This monthly workshop, held on the 4th Monday of every month, cultivates an awakened presence through mindfulness and writing. By bringing an intentional focus to life – just as it is – while suspending judgment, we become open to a more vibrant experience, and we nourish the soul with compassion. When we clear away the ceaseless chatter that distracts from long held beliefs – stories we told ourselves at one time to make it through, or labels we’ve permitted others to place on us – we can begin to invite a deeper truth to surface. Writing can be a powerful portal to envisioning the life you desire and deserve; it can heal and unveil blocks which have been long-buried, repaving a new path to bring your life vision into fruition.
“Only to the extent that we expose ourselves over and over to annihilation can that which is indestructible in us be found.” –Pema Chodron
Lay down your mind, open your heart, and allow words to pour out. It might be messy. It often is – the broken verses, the mangled memories. Sometimes what emerges from the rubble on the page, is a new perspective, a clarity of truth, a message needing to be heard.
Geri Giebel Chavis (author of “Poetry and Story Therapy: The Healing Power of Creative Expression”) contends that expressive writing offers a plethora of benefits, among them:
- that guided discussions with others on our reading and writing experiences enhances the processes of healing and growth
- that we can modify our feelings, attitudes and actions to attain more healthful functioning
- that we are all capable of being creative when given opportunity and encouragement
- that we are each the best storytellers of our own lives
- that capturing our memories, sensory experiences and personal metaphors in written form increases our self-worth, helps heal psychological wounds and brings fuller meaning to our lives.
Meghan Coyle, licensed clinical social worker and yoga teacher, will guide you through a variety of mindfulness activities to quiet the critic and awaken awareness. From this grounded place of compassion, writing prompts will be offered to stir your imagination and intuition. This workshop is intended for creatives, writers, and individuals of all backgrounds and levels of experience. Register by emailing meg@heartcenter4families.com
“Suppose you invented a way to concentrate all the best things people ever thought and felt into a very few words. And suppose you did something to those words to make them pleasant, beautiful, unforgettable, and moving. Suppose this invention could get people to notice more of their own lives, sharpen their awareness, pay attention to things they’d never really considered before. Suppose it could make their lives—and them—better. You’d really have something there… What is this fantastic creation? Poetry.” – John Timpane and Maureen Watts
H.e.a.r.t. Center for Families 