It takes 3 hours to drive to Commonweal from my front door. It’s a beautiful drive really and Evelyn and I alternated between talk and silence on the road heading up here. But every time I turn onto Mesa Road, where a huge row of eucalyptus line the road, I go silent. That last mile […]
Writing as a Pathway: Arriving at Commonweal Read More »
ALL MY BAGS ARE PACKED AND I’M READY TO GO This is what my car looks like all packed up to drive to Commonweal. I’m carrying a case of Writer’s Journey sweatshirts, a Jambox speaker to play music and poetry, a shoe box full of evocative postcard images spanning 40 years to use as writing
Writing as a Pathway: Off to Commonweal Read More »
Today is a day to do last minute errands, to put a vacation message on my email and to do the same on my phone. This afternoon, Evelyn and I will have to figure out how to fit our suitcases and all the materials we need to bring to this retreat in my car. I’ll
Writing as a Pathway: The Calm Before the Retreat Read More »
Over the past two weeks, Evelyn and I have sat and talked through the different phases of our upcoming retreat. We’ve reviewed the three sections of the retreat that I first developed with my friend and colleague Nancy London: Grieving, Uncertainty, and Transformation, the rough stages involved in integrating major life changes. During the first
Behind the Scenes: Getting Ready for a Writing Retreat: Overplan, Then Let Go Read More »
One of the most important things about creating a powerful, transformative retreat is building a safe environment in which the work of the retreat can unfold. That’s why for an intensive writing retreat—one whose goal is deep writing and internal work—the setting is so important. It’s one of the reasons I love teaching at the
Behind the Scenes: Getting Ready for a Writing Retreat: Building the Container Read More »
“I don’t fully understand my life until I write it.” —Robert Frost Think back through your life and think about what you are most proud of. The items on your list could be things you accomplished “out in the world” or things that happened internally. Knowing who you are and where you’ve come from, what
Five Proudest Moments Read More »
Friday marks the start of my first “Writing as a Pathway Through Grief, Loss, Transition and Change” retreat since before the pandemic. This is a retreat I created with my colleague Nancy London and co-taught with Nancy and David Colin Carr for several years. I was inspired to create it after my mother died in
Behind the Scenes: Getting Ready for a Writing Retreat: Introducing Writing as a Pathway Read More »
“There’s this moment in creation, when you’ve made something truly special, where you become euphoric. And then, utterly lonely.” —John Mayer Tell me about your loneliness. Tell me about all the different kinds of loneliness you have known. Begin each paragraph with the words, “There is the kind of loneliness that…”. Make each paragraph a
The Many Flavors of Loneliness Read More »
“This is the bright home in which I live, this is where I ask my friends to come, this is where I want to love all the things it has taken me so long to learn to love.” —David Whyte, The House of Belonging Tell me about the things it has taken you “so long
The Bright Home in Which I Live Read More »
“What a wonderful life I’ve had. I only wished I’d realized it sooner.” –Colette Tell me about something you grew to appreciate or understand only in hindsight.
Something I Understood in Hindsight Read More »
“A poem begins with the writer and ends with the reader.” —Ellen Bass What does this mean to you? What’s the relationship between self-expression for its own sake and communication with your reader?
The Relationship Between Writer and Reader Read More »
“Limitation is what differentiates a flood from a lake. In the making of things, limitations allow you to choose from something rather than everything.” — Corita King Write about a limitation you chose and how it affected your life.
A Limitation I Chose Read More »
“What I try to do is write. I may write for two weeks ‘the cat sat on the mat, that is that, not a rat,’’…. And it might be just the most boring and awful stuff. But I try. When I’m writing, I write. And then it’s as if the muse is convinced that I’m
Lock Yourself in the Bathroom If You Have to Read More »
“What is always speaking silently is the body.” –Norman Brown If my body could speak, it would tell me…
What My Body is Saying Read More »
It’s the final morning of our retreat. I woke at 5:30 this morning, feeling sluggish from last night’s wine and final feast. I decided I needed to move, to go for a walk. I haven’t had much time to myself this week. My hours have been filled with teaching, eating, going on outings, visiting my
A Writer Goes for a Walk, Take 2 Read More »
