What participants were saying (2008)
Our class was so great--we have come so far, trusting one another with our words and trusting the process. I loved it! It was very meaningful; in fact, I will remember this month of sessions for decades to come.
I often shared stories that I knew were vulnerable, but I needed a way to talk about what was going on in my life. It was nice to be affirmed in my telling of my stories without feeling dismissed or having my story take over conversations and interactions.
Women's support, acceptance, respect and ability to share their emotions was very powerful and brought a sense of connection never felt before with 'strangers'.
Thanks so much for the support I received, both from the participants and the instructional team, their encouragement went a long way and made me believe in my ability to share, express and connect with others through writing.
Phebe did a fantastic job keeping our sessions moving without diminishing what people were contributing. She is to be commended for her sensitivity and leadership.
I appreciated the fast writes and read back lines each week. These opportunities to share and listen helped me to gain insight with regard to my own writing process.
I am reflecting and feeling empowered that there is a place for me and for my contributions in this world. . . . And to the other women in this class -- you are valuable and you matter, too. I treasure the sharing that you have done and look forward to upcoming sessions.
I loved this session. I loved being accountable and not being able to run away and hide -- knowing that I needed to put my best foot forward and write and post and share.
I loved how we went around and passed the talking stone. I appreciated how Karen rang the bell as if to clear a space after each item # and after some postings.
A-ha moment -- I love the FastWrite knowing that, at the end of the allotted time, there are a group of women waiting to share.
I love being able to sit here with my candle and my meow-meow and write and share and read and participate from the privacy of my own home.
I love how much passion I had for this writing class. . . . I feel inspired and grateful to be a pioneer participant in this virtual course.
Gift: finally to have the moment where women gather and share their words. It is truly as amazing, if not more so, to do this on-line. I can't wait for more!
I liked getting ready to do the actual writing -- creating a sacred space by my computer, lighting a candle, preparing to introduce myself. . . . Overall, I feel extremely grateful to be able to be a pioneering participant in co-creating sacred cyber circles.
The writing process is magical for me -- transformative -- with me all week. By the end of today's session, I was less focused on the screen and could imagine each of us in our places creating this circle. Amazing again!
Thank you again for this experience. I feel grateful to be part of it -- even teasing out the technical challenges!
I am truly enjoying the fast-write, and I loved the Mary Oliver poem from which our prompts came.
Phebe did a great job leading our class. . . . I am grateful for all the lovely voices and the words we choose to share.
Although it is true that we can't see each others' smiles or tears, we can "see" our words. The words woven with the processes makes it all work.
Gifts: So many I don't know where to begin. It seems like most of the kinks have disappeared from the technology and that the writing/sharing is jelling and extends beyond the time we spend in class. The writing is amazing. I don't want this course to end.
There's something about the collective energy of writing women, even here in cyberspace, that creates a synergistic field that allows me to access and connect with deep parts of myself that might not be possible otherwise.
I liked listening to the audio part with the poem being read. That was great.
The opening poem was moving, and I may do more with it as we didn't seem to go back to it.
Challenges: It's hard for me to fastwrite in my journal [and then to] mine it for the readaround, type it in and read the instructions. Maybe I should do it on my computer so I can cut and paste.
We are really coming together as a group! This session was the smoothest yet. Karen did a great job as facilitator plus all of us are getting the hang of the technology. . . . I can't believe how easily Women Writing processes translated to a virtual environment!
It is such a blessing to be a part of this class. I can't wait to read the fastwrites, small group writes and to savor the comments written to mine. Thank you all.
The gift was the power and generosity of the word - hands down - far outweighed the challenges.
Overall the experience online was positive. Thanks to all involved the developers, facilitators and women participants.
Phebe was grace under pressure. The women of our circle still managed to maintain the container. Thank you for the wonderful writing and for sharing yourself. I am grateful, grateful.
These soul messages are difficult today as they follow our last class -- sweet, sweet, tears. I am so grateful and my "heart is humble" for being invited to participate in this event. It has impacted me tremendously, and I am sure I will be unwrapping gifts for a long, long time yet to come.
Feedback from Women Writing (July Term 2009)
I have found in this course the opportunity to express myself beyond the means that I was aware of. Trained as an academic, I was at a point in my career when I was searching beyond the intellect and I found it here.
I thank you all for opening your hearts, for your sensitivity and non-judgemental attitudes, for trusting, for being there and contributing to this wonderful and life-changing exercise.
I appreciated the opportunity to share more of my life, learning how to write with honesty and yet holding my audience's lives in steady view. Thank you for sharing your lives and your words.
It was a wonderful experience to connect with women of many cultures and locations. I learned about their lives and thoughts and feelings. And I shared mine with them.
Just think, if everyone was in a writing circle, what a different world this would be. We would express ourselves and respond to one another as fellow human beings, not as citizens of countries, or members of religions, or any other of the many distinctions people create among one another.
Thanks so much for the support I received, both from the participants and the instructional team, their encouragement went a long way and made me believe in my ability to share, express and connect with others through writing.
The class was good, but came at a difficult time for me, so I wasn't able to focus as much or spend as much time as I would have liked.
I thought the circle did a very good job of creating a space similar to face-to-face Women Writing classes.
I think it would be great to have more writing prompts for mid-week writing, perhaps even an assignment with a deadline. The more opportunities to write, the better.
Maybe the course could improve through greater encouragement to write and give readbacks and comments between classes.
The writing and feedback of one of the women who is a nun was especially touching for me. She made me rethink my decision a couple of years ago to just leave the church behind.
I often shared stories that I knew were vulnerable, but I needed a way to talk about what was going on in my life. It was nice to be affirmed in my telling of my stories without feeling dismissed.
The sharing of emotions was very powerful and brought a sense of connection never felt before with 'strangers'.
Phebe was a great teacher. I especially appreciated her during the first couple of chaotic weeks. Even with everybody having technical difficulties and not knowing what we were supposed to be doing, she was able to guide us to get some writing and readbacks posted so we knew that it was worth struggling a bit more to learn how to do the class.
Phebe did a fantastic job keeping our sessions moving without diminishing what people were contributing. She is to be commended for her sensitivity and leadership.
Feedback from Women Writing (October Term 2009)
It was the warmth, the privacy and the personal space each sister enjoyed that attracted me!
Unfortunately the 'discipline' of students' postings during the week was not so good. There could have been a lot more interaction. My suggestion is to make this a clear expectation at the beginning of the course, rather than a 'nice to have'.
I have been bred in some of the best schools and universities in India,and have no problems with the language or in communicating whatsoever.
Phebe has been a true friend, mentor, teacher and role model for me.
Having come from the face-to-face writing circles, I found the on-line circle too unruly at times. Side conversations spilled over into what should have been 'attentive silence' and I felt myself becoming irritated with the 'intrusion'.
We seemed to be a very cohesive group of women - Phebe's choice of poetry was particularly enlightening.
I felt that both the individual sessions and the total length of the course were too short for me to 'go as deep' as I could have.
The innermost feeling that we were always there for each other, writing, sharing and caring within a most private environment.
Thank you for helping me go deep into my soul and share. Thank you for the poetic stimulus that helped me go deep into my soul.
Thank you for the lovely souls that came together to make this happen.
I really enjoyed and appreciated the diversity. Having several women from India and American women from all walks of life made for a great mix of voices. I was touched by the glimpses I got of each woman's story. I wish it could have been more than glimpses.
I enjoyed the progression of technology applications with the chime, the poem on You tube, and the song.
I'd suggest rewriting the various directions for added clarity, especially for participants for whom English is a second language.
Improvements - we need a longer class - six weeks is just enough time to scratch the surface - leaves me yearning for more.
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