An Evolving Consciousness Salon: Women, Meditation, Feminism & Spirituality
6:45 – 8:15, every Tuesday In July
Over the month of July (the magical month of 5’s in 2012) Renee Pilgrim will host a discussion series based on her years of work exploring consciousness, culture, sexuality, and feminism. Hosted by the Toronto Women’s Bookstore, the series runs Tuesdays evenings in July from 6:45 to 8:15. The cost of the entire series is $65 in advance, or $15 per individual session. While women are encouraged to sign up for the entire series individual sessions are complete onto themselves.
The evening will begin with the reading of a short article, followed by a brief meditation (out of respect for the other participants those attending are asked to arrive by 6:45 to ensure this time for quiet sitting). Each week a new topic will be presented for discussion. Topics will draw on our individual experiences while aiming for a greater understanding of common structures.
1. Has the women’s “revolution” stalled?
2. Are women better suited for leadership than men?
3. Will feminine values lead us into the future?
4. How can women create a “once and for all” shift in culture?
5. Does deep social change depend on profound spiritual awakening?
These topics are complex and full of opportunities to explore new ideas and understanding. Through her engagement with the practice and theories of Chinese Medicine and teachings of Evolutionary Enlightenment, Renee brings a framework and perspective to these discussions based in and informed by those ideas:
“If we are a part of a greater process moving forward, if this process has produced such greatness and at the same time despair, what would it mean to engage a conscious awareness of the structures in place that can determine our ability to reach our greatest potential? The feminist movement, for example, produced a shift in consciousness that rocked the western world. It was a necessary impulse that opened the world of opportunities for women. We still have so much work to do and it starts with us.”
Renee Pilgrim has been leading workshops for over 15 years. Originally specializing in the fields of theatre, film, and sexual health, in 2007 she began studying Chinese Medicine, leading to the opening of a practice in 2009 at Eight Branches Healing Arts Centre (www.eightbranches.ca). From her practice in Chinese Medicine she has branched out to working in meditation and spiritual practice. Her studies are ongoing, and have included the ‘Women Forging the Future’ retreat (2010), the ‘Ten Agreements for Evolving Women’ course (2011), and the ‘Being and Becoming’ retreat in Tuscany. In 2012 her studies have continued with ten-week virtual workshop ‘The 2012 Ten Agreements for Evolving Women,’ and the weekend intensive ‘Women, Sex, Power & Leadership.’(held by Dr. Elizabeth Debold and Mary Adams of www.artemisforum.com, 2011).
All inquiries can be directed toacupuncture@reneepilgrim.com.
*A note to my Genderqueer community: the target group for this series of discussions is self-identified women. This conversation certainly extends beyond the gender binary norm, however, and I plan to have those conversations at a later date in a similar forum for people with non-binary identities.