Harvesting
Our Wisdom--Writing
Retreat November 7-9, 2008
$370 
Calistoga, California
(in the Napa Valley)
Autumn: the earth releases its fruits into harvest
turning toward silence and reflection of winter darkness.
In this silence, we dig deep into our inner selves
and the poetry of our hearts
.
Calistoga: steam arises from ancient pools of mineral water inviting busy urban souls to relax into healing waters, to find silence in nature, to spend time with the self that is often forgotten. Join us in this bounteous place for a writing retreat.
This retreat offers a chance to immerse yourself in your thoughts and ideas, and explore your deepest being. Whether you write memoir, or fiction, our retreat gives you time to focus on yourself and capture the stories that have shaped you.
- Visualization, memory exercises, drawing, and group
sharing open up the well of stories for us to draw from.
You will leave with several new stories, a timeline,
and a plan to develop your work. Your stories will be
received with full hearted acceptance and support.
- During the retreat there will be time for mud baths
and walks, individual writing time, and consultations
with Linda.
- Writing from prompts designed to elicit the important
stories of your lifeóhow you came to be who you are, the origins and destinies in your family, your dreams and imagination, moments of transformation and changeóinvite
you to journey within.
Give yourself a gift of a whole weekend immersed in
your stories and creativity, a time to listen to your
own voice away from the pressures of the world. Taking
the time to nurture ourselves helps the creative juices
to flow and allows for transformation and healing.
"There is an intensity
to devoting a weekend to this work. Maybe it's the act
of designating a time and place for it, that people take
big risks. I was moved to tears and blown away by people's
courage and stories." --Lily Endlich, Retreat attendee
"I feel like the universe speaks
to me through Lindaís class through the writing, both what
I find myself writing and through the writing of the others.
In all the stories, I find little nugget
s of truth. I hear
messages in their stories that seem as if someone wrote
them only for me because they are exactly what I need to
hear right here, right now." --Laura Singh
"Writing and telling the truth about
my life in this way has brought me to respect, honor, and
value my own journey." --R. McClelland
About the retreat
The setting is conducive to getting a great deal of writing done. The groups in the past have been composed of people with different levels of writing goals and skills--the retreat is about finding the stories that you want to tell, and being witnessed by the group. It is inspirational and challenging, but enjoyable as well.
There are writing prompts, writing skill notes, a timeline exercise, and discussions about telling the truth, guilt, family dynamics, an
d the writing process.
Friday arrival 5:30 PM
Dinner together, optional, at Checkers Café
on Lincoln Ave.
Workshop 6:30-9 PM Introduction; writing warm up.
Saturday workshop 9-7 with break for 3 hours.
In the morning writing warm ups, vignettes, and timelines.
A long lunch/writing/massage break allows for relaxing into right brain and creative musing, hot tubs, massages or mud baths. Wineries are nearby. We return to the workshop for a late afternoon session. Dinner and writing are on your own, but those who wish to, gather at dinner together on Saturday night.
Sunday workshop 9:00-12:30
Complet
ion of stories, group reading, and goodbyes.
Saturday lunch is included in the fee; coffee, tea, and healthy snacks are available at all times.
Housing for two nights at Dr. Wilkinsinson's Hideaway is a separate, discounted fee. When you enroll, I arrange housing at the cottages for you. Shared cottages are possible. You are free to find accommodations wherever you like for the retreat.
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The Napa Valley region of northern California is well known for its spas, wineries, restaurants, and its ideal and unique landscape located in a valley between two mountain ranges. Each season paints a colorful picture of mystical magic, the fall with its brilliant reds and oranges, the spring with the flowering of the fruit and the delicate new shoots.
Dr. Wilkinson's Hideaway is located in a quiet residential neighborhood, offering a protected retreat, yet close to galleries, shops, delicious food, and wineries.
Dr. Wilkinson's Hideaway
http://www.hideawaycottages.com
The retreat... a safe, warm writing environment where stories from my heart could be allowed to surface onto paper.
Being witnessed to by all the group as I read my stories is one of the most powerful writing methods I've ever known.
- Allene Hickox
l can't praise enough about this wonderful weekend writing retreat. l'm learning how to write my memoir in a more efficient way and getting a healing therapy at the same time because Dr. Linda Joy Myers has a PhD. in psychotherapy and is a published memoir writer. Nothing can beat that.
This writing retreat has been most fulfilling. Thanks again. -Jing
Questions:
Email or call Linda for more information
510-524-3898
linda@memoriesandmemoirs.com
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