|  Creating
a Gathering in 2005: Why, How and What
Why should you create a gathering on
March 8?
International Women’s Day provides us all with an incredible
opportunity to create an energetic field of women coming together
around the world on the same day, with shared intention. Together
we can create a unified whole that is much greater than the
simple sum of the parts.
When you register your gathering on our web site, you become
an active part of an interactive global community of women.
Women on the other side of the world can connect with your
ideas and creativity; women in your community can find out
details so they can attend your gathering.
We invite you to use Gather the Women as a unifying energetic
banner under which all can gather. Gather the Women requires
no permanent affiliation; in fact, we welcome women who are
already passionately affiliated with other organizations.
Whether you come as an individual doing a small circle or
an organization with a large venue, we trust that your gatherings
will be much more meaningful if they are created through your
leadership and grow out of the context of your own creativity
and passion, your own cultural values and your own perfect
understanding of the needs of the women in your community.
Common Threads
We do ask you to support the unifying energy of these gatherings
by joining us to incorporate three things into your gathering:
-
When you are registered on our directory, we will send
you a reading or meditation which will bring our thoughts
to the women and the events being held all over the world
on this day.
-
We all need a vision. Either read the vision statement
of Gather the Women (on our web site) or your own.
-
Make a point of having conversation with the men in your
lives about this day, it’s meaning. Ask them to
support and honor ALL that is feminine and to educate
their brothers.
How to Create a
Gathering
Gatherings can be as small as three women sharing a tea ceremony
or as large as thousands of women joined in a candlelight
vigil. Here are some common questions …
and simple solutions:
Where? Logistics
of space and environment
Gatherings do not have to cost a lot of money. It takes only
some thought to create an environment that reflects beauty
and peace, whether you are meeting in circle, having friends
for a potluck or meeting in a church hall, library or larger
venue.
- Create a circle whenever possible. We have done that in
my community with over 200 women! It works. (Large rounded
horseshoe really)
- Decorate your space with beautiful fabric, banners, artwork,
candles, plants, flowers or figurines -- whatever you and
your team have on hand.
- Outdoor gatherings can be beautiful if you have good
weather during this month. If there is any chance of rain,
plans for outdoor gatherings can cause added stress.
- There are many different kinds of meeting rooms available
in your community. Have you explored all the options available
for a large room at local churches, community centers, schools
or universities, park shelters, business conference rooms
- If there is a small fee for using a room, you can ask
for donations from your attendees – or seek sponsorship
from a local organization or business to underwrite that
cost.
- Consider developing a list of available rooms and associated
costs that your team can use year after years.
- Local businesses are often willing to donate flowers,
refreshments, printing, etc.
Music
- It is easy to use a portable CD player to provide music
for your gathering.
- Entering the room with background music begins the connections.
Soft music, classic sounds, vocals whatever helps you to
begin to feel calm and peace within will do the same for
the participants.
- Provide the opportunity for women to raise their voices
in song – provide simple printed lyrics to a familiar
song.
- There are many powerful songs that can add punctuation
and emphasis to your gathering. Among your planning team,
you can easily identify 2-3 to use.
- You may have local musical artists who want to share
their gifts with a live performance.
Funding
- For those who plan more elaborate gatherings, a little
pre-March work can raise some money.
- Some groups charge a small fee to cover the cost to rent
a hall.
- You can begin approaching individuals and merchants immediately
to underwrite the costs.
How to gather a diverse
group of women
If we are EVER to get beyond our differences we have to start
somewhere to explore our commonalities. The following suggestions
are those GTW hold as a container for bringing women together.
- You might begin with your own circle of friends. Would
they be interested – and would they each bring one
other friend?
- Consider contacting the heads of local women’s
groups to co-create a gathering. While Gather the Women
is not issue-oriented, certainly many of the women leaders
in our communities are focused on issues.
- Reach out for balance. i.e.: Invite groups representing
all major political parties, both sides of an issue, all
faiths.
- Diversity and variety in an environment of open exchange,
peaceful interaction and inspiration tends to open hearts
and honor all.
- Your organization may want to stand with us under the
GTW banner to promote your work, your issues, your concerns
and you are welcome to do so.
Creating a week
of deepening our intentions
As in the past two years, we offer a structure to provide
a full week of introspection, exploration and connection around
March 8, International Women’s Day. This context can
help create a deeper experience for you and for the women
of your community, stirring the pot of reflection and dialogue.
You will find details of this year’s week-long exploration
at:
- The guidelines can be used to focus your own personal
meditation or pondering.
- You might invite women at work to use their lunch time
to discuss the topic of the day.
- Many communities of us have set aside an hour to meet
with a larger group of women with a facilitator combining
the focus with some personal exchange or exercise.
Program: What
happens at your gathering?
Your gathering should be an expression of your co-creative
brilliance.
- Certainly a small gathering can use this day for ceremony,
discussion and introspection.
- Always allow plenty of time for dialogue in a circle.
Every woman should have a chance to speak and be heard,
to listen and to reflect back what she hears.
- You might also consider ways to reach out to the women
in your community though more elaborate events that promote
partnership, collaboration, fund raising or to initiate
specific projects.
- Larger venues might weave together musicians, movement,
ritual, film along with inspirational speakers and lots
of opportunity to connect individually women to women.
Ask for Help
Marilyn Nyborg would be happy to answer your questions and
give you support as you create your gatherings. Contact her
at Marilyn@GatherTheWomen.org.
Follow Up
We want to strongly suggest that a follow up evening in a
casual setting would be a great opportunity to get feedback
and hear what connections might have been made.
We also encourage women EVERYWHERE to create a circle of
women to meet with on a regular basis. If you have not already
done so, it is an opportunity to meet other women who would
appreciate the connection and support. We all need more safe
places where we can witness and learn from one another.
Circle
Building
We encourage you to review www.millionithcircle.com
for suggestions and tools for creating a meaningful circle.
Please register your circle (old or new) on www.peaceXpeace.com.
Here you will have an opportunity to network with other women
in circle around the world. We can learn so much from one
another through the topics that are being explored, the spirituality
being expressed and the oneness of our sisterhood.
Register on the
GTW Website
Finally of course, we invite you and all participants of
the Marh 8th gatherings to please register
in the directory on our site at www.gatherthewomen.org
so that we may continue to build this Matrix of incredible
women.
In the words of Marilyn Nyborg:
“We have the opportunity to build a
community of women connected by a golden thread that runs
through all life. As I come to know you, I come to know
myself better. And together through our intention, connection,
education and our network, we can bring the influence of
compassion, peace, diversity, and strength of purpose to
a world in need of healing.”
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