2024-05-18 Reverencing Earth Writing Retreat

This day of reflection celebrates the mysterious ways the gifts of creation influence our inner lives.  Expressing that gratitude has captivated writers and artists for centuries.  Drawing on their newly published anthology of poems, essays, and art, Victor Klimoski and Kathy Fleming guide participants in using word and image to describe what they experience on a walk in the forest or as they watch the sun rise over a sleeping world or contemplate birds gathering at the backyard feeder.  Creativity blossoms in simple acts of seeing with hearts opened wide.

The day begins with an introduction to Reverencing Earth and meditative reflection on sections from it.

After a guided morning stroll on the monastic grounds, participants will have the opportunity to capture first impressions from the walk in some artistic form.  This will lead to writing about those impressions (in the participant’s preferred genre), interspersed with ideas about nature writing and how writing helps tap into the wisdom of one’s soul.  There will be some small group sharing along the way and a concluding “community read” of what the day has offered.