Divine Duality Shows a Pathway to Healing
Divisive Gender Issues for Individuals and Nations

Proven Track Record -- from Catholic Nuns and Priests in India to Men and Women in South Africa’s Parliament

Divine Duality, The Power of Reconciliation between Women and Men, a new book by author William Keepin, Ph.D. of the Satyana Institute, introduces a new area of work between men and women called the “Power of Reconciliation.” This revolutionary approach works on the ancient wounds that underlie current social norms to bring a possibility of lasting and positive change to the sometimes explosive and powerful issue of gender relations. By setting a context of forgiveness, compassion and mutual appreciation of the sacredness of life, the women and men of a group or institution who participate in this process are empowered to jointly confront the realities of gender oppression and conditioning.

Divine Duality presents over 15 years of developmental work done by the Satyana Institute. No other book or body of work deals with this subject from this perspective with the depth of insight and proven results presented here. The process goes quite beyond the traditional psychological/dialogue forms of interaction between the sexes, and provides a container for spiritual or ‘alchemical’ transformation. The book offers readers unprecedented hope and inspiration for resolving the“gender war” in a unique manner that constitutes an important step beyond the both the women’s movement and men’s movement.

“I have been looking a long time to find a way to bring healing and reconciliation between women and men here in South Africa. This work is the answer. We need much more of this work in South Africa,” said Nozizwe Madlala Routledge Deputy Minister of Health and Member of Parliament, South Africa.

Divine Duality’s stories and insights illuminate the tragic impact of sexual and gender conditioning in cultures across the globe. They also show powerful healing moments and experiences of ecstatic communion of masculine and feminine—pointing the way to unprecedented healing and reconciliation.

“The healing union of masculine and feminine, emerging from the molten heat of the tension of opposites is vividly presented in Divine Duality, along with the fundamental insights, principles and methods that enable reconciliation and healing between men and women in seemingly impossible circumstances,” said Will Keepin author.

Brief History

Despite major advances made by the women’s and men’s movements, gender disharmony continues to afflict human societies across the globe, undermining the integrity of even our most advanced institutions and organizations. Negative and often covert gender dynamics regularly produce divisive misunderstandings, communication break-downs, ruptured professional and personal relations, hostile work and living environments, lowered productivity and impaired health, costly litigation, and more. And the cost to society in time, money, productivity and human pain is incalculable.

Divine Duality comes from years of experiential work done by Keepin, contributing author Cynthia Brix, M.Div. and a network of trained facilitators at the Satyana Institute. This unique perspective and body of work was developed based on Power of Reconciliation workshops convened by the Satyana Institute which provide men and women a forum for unprecedented collaboration and opportunity to explore the hidden shadows and cultural conditioning around gender and sexuality.

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The Process

The book details the constructive dialogue and healing process that addresses some of the most divisive and seemingly intractable challenges between men and women. Experiences such as molestation and rape, infidelity and betrayal, physical and emotional violence, war, economic and power disparities are guided through carefully designed and facilitated group process exercises. One by one, the dark secrets embedded in the wounded psyches of ordinary men and women are brought to individual and collective awareness to be transformed. Issues that are rarely mentioned aloud are openly shared and collectively addressed and reconciled as the group works interactively together to reach a place of mutual understanding, healing and forgiveness.

Divine Duality recounts some of the most dramatic events, and presents the essential insights learned from more than 40 reconciliation gatherings over the years including the remarkable results within groups as diverse as nuns and priests in the Catholic Church, and most recently with members of the South African Parliament. This fresh approach ranscends socio-economic, cultural and educational barriers and is shown to work equally well in iverse cultural contexts ranging from the affluent West to societies of severe gender oppression, such as India and South Africa.

“This is the first time I have experienced a workshop that fully integrated both transformative
learning and spiritual components in a balanced manner,” said Ela Gandhi, Satyagraha Center, Durban South Africa and grand-daughter of Mahatma Gandhi.

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What Underlies the Process?

Divine Duality describes what can happen when a transpersonal/spiritual dimension underlies
healing work on deeply entrenched wounds. Instead of highlighting the differences between
masculine and feminine perspectives, this book focuses on the potential for unity and integration among women and men. It shows how people can honor and transcend their psychological and emotional differences.

It offers practical examples of inspiring, real-world healing work done by women and men
committed to moving beyond socially conditioned patterns of gender relations.

Who could benefit?

The information from the book has been gathered at events conducted in diverse venues including governmental bodies, social change organizations, graduate academic courses, religious and spiritual congregations, psychotherapeutic settings, and peace activist organizations.

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