“Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you cramped and insane your whole life, and it is the main obstacle between you and a shitty first draft. I think perfectionism is based on the obsessive belief that if you run carefully enough, hitting each stepping-stone just right, […]
Embracing Your Shitty First Draft Read More »
I’m leaving for Spain tomorrow to lead my second hiking trip on the Camino de Santiago. Twelve travelers will be joining me and my co-leaders, Brenda Porter and Andre Mallinger, next week for a journey we’ve dubbed “The Creative Camino.” The creative part? I’ll be teaching writing and Brenda will teach sketching and watercolor as
“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.” —Maya Angelou Tell me about a moment that took your breath away.
“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” —Neale Donald Walsch Take a large sheet of poster paper or butcher paper, some markers, crayons or pens. Draw a picture of your comfort zone as if it were an actual landscape—a neighborhood, an ecosystem, a country—with topographical details, as if it were a real physical
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The Artist’s Creed I believe I am worth the time it takes to create whatever I feel called to create. I believe that my work is worthy of its own space, which is worthy of the name Sacred. I believe that, when I enter this space, I have the right to work in silence, uninterrupted,
The Artist’s Creed Read More »
“You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face.” —Eleanor Roosevelt Tell me about a time you were afraid and acted anyway.
Looking Fear in the Face Read More »
“Listening has the quality of the wizard’s alchemy. It has the power to melt armor and produce beauty in the midst of hatred.” —Brian Muldoon Tell me about a time that listening or being deeply listened to changed something profound in you or another person.
“Someday, after we have mastered the winds, the waves, the tides and gravity, we shall harness for God the energies of love. Then for the second time in the history of the world, we will have discovered fire.” —Pierre Teilhard de Chardin Tell me about when you discovered or learned a truth that changed your
A Truth That Changed My World Read More »
In one of our final writing classes, I helped everyone record the sensory and emotional richness of their time here by leading them step-by-step in a writing exercise where I had them remember specific things that awakened each of their senses. At the end of the class, I gave them the following homework: “Choose up
Since I’ve Come to Bali, Take Two Read More »
In our final writing class session, I read this quote from Joseph Campbell: “You must give up the life you planned in order to have the life that is waiting for you.” Then I asked everyone to think about something they wanted to let go of and one thing they wanted to integrate from Balinese
Our final hike on this Bali trip was between two volcanic lakes in West Bali. Four of us went on the hike, along with the two wonderful guides who’ve been with us all week: Ketut and Putu. Other members of our group stayed back at the hotel to write, relax, hike back to the waterfall,
From One Lake to Another Read More »
Munduk, the site of our third stop in Bali, is well-known for its many trekking and hiking options. And when I bring a group here, hikes are always a priority on the agenda. Yesterday, we went on a long meandering hike through local coffee plantations, neighborhoods and rice fields. Once again, we were guided by
Coffee, Cacao, & Cloves Read More »
Today, our first full day in Munduk, the last stop on our three-location Bali tour, we headed out after breakfast for one of my favorite local hikes: to a waterfall a little more than a mile away. Our lead guide today, Ketut (known as Young Ketut to differentiate him from Old Ketut, from the same
An Herb Walk On The Way To A Waterfall Read More »
Each day of this trip, we break away from our daily adventures and our cultural and spiritual learning to gather together for a two-hour writing class. Writing class is a time to ground, to process the events and experiences we’re having, to bond as a group, to affirm the power of our words, to dive
The Work I am Not at Liberty to Quit Read More »
The Balinese New Year’s Day, Nyepi, occurs in March or April of each year. Three days before Nyepi, all the villages take all the ceremonial objects they own and carry them to the beach in a procession to be purified by water—including Barong and Durga masks because they have living spirits in them. The next
