Greenhouse Buddha at GGF; photo by Cynthia Cummins

Easy as Breathing at Green Gulch Farm, June 10-14

Loosen your creativity, fill your page with words that want to be written, and share your stories in an inspiring, supportive setting.

Authentic, compelling writing comes from a place of emptiness and mindfulness. By showing up, listening, and writing what arises, we discover the ideas we need to bring to light. We calm the mind, then follow playful and provocative prompts to start our pens flowing. With timed exercises, we bypass our inner critics and write consciously and freely. Words appear. Memories stir. Tales breeze in and land on the page. After writing, we read aloud and encourage one another, without critiquing.

This practice can serve as a form of meditation or a way to discover the writer within, jumpstart any writing project, or add new tools to your writer’s belt. Writing experience is not needed. A willingness to be quiet and to play is all. No special materials or advance reading are necessary. Participants should bring pen and a notebook or paper, since laptop use is not fitting for this modality.

This retreat welcomes all self-identified women.

The fee for the 4-night/5-day gathering is $400 or $340 for members of SFZC. The cost of accommodations is separate. Go to the San Francisco Zen Center website for more information or to register. This workshop always sells out, so don’t dilly dally on signing up.