Five days can seem like a lifetime! With a willingness to be present... to let go and allow ourselves to discover... we become able to travel through time and across vast plains of our own potential in ways unimagined by our habituated self. What seems like forever at the beginning of the journey feels like the blink of an eye as it comes to a close - not forever, but just until the next time.

The women of the Whispers from Within writing retreat have found their voice. No longer willing to be silent about themselves or about what's meaningful for them, they offer us a glimpse into their journey and their potential. Below you'll read about their discoveries but, more importantly, you'll get a sense of who each of them is. As you read, allow yourself to ponder what might YOU discover about yourself were you to begin this journey and make it your own.

Women Willing to Speak Their Truth   _{Lorna LeBrun}

Time flew by as we sat in a cottage on the shore of the Atlantic - a group of wonderful women who were devoted to searching deepely into their pasts in order to improve on their present life.

Being in an environment of women willing to speak their truth, there is no time or room for doubts.  I learned that 'grief' experienced many years ago in my life still colors my thoughts on several occasions, some 60 years later.  Is it possible!  I believe that it is.  There lingers a lonliness for loved ones that never really leaves.  Even if its not physical.  It can be in trying to deal with a loved one who is only physically present.  The desire to communicate comes from a lonliness in trying to express thoughts on a different level.

In addition to what I discovered about myself, we also enjoyed the soothing pleasure of a wonderful massage, as well as a morning taken up as we tried painting with water colors.  We ended up with some surprising results!

Lorna LeBrun
Ottawa, Ontario

Powerfully Validating   _{Isabel Philips}

Being at the Whispers retreat was like floating in a warm current for me....a current that flows with me, not against me.

I cannot ever describe how powerfully validating the retreat was for me, and how much the presence of each of the participants remains with me. Your leadership was instrumental to my experience of "just being there" for myself. I felt that my presence, without action or words, was not only enough, but also was a contribution. You honored us all.

The Whispers retreat confirmed for me the truth about what I really need as I move forward......to never be a stranger to myself again.

Isabel Phillips, Ed.D.
Weston , MA

Whispers from Within   _{Margaret Armour}

Since returning from Oceanstone last week, I have had many conversations with loved ones about the nature of my experience at the “Whispers from Within: Women’s Writing Retreat”.

What I am noticing , as I listen to myself chat to them, is how good I am at it. I am just getting a glimpse, an opening, into the way my “chatting”, my public persona, prevents me from really listening deeply to others and myself.

I have done my share of self reflective work in my journey, and have passionately embraced change, both for myself and whatever, whoever, I felt I could influence-my career in education, my business and my relationships. I have been bold and vulnerable, curious and open and yet…

As I slowed this past winter, living what many would call a charmed life, I seriously tried to listen in a way that allowed space, so that what was next could emerge. I meditated, exercised, relaxed, resisted the chronic busyness, and desperately tried to escape my thinking brain.

Louise has been on the edges of my Holodeck for some time. I see her as the power spot, that both beckoned and repelled. I have danced around the edges of the WEL-Systems® knowledge, but resisted. I had other agendas, and in the end, they all fell away.

So what was my experience those five days at Oceanstone. It is tempting to wax poetic, another thing I notice about my speech, but I want to remember the ordinariness of it all. Seven women in conversation, sitting in a quiet circle, sharing. Weather that roared and whispered alternatively. Food that felt wholesome, nourishing and delicious. Sleeping, writing, talking, playing, connecting.

I say ordinary, because for me it felt so sane, so precious, so how we should be living, how we are meant to live, how I want to live in every moment- it stands in stark contrast to the lives that we allow to happen.

The authenticity of the experience, grounded in the earth, in conversations that mattered, delighted me. I listened more deeply to my inner conversations. I learned and let go with the revelations of others. I lived in my body and experienced joy and release as my story unraveled. I left there energized. I wake each morning feeling my body radiating, almost pulsating with excitement. I breathe into it deeply, and allow the day to unfold. As Louise reminded me- there is always more.

Margaret Armour
Halifax, Nova Scotia

Incredible Journey   _{Robyn Wagner}

As I stepped into the day on Monday - after coming across the country from B . C . and getting my husband to drive me straight to the retreat after not seeing my husband and son for 9 days already - I was a little uncertain as to what was ahead of me.

I totally trusted the fact that this was to be good for me and to see what happened after that. It was amazing , the things that I found out with all these other woman. We all connected to one another somehow and it was a truly amazing experience.

The only thing I can describe about it was that it was totally freeing when you share your secrets and whole life with a bunch of strangers that you don’t know and they are just there to listen . And listen they do.They are so compassionate and most of the stories are similar and all the woman can relate to one another.

It has been an incredible journey for me and has changed my life tremendously, with the way I think and the way I interact with other people. And the amazing part is that other people around me can see that I have changed and cannot quite put their finger on what it is .

So there you go and the journey continues to see what will be next. I am very excited about what will be next.

Robyn Wagner
Halifax, Nova Scotia

End Notes  _{Lucy Grossmann-Hensel}

Monday morning seems so long ago. My perception of time is really off right now – or maybe it’s really ON and I’m getting more familiar with the non-linearity of time? I remember my sense of eagerness, openness, restlessness; I was pregnant with stuff but I didn’t know what. Trusting that the week would be good, thrusting myself to be here. Knowing that giving birth to, or vomiting, or whatever form getting whatever was moving in me out (or throughout/assimilated) would come from me letting go of it. And I was glad to be in the group; I looked forward to some nudging and energetic tickling.

I hadn’t realized the power of ‘journaling’ until this week. Breathing-and-writing becomes a direct line to the whisperings that I otherwise have quelled, or not even felt or heard. And the different level of experience that reading aloud to the group brings was great: moving revealing, empowering and freeing. Voicing thoughts and words that were from within - it was a new sensation in my body. Louise had told us it would be, and I felt it. My heart quickens now as I write about it, not with anxiety, but remembering in my own body the different feeling of the vibrations and energy. It wasn’t scary or nervous-making, it was moving: many cells were touched, tickled.

The bumps and tunnels I met up with during the week were revealing: the topics I found difficult to write about and wiggled around. Some things that I wrote about didn’t actually surprise me, but they did become clearer, or more relevant to my evolution. Some thoughts were liberating: to say them on paper, and then aloud, was good.

Five days later, I sense a huge gain in self-awareness, self-acceptance, self-admiration and yes, wonderment. A much better appreciation of the enormity of love and feeling (passion?!) within me, and of my need to voice, hear and enjoy them. No guilt, much regret about ‘missed opportunities’, lots of unconditional support of those around me, grateful for what they exposed of themselves for me to feel and learn from. I’m aware of a feeling of unity with the universe, and an awareness of the women around me now as signals, not just people/women/searchers.

I’ll leave Oceanstone tomorrow with a much more solid appreciation of the ‘fact’ that I’m a signal residing in a body that receives and transmits my signal. And by extension, I’m waking up to how urgent is its that I make sure my body’s receiver is on ON all the time; and that I also learn to transmit MY signal (not my culturally conditioned ones) louder and clearer. It’ll be received by those who want to tune into it and play with me, and share in my joy, love and passion that right now feel overwhelming - now that I’ve make a crack in my wall that I’d erected to block out ‘overwhelm’. Who’d ‘uv thought it’d be my own intensity that gets through the wall first!

This week, I dug out of burial (as if I’d put them there for safekeeping until I was ready and the time was right: innocence and wonderment; intensity and passion and love; my ability to hear and use my whisperings, my voice; my ability to dream. I am extremely glad that I gave myself full permission to ‘let it rip’.

I know there’s more; my tight back and jaw tell me that. But this much in a week! I sense my own acceleration and increased clarity and I like it; I look forward to more, with eagerness, curiosity and amazement.

Lucy Grossmann-Hensel
Ottawa, Ontario

Whispers From Within  _{Amy McNaughton}

This writing retreat has been a serious turning point in my life.

On Monday the day started off in a very relaxed environment. What I thought would be “just” a writing retreat, turned into something that would hold very profound meaning to me and would change my life forever.

Let me say that Louise Lebrun is an incredible person that creates a safe and comfortable environment for anyone who is fortunate enough to be in her presence. With everything she has created with the Wel-Systems, it is sure to make an impact on your life whether you plan on it or not.

The whispers from within ended up holding different meanings for pretty much everyone there. I find it difficult to explain the feelings that float around inside of me when it comes to using words to tell someone about something this grand. I learned so much about myself that I never knew before. I learned how incredible the body is at hiding things so deep that you won’t discover things until you’re ready to deal with them. As I learned things that were only but whispers deep within, by bringing them to light, I discovered that I was a stronger and more confident person than I ever thought I was.

Louise would ask us questions through out the day and then we would ponder what that question meant to each and every one of us. We are all different so our spin on the same question was different and that was very powerful on its own. When we would come back to the meeting room, we would share with everyone what we wrote. It was totally voluntary and if you didn’t want to share then you could simply listen. There were tears, laughter and sometimes just silence as we all would sit and ponder what it was that we just heard.

By reading it out loud it gave me a voice that I never knew I had. I became stronger as the days went by and it blew my mind. When I say that I was stronger, let me say that I cried as I read, I laughed and sometimes broke out in song (which made some of us smile).

When your sharing personal things that you just wrote, you really begin to claim who it is that you really are. It’s hard and it’s powerful. I said that Louise creates a safe environment and let me explain what I mean. There is no judging, there is time for you to talk and not be rushed. No one will interrupt you while your speaking because what you have to say is intelligent and will help you grow and more than likely help someone beside you grow as well. This was a writing retreat that was open to everyone and it was incredible. Am I a writer? Not really but what I discovered was that I definitely have a story to tell and by sharing what I wrote over the week, gave me back my life.

It’s so funny. I thought that my life was great before. Now it’s absolutely wonderful and everyday I discover more about who it is that I “really” am. Not someone else’s version of who it is that I am.

From the day that I arrived to the day I left my writing really had changed. The difference was that I kept on referring to myself as though I really wasn’t there, and then by the end of the retreat, it was very apparent that I was present to others and most of all, to myself. Louise is definitely and incredible person who knows who she is and is comfortable with herself and others. She is strong and makes you feel that you are just as incredible a person and I tell you that what I know about myself now is, I am an incredible person and I’m comfortable with myself, and everyone around me.

I’ve learned to stop, ponder, get curious and breath. I’ve learned how important it is to create space in the body so that there may be movement and the flow of information.

If you’ve never experiences a Wel-Systems program, then I suggest that you at least go to the website and browse. Because once you know things, it will change your life and you won’t be able to look back, well you might look back and shake your head but you definitely won’t “go” back. Moving forward is incredible.

Amy McNaughton
Dartmouth N.S.

Whispers From Within  _{Lori Walton}

When I arrived at Oceanstone for Whispers from Within on Monday I brought with me an openness to receive, a curiosity of discovery and wonderment of just who can I become this week. I came into this experience not knowing what exactly to expect, yet knowing this is where I needed to be.

As the days went on through out the week Louise would suggest topic to write about in our private time during the evening. She would poke at us and challenge us to be larger, bigger and bolder, to accept the godforce we are and allow the words to pour out from that. She encouraged people to do what they were moved to do, paint, draw, sketch, write, take pictures… or just be. And the creativity flowed much like breath, sometimes laboured but mostly easily and effortlessly.

For me I discovered I was keeping boundaries. I was limiting myself for fears of seeming different. I played with the words, boundaries, bounds, limitations, and boxes. I explored mortality in the sense of what things in my life am I still dragging around that no longer serve me. Guilt… Shame… I was rid of those that night. My writing has evolved. I have begun writing about my story, my “Myth of the Intact Family” and will work at having it published when it is complete.

Who I have become from this course, is someone who will not allow boundaries to limit her anymore. I am boundless… I will not consciously allow myself to put limits in my way. They serve me no purpose. I am going to write from my source… I will allow my words to fall onto the page and not edit them until I am done. This way my writing will remain unbounded until it’s time.

Each experience I have with Louise inevitably leads to me becoming more than I was before. And I laugh… I am beginning to find the joy and fun of living again! Life doesn’t have to be serious…seriously.

Lori Walton
Dartmouth, NS

Questions?
If you have questions and/or would like to explore what this experience can offer you as a woman and as an emerging leader in living systems (family, community, work, etc), contact Louise directly at Louise@WEL-Systems.com.