Overview: Tending The Heart’s Garden

Students write personal and community ceremonies for their own regeneration process and for annual “emotional spring cleaning” and share these ceremonies with each other.  The importance of developing new roles is emphasized throughout the curriculum.  Students examine roles in their family, roles they have played, and roles they need to develop that are friendly to the growth of their character.  The three-volume DVD series “A Century of Women” provides a historical study of women from several racial groups who grew larger than their wounds, overcame the obstacles of their day, and helped to pave the way for women to develop their voice and speak.  Some of the issues addressed include voting rights, formation of unions, custody of children, birth control, maternity leave, equality in the workplace and more.  The Women and Spirituality Series gives insight into the history of matriarchal societies, the burning of witches in the 15th, 16th and 17th Centuries, and the origin of phrases like “rule of thumb” and “third degree.”

For women and men this curriculum presents a thumbnail sketch of women’s history, aids in the identification of past negative roles and positive role development, and helps students to examine sexual stereotypes rampant in our society.  There are many exercises and opportunities for creativity and interaction for students to try new behaviors with each other.  For men, many of whom will father daughters, who are sons, brothers, and grandfathers to women, it is a healthy experience to role reverse and look at the world from the feminine perspective.  For incarcerated men who have been separated from women, this curriculum is a good “gateway” curriculum not only for teaching tolerance and understanding prior to leaving an incarcerated setting, but a good foundation for building relationships and friendships.