Hemingway

“Write when there is something that you know, and not before; and not too damned much after.”

Mandala

I recently attended a therapeutic and informative Mandala workshop at Unity Spiritual Center. We watched a film about the history and significance of Mandalas. The film showed Tibetan Buddhist monks making a beautiful Mandala with colored sand in a meditative state and the sand was later released into water to spread good feelings through the world. Because of the way mandalas quiet the mind, I try to make them available for people to explore during Igniting Possibilities events.

Word Lovers in Lakeside - It Was Lovely

We met Les Roberts and heard him talk about writing well. We hung out with other writers. We learned about word choice and how important the first page is and what poetry is. We wrote about where seagulls go when they die, early memories of our parents, and life's mistakes. We drank strong coffee, ate too many carbs in the form of peanut butter cookies and nut rolls, and shared stories over wine. We saw sunsets, took long walks, and rocked on the Idlewyld's porch walkers. We made new friends.

I can't wait until September 17-19. Our guest writer-in-residence is Deanna Adams, who runs retreats for women each winter and organizes the Midwest Writers Conferences. Come with us while we show how to inject life and energy into your non-fiction projects. Memoir, historical books, magazine writing, and personal essays are better when your passion for the subject shines through and you write what you have to say as only you can do it.

So, You Wanna Write?

I'm conducting a retreat session at A Soulful Retreat for Women, Originally Inspired by Julia Cameron's "The Artist's Way" in Pipestem, West Virginia during the weekend of May 21-23, 2010. The workshop will encourage participants to find their own voice, and their own way, through writing, whether it’s a paying gig or for personal pleasure. Go to http://retreatwv2010.wordpress.com/"Create-A-Way" Women's ARTbundance™ Retreat for further information.

Ancient Meditative Yoga

At Igniting Possibilities retreats, I do a series of simple standing poses, emphasizing the breath, balance, and focus, because the participants are usually new to yoga. During my morning yoga practice at home, I do a number of sun salutations, adding variations for half an hour or so, then I move into a balancing pose like tree or dancer before settling into savasana for final relaxation. Yoga should be physically challenging, encourage balance and focus, and be a continuous meditation that calms the mind by being focused on the poses and the breath. Yoga has given me physical strength, harmony, mind-body connection, and serenity. Its ancient wonders have no equal. I like to share my yoga experience with others.

WORD LOVER’S RETREAT - April 30-May 2

Join writers Les Roberts and Claudia Taller for a weekend of playing with words, learning the elements of a good story, exploring the poetic voice in fiction and non-fiction, and participating in critique sessions. The porches of the Idlewyld B&B in Lakeside, Ohio’s Chautauqua on Lake Erie’s Shore, await you. With fourteen rooms, eleven baths, two front porches, and located at 350 Walnut Avenue on Marblehead Peninsula (www.idlewyldbb.com/), the Idlewyld is the home away from home for Word Lovers Retreats. Weekend rates range from $180 for a shared room with a shared bath to $325 for a private room with a private bath. Contact Claudia Taller at ctallerwrites@wowway.com or 440-554-6406 for information on room availability and the cost for one person or the cost for two to share. Saturday-only fee is $75. Don’t delay--REGISTRATION DEADLINE IS APRIL 23, 2010.

Igniting Possibilities

On February 6, from Noon until 5, I facilitated CARING FOR THE AUTHENTIC SELF, A Retreat of Renewal and Awakening, at North Olmsted United Methodist Church,. Nurturing the spirit is increasingly important in a world of distractions. When we open ourselves to our creativity, we open ourselves to the creator’s creativity within us and our lives. Creativity is God’s gift to us. Using our creativity is our gift back to God, and requires authenticity. We began by exploring gratitude through meditation and prayer. Next, we flowed into standing-pose yoga before we ate a healthy lunch. Creativity exercises and reflective journaling opened our hearts and allowed us to envision life's possibilities. We listened to the dreams and life goals of others and shared our own—when the words are spoken, they take on significance.