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Bringing Women and Men Together
Gender Equity and Reconciliation International
Participants from Boston Workshop ~ #WeHealTogetherNewEngland
"The impact on me intellectually, emotionally and spiritually were quite profound. To call my experience transformational is not overstated ... I experienced a significant paradigm shift, and left with my humility deeply reaffirmed. More importantly, I left with a deep and passionate commitment to play an active role in bridging the divide between women and men to effect immediate and long term change."
- Male Participant from Boston Workshop
"It felt like my own heart opened as I watched other hearts opening, forming a collective heart... Over the course of those three days, it felt like something very sacred happened. In many settings where gender issues come up, conversation quickly turns to debate, but there was not one debate or argument in these circles - only listening to understand one another's stories... As I reflect back on #WeHealTogetherNewEngland, I still carry an embodied feeling of the heart of empathy that emerged like a beautiful weave, story by story, as we sat in sacred circles together."
~ Emily Nielsen Jones, Founding Partner, Imago Dei Fund
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Welcome to our 2018-19 USA GERI Trainees!
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Please join us in offering a hearty, warm welcome to our 2018-2019 trainees who just completed Module I of the U.S. Gender Equity and Reconciliation International (GERI) yearlong immersion training.
We're off to a powerful start for this yearlong immersion, with a wonderful new training cohort. The training staff for this module brought together a remarkable team of GERI trainers from four countries, who together imparted the remarkable international character and multi-cultural implementation of the GERI program -- to create a rich learning experience for all. Trainers included Zanele Khumalo and Laurie Gaum from South Africa, Will Keepin, Cynthia Brix, and Julien Devereux from the USA, and (trainers in training) William and Esther Diplock from Australia, and Karambu Ringera from Kenya.
Thank you all for showing up!--and for trusting the process through the challenges and inspirations. The magnificent honoring ceremonies of the last days are still glowing in our hearts.
Congratulations to Dra Lourdes Mantecón-Garza, Mangesh Pol, and Dr. Karambu Ringera who completed and graduated from the GERI Immersion Training and are now Level I GERI fa
cilitators.
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HIGHLIGHTS from GERI
in United States
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Rochester, NY ~ October 11-14, 2018
Santa Fe, NM ~ October 12-14
Further details forthcoming.
Attention Frequent Flyers!
GERI is seeking donations of frequent flyer miles, both national and international to assist in bringing international gender activists and facilitators from developing countries into GERI's professional training program.
To donate miles, please contact Garrett at Garrett@grworld.org
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Boston, MA
#WeHealTogetherNewEngland
In the wake of the #MeToo campaign and revelations of rampant sexual harassment in our society, Gender Equity and Reconciliation International (GERI) convened a unique invitational gathering April 30 - May 2, comprised of 48 men and women leaders from gender activist initiatives, church communities, universities, and non-profits from across the United States, plus India and Rwanda. We gathered for three days in a beautiful, private setting near Boston, MA to experience the GERI process.
"Rarely have I experienced such vulnerability, rawness, empathy and grace as I did with you," reflected one male participant.
"I will treasure the stories I heard. I especially
appreciated the honoring and blessing ceremonies we created for each other. I was surprised at how much they moved me to tears."
The group came together with courage, authenticity, tenderness, and a sincere desire to reach out across the veils of gendered wounding and misunderstanding, and so to seek the means of genuine healing and reconciliation. We shared stories from the depths of our hearts, listened together, laughed together, cried together, celebrated together, and through it all, came to know one another as friends and began to reawaken the rightful harmony, balance, and mutual reverence in which we are called to live.
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"I was renewed, shaped, challenged, connected, healed and inspired... The sharing from women to men touched my heart deeply... I made my decision not to keep quiet anymore and will always advocate for women created in the image of God as our mothers, wives, daughters, sisters and
nieces," said Philbert Kalisa, the Founder and CEO of REACH in Rwanda. Mr. Kalisa directs a restorative justice project in Rwanda, and expressed strong interest in integrating GERI programs into his work.
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I am so grateful for the opportunity to be part of a community that is feeling their way forward in the often difficult dialogue between men and women."
said another participating woman leader.
We are deeply grateful to Emily Nielsen-Jones,  founding partner of the Imago Dei Fund for co-convening/co-hosting this invitational gathering with Gender Equity and Reconciliation International (GERI). Many thanks to our co-facilitators: Judy Bekker, Laurie Gaum, Garrett Evans, and Mangesh Pol.
We also extend heartfelt gratitude to our
co-hosts: Ross Jones, Michele and Tim Breene, Adele and Doug Calhoun, Gloria and Ray Hammond.
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Esalen Institute
Healing The Divide: Men, Women, and Spiritual Reconciliation
Our Gender Equity and Reconciliation International (GERI) program was honored to unite with Stanislav Grof's Holotropic Breathwork to create a unique, transformative workshop, attended by 77 people. The Holotropic Breathwork, which GERI includes in our longer training programs, was found
ed by Stan Grof at Esalen over forty years ago. What a joy and privilege it was to share this opportunity and to work alongside Stan and Brigitte Grof, Diane Haug, Mireya Alejo Marcet, Sharanya Naik, and Cal Parrott.
"I have been to Esalen three times since December and this was by far the best experience and workshop. The workshop was cutting edge... I cannot imagine any better retreat container for such groundbreaking material. I am so grateful that I was able to attend." ~ Workshop Participant
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Our joint team of GERI and Holotropic Breathwork facilitators worked seamlessly together, providing valuable support on multiple levels. Thank you to senior GERI trainers, Zanele Khumalo, Julien Devereux, John Tsungme Guy, and GERI facilitators, Laurie Gaum, Samantha Catalina Sinclair, Phil Vivirito, Alka Arora, Garrett Evans, and Patrick Fischer.
St. Louis, Missouri
A Journey of Healing Between Women and Men
We were delighted to be invited back to St. Louis for the third time and honored to join with thirty-one men and women with open hearts and an eager willingness to truly listen to one another.
 There was a depth of sincerity and authenticity, which flowered into a beautiful sense of safety and trust within the community as we shared our stories and held witness to each other. The honoring ceremonies
on the final day were particularly moving, and left the community deeply impacted by the profound level of healing, transformation, and restoration of right relationships that is possible between men and women.
"This was by far the most transformational experience I've had in regards to healing the wounds between
men and women. It was also the first time I've had hope for relationships where each person is heard, and their pain is understood. The honoring ceremony on the third day left me on a cloud of unconditional love, and my heart was fully open to the grace of humanity."
~ Male Participant
Deep gratitude to Phil Vivirito  as the primary workshop organizer. Congratulations to the skillful and heartfelt facilitation by GERI facilitators and interns: Phil Vivirito, Francesca Bottos, Scott Van Note, Sarah Gardam, and Garrett Evans.
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GERI Conference Presentations
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Whidbey Institute
Winter Gathering
Congratulations to our two GERI facilitators --
Scott Van Note and Alka Arora -- who delivered a plenary talk on Gender Equity and Reconciliation International (GERI) followed by a 90-minute GERI program at the Winter Gathering of the Whidbey Institute.
Thank you to Rick Ingrasci and Peggy Taylor for inviting GERI to the Winter Gathering and to our board member, Rick Paine for all your continued love and support.
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American Society
of Group Psychotherapy & Psychodrama
Deep gratitude to Karla Reading and Julien Devereux who offered a Gender Equity and Reconciliation International (GERI) program at the American Society of Group Psychotherapy Psychodrama conference in Dallas. Hats off to Karla for holding the torch, writing the proposal, and facilitating this event and introducing GERI to 22 therapists, social workers, and clinicians from around the world.
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International Conference on Conflict Resolution Education
Many thanks to Tatyana Sinetskaya, GERI trainee for giving a presentation on the GERI program at the 2018 International Conference on Conflict Resolution Education in Cleveland, Ohio.
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pcoming Australia Workshops
For more information, please contact:
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Congratulations to Esther and William Diplock on their workshop in Brisbane, Australia.
"We had the delight, joy and warmth of leading a daylong Gender Equity and Reconciliation workshop in Brisbane. A wonderful group of participants started to explore the challenges that gender presents in a patriarchal culture, with some beautiful moments of connection and healing."
~ William Diplock,
Co-Director, Gender Equity and Reconciliation Australia
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For more information, please see three recent online articles written by participants in our GERI programs:
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August 31 - September 2, 2018
Gender Equity and Reconciliation Workshop
Co-Hosted by GERI and International Peace Initiatives
Meru, Kenya
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Gender Equity and Reconciliation International (GERI) has been bringing women and men together for healing and reconciliation for 26 years. Our work has been introduced in nine countries to date, and we are currently conducting comprehensive training programs in four countries: United States, South Africa, India, Kenya.
GERI is a project of the Satyana Institute, a non-profit training organization. Satyana Institute relies upon
the support of individuals and sponsoring organizations. Donations gratefully received.
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For more information visit:
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