We were a small group. We shared tea, food, quiet time, walking time, and conversation. We wanted to begin a conversation about what this group of women felt nourished them, where their struggles were, and what supported them. We were exploring what it is to be a woman, in this day and age.The day was simple, and quiet, and much was said. We listened to each other’s stories, and felt the resonances of similarities, and curiosity about our differences. We left, having enjoyed the time together; some of us had slight headaches, some of us were resolved to put our ideas into practice as soon as possible, some of us were hopeful, some of us were cosily sleepy. Since then, the weaving of the conversations has been ongoing through myriads of moments and constellations of women. We realise that it is important for women to spend time in company, in community, in playfulness, to find peaceful and nourishing spaces, within which to discover, develop, and remember our skills and our tools, that we use to navigate life.

We know we need time to be unsure, to be in unknowing, to be ourselves, to be.

We need time to be alone, but supported by companions.

We cherish friendship.

We feel a deep desire and need to move, sing, dance and exercise our bodies – to find our vitality.

We want to make, and to create.

We need to remember our boundaries.

We need time to build our homes, families, and communities.

We want to stay in touch with our sensuality and our sexuality.

We love the idea of being able to allow ourselves permission to move more slowly, thoughtfully and sensorily through our lives.

We want to bring together different ages of women, especially our young women daughters, finding events and rituals that can help us share our knowledge and skills together.

We love opening our selves to Nature and in Nature, responding to the wild and unknown, and the changing seasons, and all that they connect us to, and remind us of.

We love to find Nature within and without us.

WomenWell in the Wild is calling to the community of women with its many shifting dynamics and constellations, to call forth and create gatherings that give us nourishment and comfort, where we encounter delight, challenge, new skills, old knowledges.

We are such a rich and talented community, with so much to offer. It can be bewildering. We are also a busy community, pouring out to family, friends, and work, sometimes overwhelmed and panicked by how much there is to do, and how little time. But with slowness and patience and faith, time is found to join together and share.

Our aim is to put on an event each month of the year, bar January and August. You are invited to think about a skill, craft, idea, workshop, gathering…something you can offer, that can be done at Ashlyn, responding to the land, and the cycles and culture of bio-diversity, agriculture and forestry.

We like the idea of beginning slowly and letting WomenWell in the Wild take its time to develop. At the same time we are excited and keen to get going.

If you are interested please e-mail Filipa, and we will make time to talk.

Filipa Pereira-Stubbs

Cambridge, 2011