123 Street Avenue, City Town, 99999
(123) 555-6789
email@address.com
You can set your address, phone number, email and site description in the settings tab.
Link to read me page with more information.
Filtering by Category: be present retreats
retreat altar . midwest inner excavation retreat, may 2011
Close your eyes
Gather all the kindling
About your heart
To create one spark.
That is all you need
To nourish the flame
That will cleanse the dark
Of its weight of festered fear.
from "For Courage" by John O'Donohue (from To Bless the Space Between Us: A Book of Blessings)
manzanita . taken with iphone and hipstamatic app
i come to the sea
to remember
the way i want to move in this world
to lean into
the truth of all that has existed before me
to breathe in
the joy
the light
the shadows
i come to the sea
to listen
and it is here that i find my way back to my song
*****
i am over here continuing to soak up the beauty that was the joy retreat and reflecting on the reasons why i want to always gather women by the sea and among the trees. and as i begin to finalize plans for next month's midwest retreat, i am smiling so big knowing i will be bringing this kind of experience back to my roots.
a truth i am sinking into:
when you know this is the path (that this is your path), you must show up and do the work.
(even when it is hard and might seem impossible. even when you don't think others will ever get it.)
keeping your heart open and letting hope partner with trust will be important guides along your way.
*****
each time i return from a be present retreat, i struggle with how to share all that unfolded. each retreat has been simply all that i hoped it would be plus whipped cream and cherries and the warmest hug of truth and love one could experience. (seriously, they really have been that good.) the joy retreat was oh my goodness simply fantastic. so much love and light and laughter and beauty. (thank you girls. big. thank you.)
gathering women together and providing space for them to show up as themselves feels as though it will always be my life's work. i am so blessed.
the final day of this retreat was the first time i have been the last person to leave (usually i have a friend or two with me). after walking through the house one more time, i put on my rain boots and headed out for a final walk through the sand. i had so much fun snapping away with my iphone that i feel moved to share a few of these photos with you over the next few days. i am going to pair the photos with a musing of sorts about what i am learning and leaning into as i breathe in the truth of the gifts these retreats give me.
(photo by CGM Photography)
The Be Present Retreats are heading to the Midwest
I simply delighted to announce that the Midwest Inner Excavation Adventure will be held in the beautiful lakeside town of Culver, Indiana from May 11-15. Culver is a magical place that is very dear to my heart, and I can't wait to connect with those who will be joining us for some play and connection in one of my favorite spots in the world.
Kelly Barton and I will be your guides on this adventure as we explore some of the ideas and themes brought up in my book Inner Excavation: Explore Your Self Through Photography, Poetry, and Mixed Media. We will play with paper and paint and color, dance inside words and find our inner poet, sit in the quiet, go on photography excursions, spend time with our senses, eat fantastic food, take walks by the lake, and explore our beautiful surroundings. There will be time to create, rest, connect, and breathe deeply.
(photo by kelly barton)
Kelly and I will be team teaching each day using the mediums of photography, writing/journaling/poetry, mixed media art (paint, paper, fabric, and many other good things), and meditation to explore three themes:
Each participant will be asked to bring a simple creative toolkit (more details will be provided with your information packets), and many of the art and other creative supplies will be provided. You are going to love playing with all that we are tucking into boxes and bringing with us on this adventure!
An important aspect of this experience is the invitation to listen to what you most need. If you need to head down to the Culver Coffee Company for some coffee with whipped cream, you can take that time for yourself. If you need to take a nap or simply stay in pajamas all day, you can make that choice. If you want to invite everyone to join you in a dance break and turn up some Tina Turner, to put it simply: you have come to the right place.
Bringing these retreats to my home state fills up my heart. (Yes.) And to bring a retreat inspired by a book that I wrote...I am smiling big over here. I simply cannot wait to gather with all who attend and dive into ways we can tell our stories and look at where we are on our paths through poetry, photography, and art.
To learn more about this retreat, including tuition details and more about Culver and lodging, head over to the Be Present Retreats website. And feel free to send over any questions! Just click the email button in the sidebar.
feather found at sunset, gearhart, august 2010
From June 15-19, 2011, Your Story (a Be Present Retreat) will take place along the Pacific Ocean in Gearhart, Oregon. This retreat is part of the Studio Gathering series. These gatherings are inspired by the desire to have a room of our own where we can write, paint, play, and live creative dreams into reality combined with the idea that creative souls crave community with like-minded spirits. With that in mind, each day will include gatherings for the whole group balanced with free time for the retreat participants. Participants will be staying in a large house along the estuary the feeds into the Pacific Ocean (the house is walking distance/very very short drive to the ocean).
During our group gatherings, we will explore the topic of "Your Story" through a few themes:
These gatherings (that might sometimes feel a bit like adventures) will be led by four mentors:
Each day there will be a little talk, a bit of art, some photography, invitations to sit in the quiet and listen, opportunities to ask questions, some writing/journaling, moments to share pieces of your story, and maybe even some dancing. There will be photos walks, time to play with words and color, discussions, meditation, and more.
Each day there will also be time to listen to what you most need. Maybe this will mean taking a nap or collecting sand dollars at dawn (yes, there will be sand dollars) or staying in your pajamas all day or walking into town for ice cream or driving down the road to Manzanita or sitting side by side with someone who is becoming a dear friend as she shares her truth or working on your current "story" project.
This retreat is about gathering and sharing and investigating where we are on our paths. It is about breathing in the quiet to remember who we are. It is about holding the space while someone tells her story.
Registration for Your Story begins tomorrow (Wednesday, January 19), and there are just 20 spots at this retreat. To find out more, head over to the Your Story page.
*****
A few other Be Present Retreats announcements:
Don't hesitate to let me know if you have any questions. Hope to see you in person in 2011!
gearhart, oregon
leaning my head in over here to say:
there's a sneak peek of more 2011 Be Present Retreats over on the site!
and we had a private room cancellation for the Joy Retreat today. let me know if you want to come along. a few shared room spots are also still available.
hope your weekend is full of rest and light and peace and moments to soak in the truth that you are enough...
i'll be back sunday with a little audio post for you.
blessings,
liz
(manzanita view from the deck of the main retreat house, on a day in late november . note that blue sky)
Because the Pen & Paper Retreat is the first in this new series of Studio Gatherings, I want to share a bit more about this retreat and what you will experience if you come along...
*****
Imagine being curled up by a fireplace, mug of tea in hand, looking out through floor-to-ceiling windows at the crashing, turning, pushing waves.
Imagine the smell of baking cinnamon rolls and fresh coffee as your invitation to begin your day.
Imagine sitting beside someone who is quickly becoming a friend as you each share your creative dreams and brainstorm how to live them into reality.
Imagine the gift of time alone to spend in whatever way you choose without any expectation of what you need to do next.
Imagine getting out of your "writing" headspace and walking on the beach to gather shells or playing with paper and glue and color or simply sitting in the quiet remembering yourself.
Imagine finding your way to laughter and silliness and the decision that staying in pajamas all day is the perfect one for you.
Imagine having the space to simply listen to what you most need and then realizing that you are surrounded by people who will support you as you make it happen.
This is the Pen & Paper Retreat. This is a place where you can just show up, and you will be given the gift of time to rest and recharge so you can find your way back to you. This is your invitation to come and be with other people who are drawn to sharing who they are through the written word.
*****
A few Frequently Asked Questions about this retreat:
What will we do at this retreat?
Each day we will spend a few hours in community where the mentors for this retreat will lead the group in discussions, writing prompts, and other experiential exercises. Each day there will also be an optional meditation-inspired activity led by me (for example, this might mean an early morning beach walk or a senses writing meditation), and each evening there will be an optional group activity. There will be lots of time during the day for participants to work on their own writing or gather in small groups or walk on the beach or take a nap or go into town and shop...and so on. There will be snacks available throughout the day so that participants can feel nurtured as they work, play, rest, and recharge. Also, an "art space" will be available throughout the retreat where participants can spend time collaging or finding words in magazines and books or working in art journals and so on.
Why should I come to the Oregon Coast in February?
Because when we give ourselves the gift of time away from our daily lives so that we can be present to our whispered dreams, it should be in a place that is gorgeous and sparkles and is full of magic. And, to put it simply, the Oregon Coast is magic.
And yes, we might have rain or even a dusting of snow, but we will be cocooned inside together and the views will still take your breath away. In late February, we also might have sun and temperatures warm enough to go outside in just sweaters. And I can promise that flowers will be blooming. Flowers. Blooming. In February. Magic.
(view from the main retreat house . from the couch . where i was sitting and reading poetry . on a day in late november, 2010)
Even though I write on my blog and in my journal, I don't consider myself a writer. Is this retreat for me?
This retreat is for:
(The whispered answer to this question: Yes, dear one, this retreat is for you [yes you]. And, the truth is you are a writer. But, it's okay if you aren't ready to own that yet.)
I don't have a current writing project but I feel called to this retreat. What should I work on if I come?
See above. Also, feel free to email me (Liz) and I will help you hone in on what you might want to bring to this retreat.
I'm an art journaler. Can I come?
Oh my goodness yes! I would love for you to come and share this beautiful writing tool with others. You will have time and space to art journal if you choose. And you will be given new tools that you can use to further explore and add to your art journaling.
*****
Please note: I am finalizing the housing needs for this retreat in the next week or so. Quite a few people have expressed interest in this retreat, so if you have been thinking about joining us, I would love to hear from you. If you need a payment plan to stretch the payments out over a couple of months, contact me for information. Also, if you have additional questions about this or other retreats, please just let me know by clicking the email button in the sidebar and sending your question to me. Thank you
Next spring brings a new Be Present Retreat that is ALL ABOUT JOY!
As spring begins to sing her song, we will spend five days on the Oregon Coast focused on the theme of joy. We will eat delicious meals, gather for laughter and connection, spend time sharing our stories, play with paint and instant photography and food. We will find our way to the quiet and take time to breathe deeply as we look out at the sea. We will begin to listen to the joy that is whispering inside us.
And there will be strawberries and cupcakes and laughter and dancing and time to soak it all in and invitations to really see yourself and music and messiness and moments where you just might realize you can live your wildest dreams into reality.
(Yes.)
To put it simply: This one is gonna be good.
The three workshops that will be taught at this retreat include:
Instant Joy
with Andrea Jenkins
Finding Joy in the Kitchen
with Tracy Benjamin
Treasure Seeking
with Mati Rose McDonough
And this is your official invitation to come along...
