A transformative space for women opens in Yellow Springs

Yellow Springs resident Jennifer Horner recently opened Creative Transformations, a retreat center for women. The business is located above the Global Gallery on Xenia Avenue.

By Tara Miller

In the 1800s, people flocked to Yellow Springs for what many believed were the curative powers of the natural spring, and some still feel a unique pull to the village. Without knowledge of village history, when Jennifer Horner and her husband, Charles Sides, first visited Yellow Springs two years ago, they instantly recognized a “magical quality about the town.”

“Twenty minutes after our arrival we looked at each other and said, ‘This is it. This is the next step on our journey,” Horner said in a recent interview. That afternoon the couple began looking for a home, and in February 2006 they became enthusiastic residents.

“Yellow Springs is truly an oasis,” said Horner. “And there is a long history documenting this. Amazing things happen here.”

Horner wants to make more amazing things happen, especially for women. With the full support of her husband, this summer she opened a new business, Creative Explorations, a women’s retreat studio located above the Global Gallery at 253 Xenia Avenue, in a building they own.

“We want to share the magic that is here,” Horner said about her new business. “People can be rejuvenated and inspired here. They can be transformed.”
As a licensed independent social worker and artist, creative transformation is of great interest to Horner. She is particularly drawn to the transformative powers of symbolism, she said, and uses a variety of tools, including art-making, music and drumming, as projective devices to bring into consciousness what a woman truly thinks, feels or believes. She hopes that such activities help to “facilitate self-discovery,” and wants women to feel safe exploring their authenticity.

But transforming the space into a space for transformation turned out to take time, and Horner spent nine months renovating what had been an apartment. She acknowledges that she can be “obsessive in my desire to bring beauty into the world,” and, in one example, applied with a feather duster five layers of paint to create a tranquil, yet subtly evocative environment.

“The location, the light, the layout were perfect. I was compelled to bring out the potential that was inherently present to create a ‘healing space’ for women,” she said.

The idea of establishing a retreat for women grew from her experiences, Horner said, especially time spent in a Jesuit retreat center, in stark, spare accommodations. While the starkness of that space felt eerie in ways, it also provided a wonderful opportunity to leave the stresses of life behind. But she emphasized that her retreat center comes with no religious affiliation.

“I want Buddhist, Wiccan, Christian or atheist women to feel comfortable here and not judged,” she said. “I believe paths to healing and wholeness are as diverse as we are. I don’t believe there are one-size-fits-all answers.”
A woman who comes to Creative Explorations may be looking to relax, to de-stress, to take a break from the weight of her daily obligations, to clear her mind, or to find her sacred center, and the possibilities for transformation may “be great or small.”

Horner believes the town itself will contribute to the experience of those who frequent her business. She cited an incident in which she observed a young girl throwing a tantrum in Tom’s Market.

“Her father responded in such a nurturing way, I was absolutely astounded,” Horner said. “Having worked as a child and family therapist I was awed by his skill in treating the child with dignity and respect while appropriately redirecting her. The “average” person in Yellow Springs is not typical of the “average” American. Sure, we have our quirks and our strong opinions but to our credit, it seems that Yellow Springers attempt to live their lives consciously.”

She grappled with opening her retreat up to men as well, Horner said, especially since she believes that men could also benefit. But for now, it’s a woman’s sacred space. She and her husband also believe that this idea will flourish and evolve. They see an extension, gender inclusive, in the future and are looking for investors who might want to participate in this venture.

“I adore Yellow Springs and this is my contribution to town and to society at large,” Horner said. “I believe society is in upheaval. I believe Yellow Springs is in transition. I also believe in creativity, in resilience, that the greater good will ultimately prevail.”

The Web page for Creative Explorations is www.creativeexplorations.net. For more details and availability, Horner can be reached via e-mail: jhorner@creativeexplorations.net or by phone: 937-750-4117.

* The writer is a freelance writer and photographer for the News.