Cynthia, photographed on the bridge bench at Tassajara in 2025

Easy as Breathing at Tassajara, September 1 - 6

Ah, Tassajara! What a restorative and inspiring place for coming back to ourselves with gentleness, compassion and community!

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.

Rates for the 5-night/6-day retreat are $550 benefactor, $440 general and $374 SFZC members. Please note that the retreat fee does not include the cost of room and board. Retreats begin at 4 pm on the indicated start date and end by noon on the indicated end date. Visit the Rooms & Rates section and determine your preferred accommodations before making your reservations request online at the SFZC website. Register soon, please, because this retreat is very nearly sold out (as of March 2026).

All self-identified women welcome.