Women’s Spirituality and Peacemaking Program

The turtle is an ancient symbol of women’s wisdom and power. The women from one of our classes at the Federal Correctional Insitute in Dublin, CA added color and their own flair to this mural, drawn by Kendra, a colleague at the American Friends Service Committee.

Who We Are
Women’s spirituality is a powerful force for peacemaking. Deeply rooted in women’s experience and stories, this program explores the values and practices of this spirituality that help us heal and make peace with ourselves, our families, our communities, creation and in our world. Our small group process manual, and the retreats and workshops that we offer, will be companions that enhance the journey we are on as women seeking to make peace.

Traveling with the Turtle: A Small Group Process in Women’s Spirituality and Peacemaking
We are excited to announce the publication of our small group process manual! This book is now available for you to use in an existing circle of women or in one that you decide to form.

Traveling with the Turtle draws from the work of Engage: Exploring Nonviolent Living but is designed specifically for women. As you go through this process, you will explore women’s spirituality and its contribution to peacemaking. You will consider your own experience of conflict and violence and habitual responses to them, and then discover and unleash the power you possess deep within, in order to make peace in your life in ways that are practical, creative and inclusive. You will be one of an increasing number of circles of women that are acting together for peace.

Come travel with the turtle… Order book here!

Upcoming Workshops and Retreats

If your community would like to host a Traveling with the Turtle retreat or workshop, please contact us.

The Pace e Bene Prison Project
In collaboration with the American Friends Service Committee, we regularly offer 2-month “Women Healing from Violence” courses at the Federal Correctional Institute in Dublin, CA.  These courses draw on Traveling with the Turtle.  The women who attend receive pre-release credit. This course is also being offered at transitional housing sites and domestic violence shelters. If you are interested in taking this process into a local prison or shelter, please contact us and we will send you an outline of the course.

Traveling With the Turtle Coordinators
Cindy Preston-Pile
Irene Woodward

Contact Us
You can reach us at: turtle [at] paceebene [dot] org or (510) 268-8908.

Links
Peace X Peace
The Peace X Peace Global Network connects individuals and Circles of women everywhere in the world, through the Internet, for spirited conversation and mutual support.