A Journey in Holistic Growth

Abstract

New ways of learning are necessary for novices who desire to mature in holistic knowledge and educational methods. The purpose of this article is to share an experience in holistic growth, gained through an academic exercise. Students in a nontraditional nursing course titled “Women, Witches, and Healing” were asked to describe “What it means to be a woman (or man) in your world.” The exercise, done spontaneously at the end of an all-day seminar, yielded impressive responses. Using qualitative methods, the responses were compiled into single writings. Because of the small number of men (4) only the writings from the women were useful. The writings from the women (26) were revised several times before acceptable by all. The final composition is a tribute not only to those women but also to all of us who desire to be more than our usual roles suggest.