maine my entire life (except for a few years in childhood which I barely remember), I have a history of approaching winters mostly with resistance. I have at last begun to grasp the opportunity of winter, realizing that our primary reality is not sourced from outside of ourselves, but from within.  This goes counter to what we are told and sold incessantly in our society.  We are again and again persuaded to search outside of ourselves for the source of happiness.  Massive industries count on us buying this message, particularly personal to women, the fashion and cosmetics industries. As such, we internalize an overall belief system which is reactive, one in which we believe we can only be happy when our outer circumstances provide the necessary ingredients. 

What I am embracing this winter is the exact opposite.  The deeper truth I am confirming is that it is primarily our inner perspective which determines our happiness, not the outer world.  Since we've been conditioned to focus on the outer, the inner sourcing of happiness is no longer automatic for most people, but must be consciously directedand earned.  We create it with every choice and every thought.  In every circumstance, one can find something to either celebrate or bemoan, and the simple truth is that we can choose to focus on the elements which are worthy of celebration.  This is not a polyanna brush stroke or fantasy, but becomes our truest felt reality with practice. We do it because it feels good to do so and because it really does make for a happier life.  As we dwell more and more in gratitutde and appreciation, this attitude becomes a powerful magnetic attractor to draw more of the same into our lives.  As we practrice going against the societal tide of always seeking what's wrong, it becomes easier and easier to see and exerience all that's right.  And there is always something that is right.  

I am writing to you on a snow day.  My husband and son are snowbound with me and we each are finding our own ways to celebrate this day of playing hooky.  What a gift it is to be given a ready excuse to get off the task treadmill and to take a breather.  We can give ourselves permission to do this without a snow storm, of course.  What is beautiful about it is that nature is a willing partner, offering us a gentle reminder to partake in rest and relaxation, to dwell in our bountiful inner worlds, to daydream and refresh ourselves.  We deserve to luxuriate and to build up our immunity to a world that is obsessed with doing, a world which magnifies and glorifies negativity.  We know that spring will come one day and we will be called into action and activity once more...but for now, time for another cup of coacoa and daydreams borne on joyously floating, dancing, luminescent crytaline flakes of snow! 

Love this day.  Love your uniqueness.  Love your ability to experience the very best of both in every choice you make.

Dear Friends of WIM,

The year 2010 has called me into deeper and deeper places of my own spirit in an effort to better answer the question, how might I best serve? After a very active 2009 launching the Women’s Institute of Maine, this was an entirely unexpected momentum change from outward to inward. I have always been very serious that WIM be created in the new paradigm, collaborative way, abandoning the leader-driven model. Going with the flow meant going where the energy was, not only for me but for all the individuals who were themselves called to be part of its original creation. The result in 2010 is a clearer, more succinct personal mission: to focus on the website which celebrates, links, and publicizes all the women’s circles which are taking place in our state, and to connect them meaningfully to the worldwide women’s circle movement. What this means is that I will no longer host WIM-sponsored circles. Instead, I am concentrating on supporting circles hosted by others in Maine, by posting where, how, and when these take place, and by facilitating resource and idea sharing between circles on the website. I am a volunteer coordinator for Maine of Gather the Women, a completely compatible organization with a similar mission, only global. What I love about GTW is that, like WIM, it is no cost and only serves to support and encourage circles, not prescribe them. 

The Women’s Circles Initiative of WIM has published a comprehensive resource, “Women’s Wisdom, Women’s Circles” available postage paid for $8.00. This is a soup to nuts resource for those starting a circle, with additional program ideas and tips on group dynamics. For those who would like it, I am happy to do a training and Q&A session online or in person for those wishing to start a circle of their own. The book and training are meant as a foundation, whereas the website is a treasure trove of accumulated resources for circling. You will be able to find in one place rituals, poems, songs, videos, links, quotes, and activities you can use to enrich your circle. I wish for this to continue to accumulate through a “stone soup” effort, with circlers contributing what works for them so we all have a richer soup to sample. There are online forums on our site for sharing, conversation, and book reviews. I’m hoping to see these to be buzzing with activity!

It is my deepest wish that every woman who wants to be part of a sacred circle is able to do so, either by joining one or by starting one herself. Having participated in several circles over the years (I’m currently in three, one for women), I am convinced of their value as a catalyst of one’s spiritual inquiry and as a source for deep community and well-being. I can honestly say that circling is the most nurturing and valuable thing I do for myself, and that I have noticed how these benefits aren’t just for me, but spill over through me to my family and friends. I believe in this way that sacred circles are a true force for both personal and social change.

In the coming months, I will be tweeking the site to make it as user friendly as possible.  I want your content and welcome your suggestions as we build a community of shared resources for circlers.

Please feel free to email me at womensinstituteme@gmail.com or at lauriemccammon@gmail.com or call and chat at 207 883-6170.

How you can connect with the women’s circle movement:

Add your events and open circles to the calendar on our site. (Or if you are technologically challenged, email me the information and I will add it for you if I have time.) I ask that you become a member (free) in order to post anything to the site. This ensures that the content is consistent with our mission.

Add your circle to our circle directory, even if it is closed to new members. Just email me the group title, contact person (and telephone and email for our records), when and where you meet, and if your group is open or closed at this time. Why? We are building an awareness of how many are circling and in how many places. It encourages new circles to form and makes our similar efforts visible so we can celebrate them! If your group is closed but you are willing to mentor someone who wants to start a new circle , we will list your contact information on the website with your circle listing.

Let your circle members know about WIM so they can visit and join the site. If you would like me to send you a stack of business cards to pass out, just email me at womensinstituteme@gmail.com. the more of us who are sharing resources, the better!

Calling all budding writers, poets, photographers, artists! We’d like to publish your work in our quarterly online newsletter, InspireMe! We’re looking for any content which is spiritually nurturing, particularly those which address and embrace women’s perspectives. You retain all the rights to your work and if at a later time you wish to submit your work to another publication which requires exclusive rights, we are happy to remove it from our site.

And remember, as an added benefit to our community of circlers, when you become a member (free) you are invited to make a free profile on the site including a photo and a link to your business. Please, we ask that any businesses listed on our site are compatible with basic principles of equality, integrity, inclusiveness, service, sustainability and care for the environment. We reserve the right to remove any links or information which for any reason we feel is incompatible. A listing on the site does not imply we have endorsed or approved of the business in any way.

Let us know what you want or need and how we can help! I’m happy to come visit your group with my computer to demonstrate all the ways WIM could help to connect and support your group. There’s no charge for anything, and no pressure at all. It is simply my passion to serve something I truly believe in.

Circles Basics course offered this winter!

We will be offering our basic class on how to start a wisdom circle at different locations in the greater Portland area this winter! The course, entitled “Women’s Wisdom, Women’s Circles,” will be offered for $29.00 or less including a comprehensive 25 page workbook. All classes (except the one at the Yoga Center) begin at 6pm and go approximately to 9 pm.

Locations:

Feb. 10, The Yoga Center, 449 Forest Ave, contact: 883-6170

March 8, Cape Elizabeth Community Services, contact: 799-2868

March 23, Falmouth Town Hall, contact: 781-5253

March 30, Scarborough High School, contact: 730-4104

Course description: In this world of outer directedness, we can lose ourselves in doing and achieving that is not in alignment with our own wants and needs. Women gathering in circle find a place to tell their truths and to support one another on the inward journey, grounding their outer experience in inward feminine wisdom and a solid sense of self. This primer, offered by the Women’s Institute of Maine’s “Women’s Wisdom Circles Project” offers advice and resources for any individual or group who would like to begin a wisdom circle of their own, including how to attract members, and how to create and maintain a balanced, safe, welcoming space for inner clarity, wisdom, and compassion to emerge and grow.

I highly recommend this FREE series offered by FemininePower.com from Women on the Edge of Evolution. This group of women includes such luminaries as Jean Houston and Barbara Marx Hubbard. The current webinar, delivered by two women sure to lead the new feminism in the near future, Claire Zammit and Catherine Woodward Thomas, (delivered in 2 parts, total time 3 hours 20 min.) is "Awakening the New Feminine Power - How to become your authentic self and co-create the future of our world."  It is an introductory seminar on the three feminine power bases.  I find that what they have to say resonates with my own personal and professional process 100%.  What do I love about it?  It is quite jargon-free and accessible, yet goes some place very deep.  Also, it has confirmed for me that the awakening of feminine power is not only personal, but is a global awakening of consciousness which is speaking to and through many, many of us in very similar and resonant ways. As such, the webinar clearly and accurately articulates the heart of my original intention for the Women's Institute of Maine.  I will seek to connect us to this rich global matrix as much as possible in months and years ahead.   - Laurie McCammon   How to get it: http://femininepower.com  To sign up for the entire Women on the Edge of Evolution series :http://womenontheedgeofevolution.com/

We've made a big decision at our first Action team meeting.

While creating WIM, I've always held a motto, kind of a personal mantra which is for this endeavor to be created with grace and ease, and for whatever we create to be light and lean. I pledged  this once again to the action team last weekend at our retreat.  No one needs another obligation. What we create needs to be synergistic, done with joy, and must offer to give us back what we put in and more. We work smarter, meeting multiple goals at once and thinking outside the box to new ways of being and doing. It's very exciting! We are consciously creating from a brand new paradigm, one largely outside the old, money-based, limited access one. The team embraced this concept (It didn't hurt that we had the alternate human capital guru of Maine, Linda Hogan, the Director of of Portland Time Dollars, in our midst! Thank my lucky stars!)  

A huge step in this direction is that we have decided that membership will remain free for anyone who wants to use it - forever. As the need arises, we may ask for support (which will aim to be  absolutely guilt free!) and will produce sellable products and services. It is important to say that this does NOT mean we are repeating the thought that women's work is not "valuable" enough to ask for remuneration. In fact, our belief is that it is invaluable and priceless. Money is just one form of energy and the important thing is to not block the circular flow of reciprocal energy. Therefore, we hold a faith that abundance and flow is already ours in this community. We support and are supported. What we need flows towards us with grace and ease, and out to our community with grace and ease. We are part of a self-reinforcing system!

So spread the word.  Membership is free and everyone is welcome, even males who honor and appreciate their feminine side!  

Dear sisters,

After a powerful and energizing retreat in Boothbay Harbor,  I am pleased to announce we now have formed an action team to guide WIM now and into the future.  This action team will take on the name, "The WIM Guiding Circle." 

The sacred wisdom circle we've been holding for three months (and were referring to as the Guiding Circle) will seed four new wisdom circles, each autonomous and based in one place - one in Falmouth, one in South Portland, one in Dayton, one in Portland, and a weaving circle based out of Scarborough that will travel to each of the other circles occassionally to "weave" them all together.  

While we always welcome more to our action circle (or any circle for that matter), those who have already made consistently invaluable conributions of heart and spirit to this creation are:  Bonnie-kate Allen, Jackie Belanger, Anni Campbell, Joan Candelmo, Joyce Donald, Tammie Fowles, Jill Hackett, Linda Hogan, Laurie McCammon, and Linda Stilphen.  I also want to express my deepest gratitude (and admiration) to Deborah Knighton Tallarico, Linda Stilphen, and Andrea Ferrante, the owners of the healing centers who have enthusiastically offered to host our three new women's wisdom circles. Their anchoring is an invaluable gift and an important part of our plans. We hope our circles will add to their abundance and further success. 

I wish to thank ALL of these gifted and deeply wise and talented women for helping me to hold and nurture the vision and provide the energy for the Women's Institute of Maine. I am truly humbled by the collective power and insight generated when we all come together in the spirit of service and sisterhood!.......  Wow!  We're really doing it!

Keep it spiraling upwards, sisters!

Warmly,

Laurie McCammon

Founding Collaborator of WIM

WIM is for me a little dream whose time has come. The past couple years have been somewhat grim for women in our state, with the folding of our state's only women's magazine, funding drying up for Maine Cooperative Extension's Beauty Inside Out program and Eleanor Days Retreat, and the dissolution of USM's Center for Continuing Education Enrichment program and along with it the venerable Women in Management Conference.

As the economy tightens, we have a tendency to pull back spending time and money on nurturing ourselves and our dreams. Many wonderful workshops and conferences go empty or cease to go on. We stop investing in ourselves. Yet in lean times, it seems we should do just the opposite. What investment is more worthy than our very selves? Material things pale in comparison to simple joys like time spent in nature, time spent expressing our creativity, losing ourselves in our most heartfelt dreams. An investment in ourselves often assures us the largest and most certain dividends.

This may be a time of economic constriction, but let's not let it be a time of constriction of the human spirit. I hope WIM will contribute to the rekindling of the flame which burns within, offering new and exciting opportunties for women to come together to learn, grow and share. In these times, we are guided to build light and lean, and so we've built WIM intentionally with very low overhead, and all volunteer. We build only what we can sustain long term, and we do it together by whatever moves and attracts us most deeply as individuals. No guilt, no top-down directives, no piling on of volunteer responsibilities. We are simply a collective of women leading ourselves from within our own hearts who recognize the amazing multiplying effect of sharing and combining our gifts.

I hope WIM will be a place you choose to come to incubate your dreams, to find helpmates, mentors, and kindred spirits and to share your many gifts with the world. I invite you to connect with us and help us to expand the circle! I am truly grateful for your good company and wish for your fondest dreams to come to fruition.