Sarah and Hagar: Reaching Out Across the Great Divide
Temple Beth David, 10180 Los Osos Valley Road, San Luis Obispo
7-9 PM, $20, No pre-registration required

Removed as we are from the events described in religious texts of Islam and Judaism about how the Muslim and Jewish communities became separated, the two presenters share stories as a contemporary Muslim and Jewish woman in dialog about themselves, their families and their lives. Using the vehicle of faith and family as pathways to celebrate diversity, the presenters consider the influences of their respective traditional practices on their spiritual pathways. Discussing what they have in common and what is uniquely their own, they will encourage participants to share their own stories as way to nourish and heal the spiritual yearnings that may have been bruised by religious practice.

Nisha Abdul Cader has resided on the Central Coast with her husband and children for over eight years. She is a member of the San Luis Obispo Interfaith Ministerial Association and has participated on numerous interfaith panels at Cal Poly, as well as throughout the greater San Luis Obispo community. She is also a pediatrician who specializes in services to children-at-risk, including abused children, incarcerated youth, and prenatally substance exposed children.

Heather Mendel, spiritual director, artist and author of “Towards Freedom: a feminist haggada for men and women,” has facilitated women’s spirituality groups for the past 15 years. Keynote speaker of the First Annual Women Press Retreat, she lectures, conducts workshops, seminars and retreats, focused on kabbalah, spirituality and egalitarianism.

Cover photo: “White Splendor” by Nancy Koren

The latest issue is now online for download. Enjoy! As always, you can download it and a bunch of other past issues in the Past Issues Archive.

March-April 2008 2.7 M PDF.

The latest issue is now online for download. Enjoy! As always, you can download it and a bunch of other past issues in the Past Issues Archive.

January-February 2008 3.5 Mb PDF

November Workshop: Changing the Story to Save the Earth
Thursday, November 15
Temple Beth David, 10180 Los Osos Valley Road, San Luis Obispo
7-9 PM, $20, No pre-registration required

The poet Muriel Rukeyser says, “The universe is not made of atoms; it is made of stories.” The stories we tell ourselves, the stories we believe, the stories we live, the language, the sound, the images, the processes, the metaphors, all work together to create our reality. Right now most of us are telling ourselves and others a pretty grim story—but times of great peril are also times of great possibility. Let’s change the story and change the world.

This workshop will offer two tools for changing our own, our world’s, and perhaps, the earth’s story: the perspectus, a helmet that lets you see from the perspective of anyone or anything; and the gift of languages, which lets you understand the language of anyone, of anything.

Eve Neuhaus is the author of Journey to Mythaca (WingSpan Press, 2006), a story about stories. She taught elementary and middle school for 23 years before completing a degree at Pacifica Graduate Institute in 2003.

Check out the “Upcoming Workshop Descriptions” link to the right to see all the workshops we have planned.

The latest issue is now online for download. Enjoy! As always, you can download it and a bunch of other past issues in the Past Issues Archive.

November-December 2007 7.0 Mb PDF

A monthly series of workshops

October Workshop: In The Heart Is a Well
Thursday, October 18, 2007

Temple Beth David, 10180 Los Osos Valley Road, San Luis Obispo
7-9 PM $20 No pre-registration required

Whether pursuing a career, nurturing a relationship, or raising kids, our busy lives seldom offer women the opportunity to journey to places within where we are able to source our deep inner wisdom. Through meditation we are able to fill ourselves and let the healing waters spill over and heal our earth.

The workshop will offer basic instruction in meditation and explore through readings from many faith traditions how people have always known to go within for strength and care. Women will leave inspired to begin meditating even for a few minutes each day, and see how our personal care and inner work affects and cares for our Earth and all beings and the next real step towards peace.

Rev. Nancy Ballinger, M.A., M. Div. has taught internationally for many years. She is an ordained interfaith minister and founder of the Awakening Interfaith Spiritual Community in Morro Bay. Rev. Ballinger has had a personal meditation practice for over 20 years and taught meditation for 10 years.

The latest issue is now online for download. Enjoy! As always, you can download it and a bunch of other past issues in the Past Issues Archive.

September-October 2007 4.6 Mb PDF

Our one-day retreat has morphed into a Monthly Workshop Series

We will not be holding the one-day retreat on August 26.

However, the first workshop of the monthly series WILL be held on August 26!
Temple Beth David, 10180 Los Osos Valley Road, San Luis Obispo
2-5 PM
$25
No pre-registration required

First workshop: Spiritual Aging

What is Spiritual Aging? Making sure that you are the best version of yourself you can possibly be. Becoming an instrument of healing for your family. Becoming an Ambassador of Peace in your community and in the world. Experiencing fuller and deeper relationships with others–and yourself. Following in the footsteps of other women who exemplify what it means to age spiritually and gracefully. Making elegant choices that will make your life more meaningful on a day to day basis. In this workshop we will present information, strategies and experiential exercises that will help you to achieve all of these things. Join others who are interested in aging spiritually, meaningfully, and gracefully and learn from one another.

Beverly Engel has been a therapist and workshop leader for over thirty years. She is the best selling author of 20 self-help books and as such she has been a featured guest on many national TV shows, including Oprah. She has also been interviewed for many national magazines and newspapers, including The Washington Post, The LA Times, Cosmopolitan, Ladies Home Journal, Psychology Today and Real Simple. Her current interest is in Spiritual Aging.

Heather Mendel, spiritual director, artist and author of “Towards Freedom: a feminist haggada for men and women,” has facilitated women’s spirituality groups for the past 15 years. Keynote speaker of the First Annual Women Press Retreat, she lectures, conducts workshops, seminars and retreats, focused on kabbalah, spirituality, and egalitarianism.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS.

SEND AN E-MAIL TELLING US YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ATTENDING: editors@womenspress-slo.org

LOOK FOR FUTURE PUBLICITY ABOUT OTHER DATES IN THE SERIES.

Retreat Workshop Descriptions

The latest issue is now online for download. Enjoy! As always, you can download it and a bunch of other past issues in the Past Issues Archive.

July-August 2007 Issue - 4.7 M PDF.

A Powerful Process for Reviewing, Re-Envisioning and
Re-Creating the Second Half of Life

Are you a woman age 40 or older who is looking for a new direction or a new start to your life? Are you overwhelmed by the changes ahead?
Or are you feeling inspired and creative but can’t find your passion?
If so, you are cordially invited to a powerful transformation process designed specifically for women.

Every Thursday in June
San Luis Obispo location
$200

Learn innovative techniques to help you re-envision how you want to live the rest of your life * Identify the obstacles and limiting beliefs and behaviors that prevent you from moving forward and living a joyous life * Discover powerful tools that will help you to move more creatively into the future * experience your personal renaissance by fulfilling undeveloped parts of yourself.

Beverly Engel, M.F.T., is the bestselling author of 18 self-help books and is an internationally recognized expert in women’s issues and relationships. She has been a psychotherapist and workshop leader for 30 years. She has shared her expertise on many national television programs, including Oprah, CNN, Sally Jesse Raphael, Ricki Lake, and Starting Over.

Heather Mendel is a speech and hearing therapist, spiritual director, calligraphic artist, writer and storyteller. She has facilitated spirituality groups for women for the past 15 years. Her book, Towards Freedom, has been well received nationally and abroad. She is a guest speaker in many local venues and a guest lecturer each semester at Cal Poly, in the area of women’s spirituality.

Proceeds benefit the Women’s Press

* Click for more information and an Intermezzo registration form or call (805) 528-7544.