By Line St-Pierre and the other attendees of the “Daughters of God” retreat held September 22-25
“The human personality is not merely a concomitant of time-and-space events; the human personality can also act as the cosmic cause of such events.” 12:5.11 (135.10)
In the historic Forum Room at Urantia Foundation headquarters in Chicago, ten women gathered for a retreat on September 22 to 25, 2016, “Dancing with God: Embodying the Love of God.” This was the second event of its kind, the first having been held a year ago.
This intimate milieu of trust fostered reflection on inner lives, honoring our true selves through periods of meditation and journaling time, as we delved into two questions: How do I feel and understand that God loves me? How do I embody God's love in my life?
Using the group method of the fishbowl experience, we shared intimate moments filled with joy, tears, laughter, respect, and acknowledgment of the uniqueness of each personality.
Golden moments of silence were filled with inspiration, leading us to unveil our true natures, to understand more of the nature of God, and to recognize our cosmic responsibility as women to go forth and bring the teachings of The Urantia Book to the world around us.
Here are comments from some of the participants at the September 2016 retreat:
• My experience with the teachings of The Urantia Book was one of symmetry, order, and structure, with the outburst of beautiful colors. But in my relationships with people it seemed that I was living in a cocoon; I was not reaching out.
These retreats are organic and flowing, shimmering with joy, emotion, and music. There is the ability to be in the moment and to appreciate relationships as unique.
• This has been an amazing experience in my life—both spiritually and socially. I enjoy the concept of “Dancing with God.” I feel that, as a result, I have grown to the point of feeling the need to bring forth a message of love and acceptance.
• This was an amazing experience. I was so in need of sisterhood, and this was an answer to a prayer. I have fallen in love with each of you, the essence of each one of you, the real you. We have so much in common, yet we are different.
• It was an experience of connecting, of coming to know the gifts we were given to share, and how powerful we are. It was an experience I can draw from. Learning to dance with God is so liberating. I am sorry to have it end, but I know that we can transform others this way.
• I was blessed with the rare experience of seeing the real you: a young girl, a real person. The essence of each of you is incredible, magnificent.
• Thank you for opening the door of the heart and giving from the deepest part of yourselves. The depth of sharing of experiences, the courage to reveal our conflicts, was profound and brought about what I experienced as an instantaneous change in my psyche. I am thankful for an enlightening and empowering experience.
• Freeing myself from my vulnerabilities helps me to heal, and doing it with women is so safe. If I can’t talk about something, then I haven’t moved on—I am holding on to the past. But when I say it, it is liberating. Integration takes place slowly, but I will leave with something gained rather than something lost.
• I have always had a natural tendency to want to help the weak, but my problem is an abundance of emotion. I am always rushing around, becoming run down, and losing balance and confidence. This group is like my school, giving me grounding, teaching me to balance service with self, to be stronger and more confident when interacting with people.
I can now see that God is not too busy for me, and I accept his will, with the strength of this group of amazing women behind me. This is a banquet that I will digest little by little over time. I have no words to tell all of you how grateful I am.
The Daughters of God group, facilitated by Katharina Becker, Doreen Heyne, Carolyn Prentice, and Line St-Pierre, would love to share this model with other groups to help them encourage more women to appreciate their value and calling. If you would like to experience this retreat, we would be happy to travel to your retreat site to meet with your group. If you plan a date, gather six to eight women and reserve a venue, we will commit to meeting with your group. We look forward to empowering more women to follow their spiritual longings for sisterhood and outreach. Please contact Line St-Pierre for more information at [email protected] [2].
Back row: Marta Loftus, Lila Dogim, Margaret Slater Thompson
Front row: Susan Owen, Evette Twyford, Doreen Heyne, Line St-Pierre, Katharina Becker, Dolores Rubio, Carrie Prentice