Program Details

Contemplative Writing Practice

This class will be canceled on February 27, 2013.

We apologize for the inconvenience. 

This ongoing monthly workshop will provide a space to explore the links between meditaton practice and writing. Participants interested in formal sitting meditation practice are invited to join Wednesday evening sitting meditation practice which begins at 5:30 PM. Newcomers welcome.

Through writing exercises done in the workshop, participants will be encouraged to note and keep returning to new thoughts as they arise on a moment to moment basis. The benefit of this writing practice is in its potential to make peace with the inner-critic. Rather than entering into a struggle with or attempting to ignore the critic’s editorializing, practitioners develop a trust in their first or new thoughts—which are usually derived from a natural creative energy.

This workshop will focus on the actual writing/meditative practice (rather than the forming of material into drafts) and is open to writers at all stages, as well as anyone interested in further deepening their practice of mindfulness. Suggested (not required) reading: Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg and Writing Alone and With Others by Pat Schneider.

Aidan is the author of two books of poetry, Particle and Probability (Potes and Poets Press, 2002) and So Earnest to Have a Green Point (Palimpsest Press, 2006). The material for both books came from a writing practice similar to the meditative practice presented in the workshop. She has been studying Buddhism for 15 years, the last 5 have been focused on Shambhala.