Te Wahi Ora Women’s Retreat
When the Women’s Movement surged through NZ in the 1970’s & 80’s, many of us discovered needs that we had never dealt with before. Wynsome Diprose and Beverley Holt became co-founders of Te Wahi Ora, as they dreamed of Retreat places for women, able to meet those needs or at least support women in their healing process.
Firstly they developed support groups for themselves and women who were often leaving restrictive life-styles, recovering from sexual abuse and domestic violence, and others looking for personal and spiritual growth.
Then Te Wahi Ora moved into weekend workshops exploring topics that promised insights into who women are, how we function, who we may become and what gifts, energies and resources do we have available for our healing.
A decade went by. Women were creating fulfilling lives. But they were tired and often exhausted! Instead of being wives and mothers OR had careers, they were now all three!
Te Wahi Ora began to create more accommodation and staff to enable us to offer women a place where they could totally rest, recuperate, retreat and be restored in body, mind and spirit.
And that’s where we are today! Yet, we are aware of increasing requests for spiritual support and development. Plus the exciting exploration that is beginning as older women realize they are pioneering “women’s wisdom years”. Never before have women been entering their 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and 90’s in such numbers. We are educated, aware and with such options still ahead of us!
It’s as though we have no idea yet, who women are becoming in this exciting journey called Life. But we do want Te Wahi Ora, now a Charitable Trust, to continue supporting and encouraging women to be all we can and to be there for each other.