Writing from the Heart

Sky Meadow Retreat
in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom
Presents

Spring 2008

Writing from the Heart
Seven days of independent writing with group support

Sunday March 30 - Sunday April 6

   8:00 pm                                               At                                               2:00 pm

    Sky Meadow Retreat     in    Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom

Join us for a week of intensive writing featuring:

*        morning silent group meditation

* healthy vegetarian meals

* open quiet space morning and afternoon for writing

* daily check - in circle with writing exercise

* evening group for reading and feedback sessions

If you have attempted a writing project, you know how difficult it can be to get space and time to write, and to maintain your motivation. This is an opportunity to take a week with the support of other writers in order to go deeply into your writing. We will sit together in morning silent meditation , share three healthy vegetarian meals in community, have two four hour blocks of writing time, morning and afternoon, check in with each other formally after the noon meal, and have optional evening reading and feedback sessions.

$425 double room (6 spaces) $525 single room or cabin (three spaces)

Shared bathroom s - Bring your own linens - Space is limited to 10 writers

For more information call:
Juliana: 802 – 272 – 7139 Miles: 802 - 533 – 2505 miles@skymeadowretreat.com
www.SkyMeadowRetreat.com

To register send a non-refundable deposit of $200 to:
Sky Meadow Retreat, 63 Winchester Rd. Greensboro Bend, Vermont, 05842
Registration deadline – Friday March 21

Forming a Writers Community

Writing can be challenging and lonely work, and a larger project can easily feel overwhelming. We often get discouraged about the months or years it takes to complete, and it is hard to stay motivated. It is also difficult to see our work clearly after we have spent so much time going over the same material. And, getting perspective and critical feedback on our work can be costly and is not always helpful.

Writing in the company of other people who are doing the same kind of work is one of the most powerful ways to stay focused and keep our energy up. Being witnessed and receiving input from a small group of people, in an atmosphere of trust and safety, can give us critical perspective on our work and help us to maintain interest in our project. Staying together for a week allows a deep sense of community to develop between us, which in turn creates an intimacy that is invaluable in giving and receiving honest feedback.

This retreat is about creating a nourishing open space to put our experiences into words. In morning silent meditation we strengthen our sense of community and prepare ourselves for writing by emptying our mind of clutter and setting aside distracting business. These sessions will be 35 minutes in silence, with simple instructions if requested. Meals are generally shared and offer a chance to socialize, network, or talk informally about our project. After the noon meal, we meet together to check - in about how we are doing, and ask for any specific kind of support that we need. We then have a short writing exercise to help us maintain our creative flow.

Morning and afternoon there will be four hour blocks of time for independent writing. This can be done in a communal area with tables, or privately in our own sleeping space. This is also a time for walking on the land, exercise, yoga, or whatever you need to help you in your work. After our evening meal we will gather for sharing our writing in a focused way, or an activity we plan together that will help us connect with each other and nourish us in other ways.

Each of us will have group time in the evenings to focus on our work. We will practice witnessing each other in ways that encourage and support us in finding our voice. This could involve asking for feedback, or simply being heard in silence. Each of us will be in charge of how we share our work and what kind of responses we would like from others. There will be some instruction and dialogue on specific ways to offer supportive feedback without judgment or evaluation.

A writer’s week at Sky Meadow can be an effective way to support yourself in working on a longer project, or simply honing your writing skills. Our intention is to support and encourage creative writing by making a safe place for each of our voices to be heard. This is a rare opportunity to receive peer review in an intimate setting while in the process of writing. It could be an effective way to energize and nourish yourself to do your best work.