LIMITED SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE
“There’s a thread you follow.
It goes among things that change.
But it doesn’t change.
People wonder about what you are pursuing.
You have to explain about the thread.”
~William Stafford
Come spend a contemplative weekend in companionship with fellow seekers
writing the thread of your sacred journey.
(No writing experience required)
I believe that every spiritual journey has both personal and archetypal dimensions which inform and enlighten each other—it is the same belief that animates and also distinguishes my approach to teaching memoir in general. It is through writing into the personal while keeping an eye on the archetypal that we can make our journeys more resonant with others, inspiring, encouraging, and accompanying them along their own particular paths as we lay ours bare on the page.
In this writing retreat, I’ll begin Friday evening by guiding you in an exploration of your sacred journeys through a mapping process, creating a unique memory-montage that will be mined throughout the weekend for what it reveals about the archetypal dimensions of your journey (this map will also serve you as a rich material generator for writing beyond this course). On Saturday, you will learn about and identify your own spiritual archetypes and spiritual temperament types, those sacred threads woven into and through your spiritual life. On Sunday, we’ll discuss archetypal metaphors of the spiritual journey, helping you discern the patterns of your own particular path. Reflective writing prompts will deepen the exploration, because as Deborah Levine Herman notes, “The process of spiritual writing is an end in itself. While you are sharing your insight and wisdom with others through the act of writing, your wisdom increases many times over, almost as though you are being taught by your own hand.” To this end, small group sharing will give participants a chance to read their writing and share their discoveries.
Join me for this weekend dedicated to deepening into your spiritual journey (or the spiritual aspects of your secular journey) by infusing it with archetypal dimensionality.
In this writing retreat, I’ll begin Friday evening by guiding you in an exploration of your sacred journeys through a mapping process, creating a unique memory-montage that will be mined throughout the weekend for what it reveals about the archetypal dimensions of your journey (this map will also serve you as a rich material generator for writing beyond this course). On Saturday, you will learn about and identify your own spiritual archetypes and spiritual temperament types, those sacred threads woven into and through your spiritual life. On Sunday, we’ll discuss archetypal metaphors of the spiritual journey, helping you discern the patterns of your own particular path. Reflective writing prompts will deepen the exploration, because as Deborah Levine Herman notes, “The process of spiritual writing is an end in itself. While you are sharing your insight and wisdom with others through the act of writing, your wisdom increases many times over, almost as though you are being taught by your own hand.” To this end, small group sharing will give participants a chance to read their writing and share their discoveries.
Join me for this weekend dedicated to deepening into your spiritual journey (or the spiritual aspects of your secular journey) by infusing it with archetypal dimensionality.
HOW IS “SPIRITUAL” DEFINED IN THIS RETREAT?
The pat but true answer is, however you define it. I primarily define spirituality as that feeling of being connected to something beyond our small selves, and beyond the mundane plane in which we typically live our lives. That thing could be God, Nature, a Higher Power, or other glorious Beings on this earth and beyond. I also appreciate Brené Brown’s definition of spirituality: “Spirituality is recognizing and celebrating that we are all inextricably connected to each other by a power greater than all of us, and that our connection to that power and to one another is grounded in love and compassion. Practicing spirituality brings a sense of perspective, meaning, and purpose to our lives.”
You don’t have to come with a definition—part of what we’ll undercover and map is where and when in life we have had experiences that feel spiritual to us, and how we experience them, using the spiritual temperament types.
You don’t have to come with a definition—part of what we’ll undercover and map is where and when in life we have had experiences that feel spiritual to us, and how we experience them, using the spiritual temperament types.
|
Jennifer Leigh Selig, PhD, is a popular memoir writing teacher whose courses have been featured in The Writer magazine. She is the author, publisher, contributor, or editor of over forty books, including Everyday Reverence: One Hundred Ways to Kneel and Kiss the Ground, and Deep Creativity: Seven Ways to Spark Your Creative Spirit. Read more about her here.
|
Supplies Needed: For Friday night’s mapping exercise, please have an extra large piece of paper—when I lead this retreat in person, I use 14 x 17 inch drawing paper, but you could also use a piece of poster board as well—and crayons or colored pencils. Please have a journal or use your computer for the reflective writing prompts.
Cancellation Policy: 90% of the registration fee will be refunded upon request. If the minimum number of participants is not reached, 100% of the fee will be refunded or applied to another course/program.
Cancellation Policy: 90% of the registration fee will be refunded upon request. If the minimum number of participants is not reached, 100% of the fee will be refunded or applied to another course/program.