Guide written by Frances B. Caldwell.
            Guide  also available in PDF format (requires 
free reader). 
            
Based on 
Breaking Free: Women of Spirit at Midlife and Beyond 
              edited by Marilyn Sewell (Beacon Press, 2004), this five-session 
              program brings women together to discuss aging as the development 
              of character, a breaking free of old restraints, and an opportunity 
              to deepen their spiritual lives.
  
 Contents
 
  - Introduction
 
  - Session 1: Getting to Know One Another, the Book, and the Schedule; Activity—Creating Lifelines
 
  - Session 2: Essay Discussion, Part 1; Activity—Loss Tempered with Appreciation
 
  - Session 3: Essay Discussion, Part 2; Activity—Aging Gracefully
 
  - Session 4: Essay Discussion, Part 3; Activity—Learning from Experience and Finding Role Models
 
  - Session 5: Essay Discussion, Part 5; Activity—Reading the Signs
 
         
               Introduction
            Women can be beautiful at any stage of life. As we age, our 
                        aliveness shines forth from the depths of spirit, if we dare to 
                        go there. Maturity can bring a sweet kind of joy, as we come to 
                        know how deeply connected we are with all that is, as we understand 
                        and accept how much we have to give.
—Marilyn Sewell
            
              The Baby Boom generation has reached the age of fifty and beyond. 
                The women in this generation have made giant strides in breaking 
                out of traditional female stereotypes, and now they search for new 
                ways to approach aging. Though some have taken to Botox, face-lifts, 
                and liposuction, more lasting answers can be found by going inside, 
                examining the issues of the heart and spirit. This discussion group 
                is a vehicle for "inner" work. The women who have written 
                the twenty-seven essays in Breaking Free look upon their 
                own aging with insight and wisdom. Their words and those of other 
                women in the group can help participants identify and understand 
                the issues that may be holding them back from experiencing aging 
              with vitality, grace, and joy.
               General Procedure
              With the exception of Session 1, each session will include an 
                opening, an activity, a discussion of the assigned essays, and a 
                closing. Session 1 will be devoted to helping participants get to 
                know one another and to introducing the book. 
                
                The essays will be read in the order they are presented in the book. 
                The first twelve, which appear in a section of the book entitled "Necessary Losses," deal with the many ways women's lives 
                change as they enter midlife. The body loses its youthful appearance 
                and strength while at the same time children leave home, parents 
                may die, partners may be lost through death or divorce, jobs and 
                responsibilities may change, and visibility and power in society 
                may decrease. The second section of fifteen essays is entitled "Breaking 
                Free." These essays focus on the many ways women have discovered 
                vitality and wisdom in their older years, sometimes in the face 
                of illness and despair. They have put these new powers to good purpose.
                
                Essays are grouped for discussion in the following order:
                
                Session 2—"from Fear of Fifty," "Facing," 
              "Sink or Swim," "What This Old Hand Knows," 
              "from Fierce Attachments," and "from A 
              Good Enough Daughter"
              
Session 3—"Baking Bread with My Daughter," "Viriditas 
                in Vinci," "Scars: In Four Parts," "from The 
                Cancer Journals," "Saying Yes, Yes, Always Yes," 
              and "The Woman Within"
              
Session 4—"Aphrodite: A Memoir of the Senses," "A 
                Song to Sensuality," "from Revolution from Within," 
              "from The Change," "On Being a Rebellious 
                Old Woman," "Upstaging Time," "Nana I Ke Ku 
              . . . Looking to the Source," and "The Calling"
              
Session 5—"Mopping the Floor," "from The Measure 
                of My Days," "Wrestling with My Angel," "Fearless," 
              "Death of a Mouse," "Santa Teresa," and "In 
              the Hollow That Remains"
              
 Suggested discussion questions are provided for each section of 
                essays. The General Questions may be used to spark ideas and get 
                participants involved, whereas the Specific Questions address particular 
                essays. It would be better to start with the general questions in 
                the larger group and continue in smaller groups with the more specific 
                ones. However, leaders can decide the discussion format that best 
                suits their group. Time restrictions will not allow for a full discussion 
                of each essay, but the most meaningful aspects of each will surface.
                
                The activities that lead into the essay discussion period will stem 
                from the major themes the essays present and will often involve 
                a homework assignment. In general, an activity will take approximately 
                30 to 45 minutes and the essay discussion approximately 1 hour, 
                with the remaining time for opening, break, and closing. This schedule 
                may be adjusted at the leader's discretion, depending on the number 
              of participants, a factor that will affect the time needed for discussion.
               Setting, Materials, and Equipment
              Choose a comfortable room with seating that can be easily adjusted 
                to accommodate different groupings. Some discussion will occur in 
                the large group; at other times the group will break up into smaller 
                units. The room should also have space for one or two worktables.
                
                A CD or tape player for background music is suggested for use during 
                Session 1, when participants work on the Lifeline project. One or 
                two long worktables will be needed for the Lifeline project, and 
                one would be useful in later sessions for displaying items brought 
                to class. The first session requires craft materials; a list is 
              provided in the session description.
               Opening and Closing
               Leaders may choose to open sessions as many Unitarian Universalist 
                groups do, with the lighting of a candle or the traditional chalice. 
                In addition, to reacquaint group members, a "check-in" 
                is useful. A check-in involves going around the group with each 
                member giving her first name and responding to a "prompt" 
                question. Members may choose to pass without speaking on the question. 
                Suggested prompt questions are provided for each session, but they 
                may be altered or replaced with a simple "How are you feeling 
                today?"
                
                To close each session, the leader or a participant (assigned ahead 
                of time) may choose a particularly meaningful quote from one of 
                the essays. A suggested quote for each session is provided if needed. 
                After the quote is read, the group is adjourned. Some groups may 
                enjoy participating in a circle hand squeeze. This is done with 
                all members standing in a circle holding hands. One member begins 
                by squeezing the hand of the person on her right who does the same 
                to the next person and so on until the squeeze has gone around the 
              full circle.
              Homework Assignments
            Each session, except the last, will have two homework assignments. 
                One is to read and take discussion notes on the assigned essays. 
                The second assignment will vary. Completion of both is necessary 
                to fully participate in each session, although attendance would 
                be beneficial even if the homework weren't completed.
                
                Leaders are encouraged to complete the homework assignments and 
                participate in the activities along with group members. Not only 
                will the leader enjoy the course more this way, but she will also 
              be better able to bond with the other women.
            
                        
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Session 1
                        Getting to Know One Another, the Book, and the Schedule
              Creating Lifelines
            
             This session has two primary purposes: 1) for participants to 
                get to know one another and begin to feel comfortable in discussion, 
                and 2) to introduce the book and the course content. The Lifeline 
                activity will get participants thinking about the many elements 
                of one's life and the wisdom that comes through experience.
                
                For this first session, provide nametags for participants as they 
                enter the room. Low background music is also appropriate, but turn 
                it off when discussion begins. 
                
                Have the following materials set out on the worktable(s):
            
              -  Stacks of 8 ½" x 11" white paper (7 to 10 
                sheets per participant)
 
              -  Glue or tape dispensers
 
              - Sets of colored pencils or markers with fine points
 
              -  Scissors
 
              -  Rulers for each participant
 
              - Regular pencils for each participant
 
              - Gold or silver stars
 
              - Old magazines 
 
            
            
 Participants will use these materials to construct their Lifelines.
            Opening
            Light the candle (optional) and welcome the participants. Tell 
              them that the essays in the book and the scheduled activities are 
              sure to give them new insight into their own aging process as well 
              as an opportunity to make new friends and share new experiences. 
              Have participants check in by giving their first name and responding 
              to the following prompt or one of your own choosing: "What 
              do you hope to learn or gain from this study group?"
             The Study Agenda
          Distribute an agenda for the five-week course and ask for questions 
              and comments. A sample agenda is provided at the end of this web 
              page. Answer any questions participants may have concerning the 
              content and procedures. Encourage them to complete the homework 
              before each session, but tell them to attend even if they have not. 
              They are likely to benefit anyway, though not as much as they would 
              had they completed them. 
              
              Distribute the Breaking Free books, included in the course 
              fee. Tell them to bring the book to each session. 
             Creating the Lifelines
            Ask participants to move to the worktables. Pass a completed Lifeline 
              around the group so they will understand how one is constructed 
              and what kinds of information to include.
              
              The Lifeline is a long strip of paper with a centered, horizontal 
              line divided into 1-inch segments, with each segment representing 
              one year of an individual's life. Ten years may be marked off on 
              each sheet of paper, and the years should continue at least ten 
              years beyond the present one; thus, each woman will need between 
              five and ten sheets.
              
              With the rulers and regular pencils, ask participants to turn each 
              sheet of paper sideways and draw a horizontal line through the middle 
              of each sheet; this way the line can be at least 10 inches long, 
              allowing for a ½-inch margin on each side for gluing to the 
              next sheet. On the 10-inch line, have them draw ten short vertical 
              lines, each 1 inch apart from the next. The first line represents 
              their birth year. They may write in the year for each line, or at 
              each fifth line. They are to create a sheet like this one for each 
              ten years of their life as well as one for the next ten years. The 
              sheets are then glued or taped together to form one continuous line 
              of years.
              
              Next, using the colored pencils and the rulers, participants should 
              add items to the center line by drawing vertical lines in the colors 
              suggested below and labeling each one at the end with an event, 
              person, or place. On the last sheet of their Lifeline, the one representing 
              their future, have them place events, travel, and accomplishments 
              that they expect to occur in the years to come.
              
              The following is a guide for the Lifeline items:
            
               
                | Red | 
                Major events (births, deaths, weddings, graduations, 
                  divorces) | 
              
               
                | Green | 
                 Places lived | 
              
               
                | Blue | 
                 Major relationships (people who have made a difference in 
                  your life: mentors, teachers, friends, other formative people) | 
              
               
                | Orange | 
                Accomplishments (jobs held, projects completed, skills learned) | 
              
               
                | Purple | 
                Major travel experiences | 
              
            
            
 Participants may want to add stars to mark especially significant 
              items, and some may want to illustrate their Lifelines with drawings 
              or images from magazines. 
              
              Allow participants to work on their Lifelines for approximately 
              1 hour. Tell them they are free to take breaks during the work period 
              as needed. When most have finished, ask them to regroup in a discussion 
              circle. Close the work period with no less than 20 minutes remaining 
              in the session.
              
              Going around the circle, ask each participant to select one major 
              event from her Lifeline that has made a significant difference in 
              her life, explaining why and how it has affected her. If time allows, 
              go around the circle again, this time asking members to share one 
              relationship that has made a profound difference in their lives. 
              
              
              Point out to participants that we are shaped by the events and people 
              in our lives, and together they offer a wealth of wisdom and experience 
              to be put to good use in our later years. Participants may take 
              their Lifelines home with them.
              
              When the discussion ends, remind participants of the homework assignments 
              for next week:
            
              -  Write an essay or poem about your body or a particular body 
                part expressing your appreciation and awe for all that it has 
                done for you. The essay "What This Old Hand Knows" will 
                provide inspiration.
 
              -  Read and take discussion notes on the essays attached to Session 
                2. 
 
            
            
At this time, you might want to ask for a volunteer to find a quote 
              from next session's essays to read as a closing next time. Then 
              read the following quote from Alix Kates Shulman's "A Good 
              Enough Daughter":
             
              You need only claim the events of your life to make yourself 
                yours. When you truly possess all you have been and done, which 
                may take some time, you are fierce with reality.
            
            Close with a circle hand squeeze or a simple "Goodbye. See 
              you next time." 
                        
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Session 2
                          Loss Tempered with Appreciation 
            
              Opening
              Participants gather in a large group discussion circle. Light 
                the candle (optional) and begin the discussion with a check-in around 
                the circle, each woman giving her first name and responding to the 
                following prompt or one of your own choosing: "What did you 
                leave behind to come here tonight? With every choice there is a 
                loss."
              Sharing of Writing
              Most participants will have written a poem or essay celebrating 
                their body or a body part, the homework assigned in the first session. 
                Sharing of personal writing is best done in small groups. Divide 
                participants into groups of three or four. Ask them to share their 
                writing one at a time, pausing between each reading. Stress that 
                throughout the readings, the group should listen in silence and 
                respect without comment or question. When all the writing has been 
                shared, participants may express the feelings evoked but without 
                critique. 
                
                When the groups have finished reading, members may choose to place 
                their works on a table or pin/tape them to a wall or display board. 
                During the break that follows, women may browse the display area 
                and enjoy the works of others.
                
                These writings may be collected and word-processed into a booklet 
                if the leader and members choose to do so. Volunteers may want to 
                take on this project.
              Break
             At the conclusion of this activity, give participants a 5- to 
                10-minute break. During this time, in addition to stretching their 
                legs and going to the restroom, they might enjoy a light refreshment 
                of some kind: coffee or tea and cookies. This option depends on 
                the facility and the budget.
              Essay Discussion
             To break up the essay discussion period and allow for more intimate 
                discussion, the following routine is suggested:
              
                - Begin discussion in the large group using some of the General 
                      Questions to stimulate thinking and to get people talking. 
 
                - After approximately 15 minutes, give each participant a handout 
                      with the four Specific Questions written out. 
 
                - Set up four discussion stations around the room, each one clearly 
                      marked with 1, 2, 3, or 4. Set up four chairs at each station. 
 
                -  Ask participants to choose two questions from the four that 
                      they would particularly like to discuss, and at a signal from 
                      the Leader, each participant will head to the station bearing 
                      the number of one of the questions she has chosen. If a selected 
                      station fills up with four members, the woman must go to her second 
                      choice.
 
                -  After approximately 15 to 20 minutes, the Leader will signal 
                      again, and participants will head to the station of their next 
                      choice to participate in another discussion.
 
                - At the conclusion of the second small group discussion, reconvene 
                      the participants in the larger group. For each of the four questions, 
                      ask members to share some of the highlights brought out in discussion.
 
              
              
The following questions may be used for this session:
              
General Questions:
              
                -  Do you see any major themes emerging in these essays?
 
                -  Did you identify strongly with any of the essays?
 
                - Do you strongly disagree with any of the writers? 
 
                - Are there any passages in the essays that particularly resonate 
                      with you? What are they and why are they meaningful?
 
                -  Can you identify a deepening of character or spirit in any 
                      of the writers as a result of their experiences? 
 
              
              
 Specific Questions:
              
                -  These essays are in a section of the book entitled "Necessary 
                    Losses." What kinds of losses do you see the writers experiencing 
                    and are they common in women's lives?
 
                - Jong in "Fear of Fifty" writes about "the mad 
                    woman in the attic" consumed with ferocious anger. Do you 
                    ever feel angry about the situation of the older woman? How do 
                    you deal with it?
 
                -  In "Facing," Wall gives a convincing argument against 
                    face-lifts. Do you agree with her? What are your feelings about 
                    the use of cosmetic surgery to lessen the effects of aging on 
                    a face or body?
 
                -  Gornick writes of a conflicted relationship with her mother. 
                      Has your relationship with your mother changed over the years? 
                      In what ways?
 
              
               Closing
              In closing, bring everyone together in the large group setting. 
                Remind them of the homework assignments for the following week:
              
                - "Aging gracefully" is a common phrase, but what exactly 
                    does it mean? Bring a photo, object, or drawing of an object which 
                    has in your opinion aged gracefully. (Examples might be an article 
                    of clothing, artwork, furniture, an animal, etc.) Be prepared 
                    to provide your definition of the term.
 
                -  Read and take discussion notes on the essays attached to Session 
                      3.
 
              
              
Ask the member who volunteered to bring a closing quote to read 
                  it to the group. If none is available, the quote below from Sornberger's "Viriditas in Vinci" may be read:
              
               [Sending a child off into the world] is the same kind of faith 
                      that creation requires. For in order to create one must be willing 
                      to be a fool—to fail, to look ridiculous. One must sense the energy 
                      of the thing to be created and give oneself over to participating 
                      in its making. One must lose control.
              
              Close with a circle hand squeeze or a simple goodbye.
            
                        
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Session 3 
                          Aging Gracefully
            
            
              Opening
              Begin with names and a check-in. The suggested check-in prompt 
                is: "Boucher in her essay ‘Saying Yes, Yes, Always Yes' quotes 
                an ancient Shin Buddhist when she writes ‘Thanks for everything. 
                I have no complaints.' For what in your life, whether a pain or 
                a pleasure, are you particularly grateful today?"
              
 Sharing of Objects That Are Aging Gracefully
              
 Ask participants to bring out last session's homework assignment—the 
                objects, drawings, and photos exhibiting the phrase "aging 
                gracefully." If the number of women attending is no more than 
                ten, have them share in the large group. If not, have them break 
                into groups of three or four. Each woman in turn can pass her object/photo/drawing 
                around the group for closer viewing as she explains two things:
              
                -  What the term "aging gracefully" means to her.
 
                - How the item (or picture/photo of an item) she has brought has 
                      aged gracefully. Why is it still prized? Will it continue to grow 
                      in value? 
 
              
              
Have smaller groups summarize their session for the larger group.
              Break
              A 5- to 10-minute break is recommended after this activity.
               Essay Discussion
              Follow the same procedure used in Session 2. Discussion questions 
                are given below:
              
 General Questions:
              
                - Do you see any major themes emerging in these essays?
 
                -  Did you identify strongly with any of the essays?
 
                -  Do you strongly disagree with any of the writers?
 
                -  Are there any passages in the essays that particularly resonate 
                      with you? What are they and why are they meaningful?
 
                -  Can you identify a deepening of character or spirit in any 
                      of the writers as a result of their experiences? 
 
              
              
Specific Questions: 
              
                -  Sornberger, Moore, and Tisdale write about their children. 
                      Does a mother's love for her children differ from the love she 
                      has for others in her life? If so, how? Does this love change 
                      over time? 
 
                -  Illness is a topic taken up by Lorde, Boucher, and Glasgow. 
                      Have you ever had to deal with serious disease or pain? How did 
                      the experience change you?
 
                -  Glasgow claims, "So long as I could keep from hurting 
                    anyone else, I have lived as completely as it was possible, the 
                    life of my choice. I have been free." Do you feel you have 
                    lived a life of freedom? In what ways? In what ways have you felt 
                    confined?
 
                - Lorde writes, "As women we were raised to fear. If I cannot 
                    banish fear completely, I can learn to count with it less." Do you agree that women are raised to fear? How have you lessened 
                    fear in your life?
 
              
              Closing
              Remind participants of the homework for the next session:
              
                - Identify a woman, either one you know personally or know through 
                      the media or literature, who you believe is a positive role model 
                      for older women. What about this woman makes her exemplary? How 
                      have you used her good example? If possible, bring a picture of 
                      this woman to the next session.
 
                - Read and take discussion notes on the essays attached to Session 
                      4.
 
              
              
Have a volunteer read an appropriate closing quote from the essays 
                or read the following suggested quote from Boucher in "Saying 
                Yes, Yes, Always Yes":
              
                At sixty-three, I had a heightened sense of the shortness of 
                    the time ahead of me, and that unburdened me of much baggage from 
                    the past. There were some books I wanted to write, some places 
                    on the globe I wanted to visit. I hoped to stay as healthy as 
                    I was for many years to come.
              
              Close with a circle hand squeeze or a simple goodbye.
            
                        
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 Session 4 
                          Learning from Experience 
    Finding Role Models
            
            
              Opening
              Have participants gather in the large group setting. Light the 
                candle if desired and after a welcome, initiate discussion with 
                the following prompt or one of your own choosing: "Allende 
                and Angelou particularly address sensuousness—delight in seeing, 
                smelling, hearing, tasting, and feeling. What has been one of your 
                most sensuous experiences since we last met (other than sex)?"
              Sharing of Role Models
              Divide participants into smaller groups of three or four to share 
                descriptions and pictures of role models, last session's homework 
                assignment. Ask participants to respond to the following questions 
                and display any photos or pictures they may have brought:
              
                - Who is the woman you deem as a positive role model in your life? 
 
                -  What is her position or her relationship to you?
 
                - What is it about the way she lived or lives her life that you 
                      find inspiring or motivating?
 
                -  What have you done in your own life to model hers?
 
              
              
When all have shared, reconvene in the larger group and have the 
                small groups summarize or highlight their discussions.
               Break
              A 5- to 10-minute break is recommended after this activity.
              Essay Discussion
              Follow the same procedure for essay discussion as in the last 
                two sessions. Suggested discussion questions follow:
              
General Questions:
              
                - Do you see any major themes emerging in these essays?
 
                -  Did you identify strongly with any of the essays?
 
                -  Do you strongly disagree with any of the writers? 
 
                -  Are there any passages in the essays that particularly resonate 
                      with you? What are they and why are they meaningful? 
 
                -  Can you identify a deepening of character or spirit in any 
                      of the writers as a result of their experiences? 
 
              
              
Specific Questions:
              
                -  Allende discusses her idea of the perfect lovers' retreat, 
                      filled with good food and wine, exciting aromas, and even the 
                      reading of stories together—never a video. For you, is she right-on 
                      or slightly off-key?
 
                - Steinem staged a very public fiftieth birthday party for herself. 
                      How did you or will you celebrate your fiftieth birthday?
 
                -  Greer states that an older woman "can no longer live through 
                    others, or justify her life by the sexual and domestic services 
                    that she renders." What, then, can she do? Does Greer offer 
                    advice?
 
                - Both Cooper and Paley approach old age with an "uppity 
                    attitude." Give examples of this. Do you approve, or do they 
                    go too far?
 
              
              Closing
              Distribute the worksheet "Reading the Signs" (found at 
                the end of this web page). Introduce it with an explanation similar 
                to the following:
              
"Calizar in her essay ‘Nana I Ke Ku . . . Looking to the Source,' 
                writes about a woman having to guide her life as one guides a canoe 
                through the water, looking for signs, reading the weather, and avoiding 
                obstacles when possible. This worksheet will help you read the signs 
                in your own life and steer toward peace and joy."
              
 Remind participants of the homework assignments for the next session:
              
                - Complete the worksheet entitled "Reading the Signs." 
 
                -  Read and take discussion notes on the essays attached to Session 
                      5.
 
              
              
Ask for a volunteer to read the quotation she has selected for 
                the closing. If not, read the following quote from Calizar in "Nana 
                I Ke Ku . . . Looking to the Source":
              
                When a woman remakes herself, as she must do many times while 
                    in the body, the skills of navigating and translating are called 
                    upon without thinking. If we are to move with the water, as people 
                    of the canoe, we must be able to read the way. Signs, shifts, 
                    and nature's messages are often subtle, and translating them accurately 
                    takes practice.
              
              Close with a circle hand squeeze or a simple goodbye.
            
                        
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Session 5
                          Reading the Signs
            
 By this last session, participants are no doubt feeling very close 
                to each other. Because of this, you may find a different tone arising 
                in this session. The closing is especially important this time with 
                a goal of preserving the feeling of camaraderie that has developed. 
  
  Opening
 Gather as you have before in the large group setting. After a 
                welcome, begin discussion with the following prompt or one of your 
                own choosing: "Thinking about Calizar's metaphor—life as a 
                canoe trip—in one or two words describe your ‘canoe trip' on life's 
                waters today (examples: blissful and profitable, choppy and hazardous, 
                bumpy, etc.)."
  
 Note: For this session, reverse the order of events by discussing 
                the essays first and saving the more intimate discussion of the "Reading the Signs" worksheet for later.
  Essay Discussion
  Follow the same procedure as in the previous sessions. The following 
                are suggested discussion questions:
  
General Questions:
  
    - Do you see any major themes emerging in these essays?
 
    - Did you identify strongly with any of the essays?
 
    - Do you strongly disagree with any of the writers? 
 
    -  Are there any passages in the essays that particularly resonate 
                      with you? What are they and why are they meaningful?
 
    - Can you identify a deepening of character or spirit in any of 
                      the writers as a result of their experiences? 
 
  
  
Specific Questions:
  
    - Galland in "Mopping the Floor" states that our only 
                    means of understanding compassion, charity, patience, wisdom, 
                    love, and generosity is through watching how good people lead 
                    their lives, not from any text or teaching. Do you agree with 
                    her, and how does this relate to your own life?
 
    -  Sewell, Griffin, and Fisher intersperse their writing on serious 
                      subjects with humor and whimsy. Give some examples. What is the 
                      effect? In your opinion, is it appropriate to treat serious subjects 
                      with levity? Have you ever used humor to cope with a serious problem?
 
    - Williams' essay describes the miracle of Santa Teresa. Both 
                      Williams and Joseph Smith, the Mormon leader, were captivated 
                      by Teresa's story. What is your take on it? Have you experienced 
                      miraculous events in your own life?
 
    -  Hurd uses the cave as a metaphor for the empty spaces in our 
                    psyches. Do you think the metaphor works? What "caves" have you encountered in your life's journey?
 
  
  Break
  A 5- to 10-minute break is recommended after the essay discussion.
   Sharing of "Reading the Signs" Worksheets
  Break into smaller groups for this activity even if the full group 
                has as few as ten members. The material here is very personal and 
                participants will feel more comfortable sharing in a small group.
    
    Each woman in turn may discuss those parts of the "Reading 
                the Signs" worksheet that she feels comfortable sharing. 
    
    After approximately 15 minutes, bring the large group together.
  Closing
  This last sharing might be considered a "check-out," 
    a way of saying goodbye with good thoughts. Have each woman in turn 
    respond to the following prompt: "What are you taking with 
                you from this experience?"
    
    When each member has contributed, the Leader at her choosing might 
    distribute some small gift as a remembrance. It could be something 
    simple like a flower, a rock, a bookmark, or a charm. It might also 
    be a finished booklet from Session 2 containing the writings of 
    group members.
  
The following quote from Marilyn Sewell's "Wrestling with 
                My Angel" might be a fitting closure if a group member has 
                not prepared another one:
  
    Who would I be if not a passionate, angry woman? I'm moving into 
                    the answer now: I would be a given over woman. The passion without 
                    so much of the ego. The anger shifting strangely to compassion, 
                    as I understand how much longing fills all human hearts, and how 
                    much suffering we all endure. And stranger yet, I sense that all 
                    these feelings are converging in a nameless kind of joy. How can 
                    I tell you of it? It is the joy of acceptance, of relief, a letting 
                    go of the tension between what I have demanded of life and what 
                    I find is true of life. Bringing together what I want and what 
                    I have been offered. Being at one with what is.
  
  Close with a circle hand squeeze or a simple goodbye.
            
                        
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Sample Agenda
            
         
       
            
               
                | Date  | 
                Session 1 Getting to Know One Another, the Book, and the 
                  Schedule; Activity—Creating Lifelines    Homework Assignments: 
                  
                    - Write an essay or poem about your body or a particular 
                      body part expressing your appreciation and awe for all that 
                      it has done for you. The essay "What This Old Hand 
                      Knows" will provide inspiration.
 
                    -  Read and take discussion notes on the following essays: 
                      "from Fear of Fifty," "Facing," 
                      "Sink or Swim," "What This Old Hand Knows," 
                      "from Fierce Attachments," and "from 
                      A Good Enough Daughter."
 
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                | Date  | 
                Session 2 Essay Discussion, Part 1; Activity—Loss Tempered 
                  with Appreciation  
   Homework Assignments: 
                  
                    - "Aging gracefully" is a common phrase, but what 
                      exactly does it mean? Bring a photo, object, or drawing 
                      of an object which has in your opinion aged gracefully. 
                      Be prepared to provide your definition of the term.
 
                    - Read and take discussion notes on the following essays: 
                      "Baking Bread with My Daughter," "Viriditas 
                      in Vinci," "Scars: In Four Parts," "from 
                      The Cancer Journals," "Saying Yes, Yes, 
                      Always Yes," and "The Woman Within."
 
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                | Date  | 
                 Session 3 Essay Discussion, Part 2; Activity—Aging Gracefully 
                      Homework Assignments: 
                  
                    - Identify a woman, either one you know personally or know 
                      through the media or literature, who you believe is a positive 
                      role model for older women. What about this woman makes 
                      her exemplary? How have you used her good example? If possible, 
                      bring a picture of this woman to the next session.
 
                    - Read and take discussion notes on the following essays: 
                      "Aphrodite: A Memoir of the Senses," "A Song 
                      to Sensuality," "from Revolution from Within," 
                      "from The Change," "On Being a Rebellious 
                      Old Woman," "Upstaging Time," "Nana 
                      I Ke Ku . . . Looking to the Source," and "The 
                      Calling."
 
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                | Date  | 
                Session 4 Essay Discussion, Part 3; Activity—Learning from 
                  Experience and Finding Role Models 
   Homework Assignments: 
                  
                    - Complete the worksheet entitled "Reading the Signs." 
                    
 
                    - Read and take discussion notes on the following essays: 
                      "Mopping the Floor," "from The Measure 
                      of My Days," "Wrestling with My Angel," 
                      "Fearless," "Death of a Mouse," "Santa 
                      Teresa," and "In the Hollow That Remains."
 
                     
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                | Date  | 
                Session 5 Essay Discussion, Part 4; Activity—Reading the 
                  Signs  
   Reading the Signs 
                   Write responses to the following questions on another piece 
                    of paper. 
                  
                    - What new knowing is mine?
 
                    - Where is wisdom leading me?
 
                    - What shifts or changes do I want to make in my life?
 
                    - What are possible obstacles?
 
                    - Where can I find strength to sustain myself on the journey?
 
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