Gender Equality & Reconciliation
2016-2017
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2016 ~ 2017
Yearlong Training
(four modules over a year)
first module 2016 dates:
South Africa
March 2 - 6
United States
April 23 - 28
"I wish Gender Reconciliation could be done all over India. Each time I attend, my eyes are opened more and more. This work is crucial for religious communities."
- Sr. Lucy Kurien, founding director of Maher interfaith ashram in India & GRI presenter
"I have experienced Gender Reconciliation as a spiritual quest."
- Rev. Richard Paine,
United Methodist minister & GRI presenter
We are delighted to announce that Aline Kras, a filmmaker from Los Angeles, began filming at the Parliament for a new film about Gender Reconciliation that will highlight the stories of transformation of people whose lives have been transformed by this work. Our deep gratitude to Aline!
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Key Elements
of the
Professional
Training
* Advanced and creative group facilitation skills
* Creating safe space and maintaining integrity
* Principles and spiritual basis of reconciliation
* Working with emotions, trauma, and PTSD
* Gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, and transgender issues
* Intimate communication skills and presence
* Conflict transformation and collective alchemy
* Sexuality (sacred and profane) and spirituality
* Holotropic Breathwork
experience
* Tricky and volatile gender issues and pitfalls
* Transmuting shadow aspects and unawareness
* Ceremony and celebration skills in community
"Delving deeply into this work inevitably takes people on an inner journey, and if they follow it far enough, they are ultimately led into an awakening of an expan-sive, all-encompassing love.
This is called in some traditions an encounter with the Beloved--a mystical form of love. It is where Gender Reconciliation work ultimately leads, but it is rarely what people
are seeking when they enter into it."
- Book excerpt from
Divine Duality: The Power of Reconciliation Between Women and Men
Are you interested in the Professional Training in Gender Equality
and
Reconciliation?
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A resounding SPLASH was created by Gender Reconciliation International (GRI) last month at the Parliament of World Religions in Salt Lake City, October 15 - 19, 2015. This was quite an achievement given that nearly 10,000 people from 50 faith traditions across the globe attended the conference.
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GRI Panelists at the Parliament (from left to right)
Rev Cynthia Brix, Sr Lucy Kurien, Rev Laurie Gaum, Zanele Khumalo
Dr William Keepin, Rev Richard Paine,
Imam Jamal Rahman, Antonia Porter
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We are deeply grateful for our colleagues who were panelists for our conference session entitled: Transforming Patriarchy in Religion: The Promise of Gender Reconciliation. Powerful and heartfelt sharings were offered from all the panelists who spoke to a deeper call for healing gender disharmony in their personal lives, spiritual communities, and in society.
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A
constant flow of Parliament attendees visited our
Gender Reconciliation International exhibit booth
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"What an amazingly enriching experience meeting and engaging with people from different religious and faith communities, interfaith groups, spiritual seekers and individuals as we shared the GOOD NEWS of Gender Reconciliation International." ~
Zanele Khumalo, GRI staff
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Antonia Porter (GRI staff) sharing about the upcoming Gender Reconciliation training for religious and spiritual leaders
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The Parliament programs consisted mainly of lectures and discussion, so the experiential format of our Gender Reconciliation session was a welcome change - and relief! - for over 80 attendees who had the opportunity to actually experience the Gender Reconciliation International program rather than just hear about it.
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Participants sharing personal stories during the cross-gender activity in our Gender Reconciliation session at the Parliament
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If I had known that we were going to do this cross-gender activity, I would have been more honest in my responses from the very beginning," reflected one woman participant after
a powerful cross-gender witnessing activity.
Many participants spoke of how moved they were by GRI's conference session. A beautiful aspect of the Gender Reconciliation process is the culture of deep respect and mutual reverence that is cultivated by creating a safe space for participants to share their gender-based stories with integrity, compassion and non-judgment.
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Natalia Cediel and Zanele Khumalo and other GRI staff
handing out our introductory booklets:
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S
everal GRI staff were invited to two meetings during the Parliament convened by Sojourners Editor Jim Wallis and his staff, to explore the theme 'Men as Allies' in support of strategic initiatives to prevent violence against women and girls. About 20 professionals from various NGOs, academic, and civic organizations gathered to explore practical avenues to engage men in reducing violence against women. GRI staff made several important connections with new colleagues and organizations, and we are grateful to Jim Wallis for convening these inspiring meetings.
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T-shirt worn by all GRI staff
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"I followed that T-shirt (see photo on left) which said 'Transforming Patriarchy in Religion: The Promise of Gender Reconciliation' all the way to
the booth to find out what this was all about." reported one woman who came the GRI exhibit booth.
"I had been wondering why I came to the Parliament", she continued. "When I saw the back of that T-shirt, I knew this was the reason!"
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GRI Staff and Panelists at the Parliament of World Religions
Back Row: Natalia Cediel, Rev Rick Paine (GRI board member), Will Keepin, Sr Lucy Kurien, Zanele Khumalo, Chaya Pamula (GRI board member), Patrick Fischer, Imam Jamal Rahman.
Front Row: Rev Laurie Gaum, Rev Cynthia Brix, Antonia Porter,
Scott Van Note (in absentia)
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A deep bow of gratitude and appreciation
to a truly international
GRI team for your energy, time, commitment and presence throughout the Parliament: Zanele Khumalo (South Africa), Antonia Porter (UK), Natalia Cediel (Bogota, Colombia), Scott Van Note (
Santa Fe, NM), Patrick Fischer (Columbus, OH), Rev. Laurie Gaum (South Africa), Chaya Pamula (New Jersey), Sr Lucy Kurien (Pune, India), Rev. Rick Paine (Freeland, WA), Imam Jamal Rahman (Seattle, WA)
Rev. Cynthia Brix
(Seattle, WA), Will Keepin (Seattle, WA).
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