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Helpful Resources in a Time of Uncertainty #96

January 1, 2021 By Laura Davis No Comments - Read & Respond

Dear Writers and Friends,

I’ve had the great honor and privilege of teaching at Tassajara Zen Center retreat for the past few summers. This past July, my in-person retreat with my friend and colleague, the wonderful meditation teacher Tova Green, was canceled because of Covid. But now, under the auspices of Tassajara, Tova and I will be offering a one-day online retreat on Saturday, January 9th, entitled Writing Our Way to Hope and Commitment.

It will be the first retreat I have taught since the spring and the only one on my calendar. Please join me for this very rare and special opportunity.

Here are the details:

Photo Credit: Margo Moritz

Writing Our Way to Hope and Commitment
Saturday, January 9th

This one-day online workshop, based on Joanna Macy’s The Work That Reconnects, will utilize writing in community as a way to kindle hope and motivate meaningful action for change.

Are you:

  • Wanting to lift yourself beyond fear, apathy, cynicism, exhaustion and hopelessness to a place of hope and empowerment?
  • Deeply concerned about where we are as a nation and in our world?
  • Wanting to be inspired by others who share your vision of a just, equitable society?
  • Ready to take positive action to create the world you want to live in?

Join us for a day-long journey through the four-part spiral of The Work That Reconnects. Expressing our gratitude, honoring our pain for the world, entering deep time–connecting with ancestors and future generations–and, finally, we will “go forth,” envisioning a better world and identifying steps to move closer to that reality. Interactive exercises and writing will guide us through this communal day of exploration. You do not need to consider yourself a writer or meditator to attend. Beginners are welcome.

Click for more information and to register.


Today’s Resources

Coronavirus & the Pandemic Response

What might year two of the pandemic look like?

Ed Yong’s reporting at the Atlantic throughout 2020 has been prescient regarding the pandemic and the political rollout of 2020. He’s written a new article about what the next year of the pandemic might look like, with hiccups in the rollout of the vaccines and the long-term scars of Covid-19. His new article, full of possible outcomes in 2021, is definitely worth a read:

Click here to access this resource.

Believe it or not, Covid humor, especially for people who love language and words:

Click here to access this resource.

Health care workers showing reluctance to get vaccinated. From the LA Times.

“They’re scared of the side effects, they don’t know what is going to happen, or if it will really protect them,” said a licensed vocational nurse at a Los Angeles nursing home who asked that her name not be used because she’s not authorized to speak to the media. “It has become so political.”

She was reluctant to take the vaccine herself until the 95-bed facility she works in, which had been virus-free for months, was hit by the rapid community spread. “We have 16 new cases in just three days,” she said. “It’s so fast, we don’t even know how it happens.”

“Reluctance? No question, there’s a lot of reluctance,” said Dr. Michael Wasserman, medical director of the Eisenberg Village nursing home in Reseda and past president of the California Assn. of Long Term Care Medicine, which represents doctors, nurses and others working in nursing homes.

“Because there was no transparency or clarity from the federal government with the rollout, the states and the counties often didn’t know what was happening until the last minute,” he said. “That makes the vaccine reluctance even worse.”

Click here to access this resource.

Resources to Calm the Spirit and Bring Joy

The African Company Presents Richard III by Carlyle Brown

Monday, January 11, 2021 – 7:30 PM EST | LIVESTREAM

In 1821—forty years before the abolition of slavery, and fifty years before Black Americans earned the right to vote—two productions of Shakespeare’s Richard III are on the rialto. One is presented by the African Company of New York, known for putting on plays in a downtown Manhattan theatre to which both Black and white audiences flocked. The other is helmed by Stephen Price, an uptown theater impresario who—fearful of the African Company’s production, which is garnering large white audiences—manipulates the law and employs his privilege to shutter the competition. Shakespeare is the cultural battleground in this inventive, emotional, and energetic retelling of a pivotal moment in American theater history.

Directed by Carl Cofield, this livestream benefit reading will feature Clifton Duncan, Edward Gero, Dion Johnstone, Paul Niebanck, Antoinette Robinson, Charlayne Woodard, and more.

Thank you to Judy Slattum for the heads up on this one.

Click here to access this resource.

History and Politics

I’ve traveled through much of this year reading Heather Cox Richardson’s daily posts looking at the day’s political news through the lens of history. Her Tuesday Facebook live analyses of the news have been steadying, calm and informative. I loved her last post of the year, looking back at how the last twenty years of our political history has brought us to this moment:

And here’s a great tribute to Richardson from the New York Times the other day: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/27/business/media/heather-cox-richardson-substack-boston-college.html

Click here to access this resource.

Writing Related

The Year of the Writer (redux)

A review of 2020 from the point of view of our writing lives, and a look ahead to 2021. From the folks at Brevity:

Click here to access this resource.

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More Featured Students?

For years, I’ve been showcasing the work of one of my students in my monthly newsletter and here on my site. If you’d like to see a complete list of the students I’ve published, with links to their work, you can find it in the Featured Student Archives. Just click the link below.

Featured Students

What is the The Writer’s Journey Roadmap?

I send out inspiring quotes and provocative writing prompts via email Tuesday. You can collect them for their own use—or you can post your writing online and enter into dialogue and conversation with a very supportive group of writers who have made this part of their weekly writing practice.

I invite you to become part of my brilliant, supportive, intimate, honest, inspiring free online community.

I hope to see you up on the Roadmap soon!

First time visitor? Click here to learn about our community.

Like this Virtual Vacation?

You can also read about Laura’s travels to:

Peru 2017

In which Laura and Karyn and 18 writers explore Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley of Peru.

Serbia 2017

In which Laura leads a workshop at the Incest Trauma Center.

Greece 2016

In which Laura explores the wonders of Crete and Santorini with a wide-eyed group of Write, Travel, Transform adventurers.

Vietnam 2015/16

In which Laura, who grew up during the Vietnam War, goes to Southeast Asia and finds out what Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia are really like today.

Commonweal 2015

A journey toward healing loss and grief in a magnificent Northern California setting.

Scotland 2015

In which Laura returns to Scotland with a new group for another jaunt through the wonders of the Scottish Highlands.

Scotland 2013

In which Laura attends the Edinburgh theatre festival and leads 14 writers to a magical retreat in the highlands of Northern Scotland.

Bali 2013

In which Laura visits Australia, and spends three weeks diving, exploring, and teaching in three regions of Bali.

Florida 2014

A journey into old age in America in which Laura brings her 86-year-old mother to Florida so she can see her last surviving sister one final time.

Mexico 2014

In which Laura attends the San Miguel Writer’s Conference and explores the artistic towns around Patzcuaro.

About Laura Davis

In the course of my career as a communicator, I have also worked as a columnist, talk show host, radio reporter, radio producer, blogger, editor, and speaker. Words have always been at the core of my work and my self-expression. Read More . . .

Photo taken by Jason Ritchey

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What People Are Saying About Laura Davis:

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Retreating with Laura: Julie Sheehan

Julie Sheehan

For many years I put off my dream of writing and traveling. I told myself the kids were too little, my husband could never survive without me, that I couldn't possibly be so selfish. I couldn't imagine realistically stepping out of all of my responsibilities and roles. Then I started attending Laura’s summer retreat at Commonweal in northern California and that became an annual gift to myself for the next three years.

When the opportunity to travel with Laura internationally came up, my Land of Later mentality said I could never pull it off. But when my friend got cancer at age 39, I decided to stop taking life and it's endless opportunities to grow, live, nurture and explore myself for granted.

My children were 6 and 9 when I began allowing myself the luxurious pleasure of taking 10 days to two weeks each year to travel abroad with Laura, to spend time with like minded, soul searching people who share a passion for living and writing, to have all my meals prepared for me, to have the space and freedom to stretch out of my cage and check in with who I am, what I want, and how best to get there.

Laura is a skilled and nurturing teacher who encourages her students to take risks, to grow as human beings, and to be vulnerable. She has provided me with a forum where I can gain all my CEUs and learn techniques on how to become a more engaging writer, all while completing yearly emotional rehab.

I return home from each of Laura’s trip a little wiser, a little more open, and a lot more compassionate. I greet my family, friends and daily life with sparkly, clean energy and a renewed patience, brought about by way of re-writing old stories that I needed to let go of. I come home ready to move forward in my life.

A retreat with Laura Davis is one of the best gifts I ever received and gave myself. It took many years to realize that I was worth the time and financial investment, but now there is no looking back.

Julie Sheehan, Livermore California

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