RETURNING TO SPIRIT FUNDING STATUS RETURNING TO SPIRIT RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL REC ONCILIATION INC.

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1 RETURNING TO SPIRIT RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL REC ONCILIATION INC. RETURNING TO SPIRIT VOLUME 2, ISS UE 5 DECE MB ER 1, FUNDING STATUS In mid-november, Pierre B aribeau, l awy er for C C E P IR SS (C anadi an Catholic Entities Party to the Indian R esidential School Settl ement) informed us that there is an agreement in principle with the Aboriginal Healing Foundation to approve RTS as a project. This would mean that we could receive funding through the Aboriginal Healing Foundation (AHF) as early as the middle of December! Pierre stated that this was a g entl eman s agreement ( v e r b a l ) b e t w e e n CCEPIRSS and AHF and that he expected it to be finalized in writing within a week. To date, we have not received a signed agreement. Other developments include submission of several proposals we anticipate to be successful to support initiatives in the new year. The First Nations community of Ahousaht is the first host community to generate the funding to fully support an RTS workshop!! This is an exciting opening for RTS!! The community of Lac Brochet MB is also creating funding to support the delivery of a Part 1 workshop in their community. Congratulations to all those involved in leading, developing and generating these opportunities!! The Diocese of Pr. George is also generating more funds to support th e upcoming Part 3 in January. CO MING UP! Part 3-Reconciliation- Jan 7-13 Pr. George, BC Check our website at for workshop schedule! I NSIDE T HIS ISSUE: S T R AT EGI C DES IG N 2 S T R AT EGI C DE- S IG N PAR T 2 2 THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU In June 2009, after receiving word that our core funding was stuck, we wrote letters to each of the 51 C atholi c E nti ti es (Dioceses, Religious communities, etc.) with a r e- quest for help! Several of these communities stepped forward and committed significant funds to help us weather this time of financi al stuckness. Without their support, we would not have been able to continue operating as long as we have. In particular, we would like to acknowledge th e following: Sisters of Providence Edmonton Sisters of St. Joseph Toronto Sisters of St. Ann Victoria Soeurs de la Charite Ste. Hyacinthe Congregation de Soeurs Maristes Ste. Anne de Madawaska Soeurs de la Charite d Ottawa Diocese of Hudson s Bay Archdiocese of Vancouver Diocese of Kamloops A warm thank you for your financial contribution. At the same time, we would like to acknowl edge the prayerful support of many individuals, communities and organizations! As well as th e ongoing in-kind contributions from various communities and dioceses. A big thank you to all our volunteers!!! Thank you, thank you, Thank you!!! UNFOLDI NG THE SPIRIT OF WHO YOU ARE RECONCI LIATI ON SASKAT OON RECONCI LIATI ON 4 EVALUATIONS SASKAT OON PAR T 3 B EAU SEJOUR MB A FI R ST UPCOMI NG S CHED- U L E TH E O TH ER C AN A- D I AN M ART YRS PG FN Reunion 6 Call for Volunteers Fund Development 7 7 8

2 PA GE 2 RETURNING TO SPIRIT When you listen generously to people they can hear the truth in themselves, often for the first time. Rachel Naomi Remen NANAIMO STRATEGIC DESIGN On September 18 and 19, about 20 RTS trainers, board members and executive directors met with Gail Cantor in Nanaimo for a Strategic Design Process. We got clear on several things! The first one is our mission, our direction, our focus. Returning to Spirit is about Reconciliation. That s it, pure and simple. We are not another healing program, although the process of reconciliation does contribute to healing. We are about bringing people together and creating the conditions for reconciliation to happen between individuals and groups who have been estranged by the legacy of Indian Residential Schools. Really, it is so simple, and yet we began to lose our focus. Like many organizations, we were trying to fix things! We were beginning to look and see where else we could expand, without being complete with our mission. This mission of reconciliation demands much from RTS as an organization and from all those involved as individuals! We are faced with a society and a culture in which reconciliation is often discussed but rarely put into practice. We think that we have dealt with things, forgiven people, but really, we are not complete with ourselves or the other. The mission of Returning to Spirit is to empower You to reconcile You with You, You with Others and You with Life. Life You Others You A second ar ea that was identified was the area of communication. It is not enough for us to be about reconciliation, we need to communicate that, to live that in all of our interactions & conversations with people, organizations, government, Canadian society. The two days in Nanaimo awakened us at a deeper level to our mission and the transition that continues to unfold. Out of that, we are free to create the future powerfully!! STRATEGIC DESIGN PART 2 In early November, Gail Cantor returned to Calgary and met with our two executive directors, Marc and Anne, for two days. Out of those two day s, Gail, Marc and Anne identified a direction and an eight-point plan to lead RTS in moving forward powerfully. The foundation of the eight point plan is that RTS become a community with a culture of leading, developing and generating. This will demand that each person with RTS step forward and lead, dev elop and generate in every area of their lives not just within the training rooms of RTS. Only then will we become a powerful creative force for reconciliation. The eight points identified are: R T S M e s s a g e Reconciliation Board Development Relationship with Funding Sources Ensuring completion and moving forward to generate conversations of possibilities Launching the DNA Work Unfolding the Spirit of Who You Are Partnership with Communi ti es E xpan ded delivery of the Seminar Series Accessibility of the 5-Day Workshop (Weekend Format & Being at Peace) Development of Core Teams and On-Deckers Director Development The development of all these points will be generated out of conversations of possibility. They will be generated out of us, all of us stepping forward in our conversations, into actions that create th ese outcomes!!

3 VOLUME 2, ISSUE 5 PA GE 3 UNFOLDING THE SPIRIT OF WHO YOU ARE Marc Pizandawatc is excited about a new possibility for RTS, something that will support people in creating their futures even more powerfully!! Last week, Marc sat down with the RTS Newsletter editor and shared this exciting new initiative! Editor: Marc, can tell me about this new idea? Marc: During the course of the 5-day workshop and the Reconciliation, participants get very cl ear on what is in front of the spirit of who they are! They are able to identify what is disempowering them, let it go thereby creating a space for empowerment to begin to show up. In that space that is created, there is the possibility of moving into the future powerfully, but people need to become mindful. Mindfulness and power come out of people fulfilling and unfolding what is unique to them. What is the Spirit of Who You Are?? What is your gift from the Creator? What is the core of your humanity? What is your essence of life? Editor: Where d this idea come from and what are you going to create out of it? Marc: Returning to Spirit, in partnership with Contegrity Design Inc., is taking a process developed by Gail Cantor and Ken Anbender and making it relevant to our own unique circumstances. We are developing a new workshop, one that will support people in identifying the Spirit of Who They Are! During the course of this new workshop, people get to see what it is that is uniquely theirs and how they can then bring that to all of their relationships: You with You, You with Others and You with Life. Editor: So, rather than trying to fix the Concept of Who they are... Marc: People will be listening to that which is the Spirit of Who They Are, rather than that which is endlessly trying to fix themselves (and not succeeding)! People can move from a space of trying to fix themselves, trying to fix their story, trying to fix their disempowerment to a space of developing themselves. In that space of developm ent, the disempowerment will naturally dismantle itself. People will be inspired to express the Spirit of Who They Are into their relationships, into the world, and into whatever they are up to. This is not about religion! This is not just about discovering a skill and enhancing it. This gets to the core of who people are, and allows for development into the unknown. Editor: How will this workshop be funded? Marc: This workshop will support itself, in that all costs and expenses will be covered by participant registrations. Editor: When are you planning to offer this workshop? Marc: We plan to pilot the workshop i n Winnipeg, sometime during the summer of It will probably be a three day workshop and is open to those who have taken the 5-Day workshop and the Reconciliation. If you re interested in taking your development to the next level give us a call or send us an !! info@returningtospirit.org THE WORD IMPOSSIBLE IS ONLY IN THE MIND AND NOT IN THE HEART. SRI chinmoy Thank God for this workshop. It made a big difference, made me see the real me everything about myself why I m the way I am and the way I want to be. I love completion it lightens my load puts the past I don t want behind me so I can move ahead. I especially like the honesty, I can be honest about things now. I ve learned to communicate, whereas, before I would just be quiet never talk openly honestly. I learned not to blame in my speech in completion. I love myself for doing this I was hesitant at first but after awhile I jumped in and became part of the group. It was Great thank you for letting me be me. (Daniel Frank, Ahousaht)

4 PA GE 4 RETURNING TO SPIRIT May the sun bring you new energy by day, may the moon softly restore you by night, may the rain wash away your worries, may the breeze blow new strength into your being Apache Blessing RECONCILIATION SASKATOON Returning to Spirit created a space for Reconciliation in Saskatoon between Oct 22 and 28, Almost 40 participants from British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba came together to let go of their stories and to reconcile with themselves, with others and with life. These participants al so repr e- sented a variety of religious denominations: C atholi c, Anglican, United, Presbyterian, Mennonite and Other. Under the guidance of Marc Pizandawatc, two trainers from the non-aboriginal core team led the two days of preparation for the non- Aboriginal participants. A couple of days later, two trainers from the Aboriginal core team led the same process for th e Aboriginal participants, again under th e guidance of Marc. These four trainers had attended a short intensive Reconciliation Training in early October at Morley Alberta. Out of that process, the trainers deepened their experience of reconciliation and how that process truly underlies all of our work. The trainers also became clear on some of the many areas in their own lives where they are unreconciled, with family members, with work colleagues, with organizations. The trainers were able to reconnect with the foundation of our work and became clear on how they need to be grounded in completions and reconciliation. Out of their reconnection with the core of the work, they were able to share this with the participants! From a space of fear, anger and blame, partici pants shifted to a space of joy, relief and partnership. Truly a transformational workshop and a joy to behold! RECONCILIATION Type reconciliation into Google (or any other search engine), and one of the first hits will be a definition from Wikipedia. According to Wikipedia, reconciliation is: settlem ent, resolution, compromise, reunion, bringing together. If you were to talk to a Catholic, they might say that reconciliation is the sacrament of penance or confession. Reconciliation for som e- one else might mean that there is forgiveness on both sides. RTS holds reconciliation as a coming together, a space in which both sides can speak openly, acknowledge what is there for them (without blaming and making wrong), and move forward together. The truth is our lives are full of unreconciled moments, interactions and encounters. Wh ether with people or with organizations. Wherever there is a divide, a distinction, be it large or small, there is an opportunity for reconciliation. When we don t reconcile, we begin to disconnect ourselves, not only from others, but from life, and most importantly from ourselves. As we disconnect, we begin to justify that within our own space It s their fault. They need to do something to make up for what they ve done or didn t do. We re great at holding onto that stuff, at justifying our own sense of what is right in the world. But that sort of space only disconnects us more deeply. We are a communal people, we are a people born to be in relationship, with ourselves, with others, with life and with ultimately with God. All those things that separate us, that divide us, prevent us from being in full relationship, in all areas of our life. What is it that separates you from yourself, from others and from life?? Take a look and see. It s not good or bad, right or wrong. It is just what is. Maybe you haven t been aware of it, or you ve been hiding it. Take a look be aware and now step into reconcili ation! C ompl ete thing s and compl ete things and out of that you will reconcile...

5 VOLUME 2, ISSUE 5 PA GE 5 EVALUATIONS PART 3 SASKATOON I fully reconciled with myself and have l et go of any shame and regret that I have been carrying in my life. I have forgiven the Church for the harm that was done to my mother and grandmother and I rejoice in being a First Nation woman. I have deep gratitude and respect for the First Nation and Church people who were a part of my process of reconciliation. I have purpose and intentionality in my life. (June Forsythe, Cranbrook, B.C.) BEAUSEJOUR MB A FIRST! Two weeks ago, trainers from RTS led a workshop in Beausejour Manitoba to a group of First Nations who were also United Church Ministers! This is a unique situation and a first for RTS. We have had the occasional First Nations C hurch person (si ster, brother, priest, minister) in our workshops before and have held lengthy debates as to which workshop they should take: Part 1 or Part 2. When Susan Everton, a developing trainer and member of the United Church community brought forward the idea of a workshop sol ely for Aboriginal United Church Ministers, we leapt at the chance. We brought together two members of the Church core team and two members of the Aboriginal team, and a variety of other developing trainers. This was al so a first!!! Together, the two teams delivered the workshop to this unique group of participants. Unique and yet, as Marc kept reminding us, they are people, the same as everyone else! We learned not to let our own preconceived notions of how things would turn out get in the way. We learned that the way one team does things is not exactly the same as the other team. We learned that reconciliation happens within and between I have worked in various places and parishes in the Keewatin-The Pas RC Dioces e over the past 10 years, yet this experience took me deeper into our First Nations brothers and sisters than all of those 10 years. I have never shared so much pain and communed with so much injustice in my entire life. AND I have never experienced such profound healing either in myself or in others as I have during these three days or reconciliation. This workshop has profoundly changed my life. I have entered the experience of First Nations as never before both in their pain and in their possibilities. (Lawrence DeMong, Muenster, SK) us. And in the end, it didn t matter if the participants were Aboriginal or Church it didn t matter if the trainer was Aboriginal or Church we were just people having a conversation with people. We would like to thank the United Church Justice and Reconciliation Fund for their grant which contributed to the training and delivery of this workshop. Many thanks to Susan Everton for organizing this workshop! Thanks to the Dr. Jessie Saulteaux Centre for hosting! Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less. Madame Marie Curie Beausejour, MB Part 1 & 2 Nov 16-20, 2009 Back Row left to right Sue, Susan, Jacques, Lawrence, Robyn, Peggy, Francois, Gloria Middle Row left to right Olive, Tarianne, Adeline, Agnes, Phyllis, Maria Front row left to right Frank, Gigi, Donald, Beatrice, Lisa, Dennis

6 PA GE 6 RETURNING TO SPIRIT UPCOMING SCHEDULE People say that crisis changes people and turns ordinary people into wiser or more responsible ones Wilma MankilleR CHEROKEE Our workshops are scheduled well into the new year, although we do have some openings!! March and April are open for the Part 2 team. April has an opening for the Part 1 Team. We are also looking at scheduling a Part 3 in Winnipeg, possibly in June and another one on Vancouver Island sometime in the Fall of These dates have yet to be confirmed! For more information on any of these workshops or to host a workshop, please contact Lisa Raven at for Part 1 workshops and Olive Halpin at for Part 2 workshops. Jan 7-13, 2010 Part 3- Prince George, BC Contact: Jean Marie Lehtinen Jan 25 29, 2010 Part 2 - Regina, SK Contact: Stephanie Molloy Jan 31 - Feb Part 1 Lac Brochet, MB Contact: Sarah/Kerrie Samuels Feb 8-12, 2010 Part 1 -Saskatoon, SK Contact: Marilyn Wapass Feb 10-14, 2010 Part 2 - Yellowknife, NWT Contact: Gail Paquin Feb 15-19, 2010 Part 1 - Hollow Water, MB Contact: Lisa Raven Feb 26 - Mar 2, 2010 Part 2 - Light of the Prairies, Lorette, MB Contact: Jacques Lafrance Mar 3-7, 2010 Part 1- Yellowknife, NWT Contact: Gail Paquin Mar 15-19, 2010 Part 1 Sturgeon Lake, AB Contact: David Nabew Apr 26 30, 2010 Part 2 St. Paul, AB Contact: Louise Lavoie Ext 30 May 10-14, 2010 Part 2 - Beausejour, MB Dr Jessie Saulteaux Resource Centre Contact: Norah McMurtay PG FN REUNION After the June 2009 Part 1 First Nations Workshop in Prince George, one of the participants, Christina Draegen, approached me. She asked if I would organize a RTS Reunion open to all the First Nations people who had attended any of the 3 Part 1 Workshops. A little surprised, I said of course, with your input and that of Margo Sagalon from Fort St. James. The three of us connected and decided to have a lunch followed by a healing circle for people to share the continuing transformation of the workshops and be supported in their growth. The location was the Native Friendship Centre in Prince Georg e where Christina works. We used the Power of Friendship Room, spacious for the circle and lunch. There have been 75 First Nations people who have attended the Workshop, each received a postcard announcing the Gathering. On September 26, 2009, we had a healing circle of 25 First Nations people and 1 Church person, myself. What an honor it was for me to be included in the circle! I was so inspired by the sharing and humbled by the moving forward of so many people. These folks are truly my friends each of us on a journey to healing and reconciliation. Jean Marie Lehtinen, OP There is a saying, conflict precedes clarity. The Medicine Wheel teachings say, in order for something to change it must first go through a struggle. When a crisis enters our lives, other powers are there to help us. We will learn some lessons. Will I honor and respect the next crisis? Great Spirit, if a crisis occurs today, let me learn the lessons of wisdom.

7 VOLUME 2, ISSUE 5 PA GE 7 CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS RTS (Winnipeg) is seeking enthusiastic and intentional volunteers (from anywhere across Canada!) to assist with some office tasks, som e r e- search and participate on various committees. If you are interested in volunteering with RTS, please contact our Winnipeg office to inquire about where your skills could assist RTS to continue moving forward. Contact: Anthony Niiganii, Director of Fund Development. Phone: (204) winnipeg@returningto spirit.org. FUND DEVELOPMENT We are inviting members of the community to join our Fund Development Team that will generate, lead and develop the Fund Development Strategies for RTS! Do you have experience in your community with fund raising??? Maybe you have contacts out there in the fund development world?? Or perhaps you re just someone who wants to develop new talents and skills in a great team environment. We want to hear from you!!! It s an opportunity for you to lead, develop and generate in contributing to the mission of RTS! In partnership, let's bring our talents and our knowledge together, generating opportunities and possibilities to be a force for being in creation. Please contact Anthony Niiganii, Director of Fund Development. Phone: at (204) fund@ returningtospirit.org RTS OFFICE NEWS The Calgary RTS office is moving!!! For the last 2 years (almost), we have been renting a small space above a retail store. The building is being sold and we need to move. We have found the prefect space in a Calgary business centre! These business centres are quite common in Calgary and offer a number of small offices for lease with a shared secretary/receptionist, board room, photo copier, fax, kitchenette, etc. This business centre is located just off Glen- more and Elbow, near Chinook Centre in southwest Calgary. For those who might like to visit th e new address is: Suite Elbow Dr SW Calgary, AB T2V 0E5 All phone numbers, fax numbers, addresses, etc. will remain the same. We are moving on December 30 perhaps a little ambitious but doable!! So, effective January 1, 2010, we will have a new home We are very excited over this new development. Although the actual office is small (120 sqft), it has room for 2 desks, a filing cabinet and bookshelf and maybe a few fake potted plants (no windows in this space)! We are very excited to have access to a board room. It means that we can host small RTS gatherings (mini-tdps), and even a Seminar Series or two! Better yet, it was quite easy to find! No long drawn out search or leg work involved. It s amazing what a conversation of possibilities can create! Keep us in your prayers as we prepare for the move that all will go smoothly and easily! Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it. William Arthur Ward

8 VOLUME 2, ISSUE 5 PA GE 8 RE T UR N IN G T O SPIR IT RE SIDEN T IA L SCHOOL RE CON CILIA TION I N C. info@returningtospirit.org Calgary Office th Avenue SW Calgary, AB T2T 2C3 Phone Fax Winnipeg Office 548 Home St. Winnipeg, MB R3G 1X7 Phone Fax Toll Free Newsletter articles are welcome! Send to the Editor (Gigi Jakobs): communications@returningtospirit.org Thanks to Jean Marie Lehtinen, Anthony Niiganii, Marc Pizandawatc, Tarianne DeYonker, Gigi Jakobs and Anne Taylor, for contributions & photos in this edition. Next edition February 1, 2010 Returning to Spirit (RTS) is a non-profit organization that designs and delivers workshops and training programs for reconciliation within the context of residential school issues that have negatively impacted First Nations People, Religious communities and Canadian society in general. Our focus is on moving people forward through the principles of personal empowerment. This defines all our work, including coaching sessions and consulting, which are designed to support individuals, families, organizations and whole communities to move forward in life. Our work goes beyond healing. It provides conditions for transformation in personal, family, community, and organizational life. UPDATE YOUR INFORMATION Have you moved recently? Changed your phone number or your address?? Do you want to keep up to date with RTS workshops and information? Want to know when the next Part 3 is going to happen in your area? If YES, then we invite you to fill out this change of address information and either fax it to us ( ) or mail it (to one of the addresses above), or the info to us (info@returningtospirit.org). Otherwise we can t reach you! Name: Address: Address: Please print neatly (especially address) Invest in the Human Soul. Who knows, It might be a diamond in the rough. Mary McLeod Bethune City: Province: Ph # (H): Ph # (W):