Mindful Writers 2nd Fall Retreat | Madhu Bazaz Wangu
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Mindful Writers 2nd Fall Retreat

Mindful Writers 2nd Fall Retreat

The wondrous Mindful Writers 2nd Fall Retreat (17-20 September) was even better than the previous year. From Thursday to Sunday, we practiced Writing Meditation Practice that includes mindfulness meditation, walking meditation, and writing in journal and laptop to our heart’s content. Our personal writing time was most productive and our time together filled with deep affection, light heartedness and laughter.

We practiced mindfulness mediation outdoors, in a gazebo visible behind the group picture. Guided body, heart and mind meditations helped us explore our minds. With deep and long inhalation and exhalation we calmed the mental chatter that seems to always keep us company. We were present and focused, ready to receive intuitive ideas and insights. We untangled our emotional knots and let the creativity and imagination flow freely.

Lori Jones led the walking meditation. She instructed us to count 1, 2, 3 with each step we took and to repeat our chosen mantra. While our left-brain got busy with numbers and repetition of the mantra our right brain roamed free in our fictional dream. Tranquility overcame us as we walked on picturesque trails followed by stirring of cues and clues about characters and settings, and finding solutions for storyline and plot. Feeling confident we were unafraid to make decision to get rid of some sections we had worked hard to write but seemed no longer working. The fearlessness gave us courage to delete only to be stirred with new and better ideas.

My heartfelt thanks to the coordinator, Kathleen Shoop for organizing the retreat! As if this was not enough, Kathie loaded us with original pieces of craft that symbolized growth and blossoming of what each one of us had planted in our writing.

Kathleen Shoop finding Inspiration in a Crystal Ball

Kathleen Shoop finding Inspiration in a Crystal Ball

 

Lori, Larry, Kathie and Madhu

Lori, Larry, Kathie and Madhu

Mindful Writers Group in Front of the Gazebo

Mindful Writers Group in Front of the Gazebo

Wende and Hilary Burning the Midnight Oil

Wende and Hilary Burning the Midnight Oil

Tranquil Pond Symbolizing Steady and Calm Minds

Tranquil Pond Symbolizing Steady and Calm Minds

Calm Mind reflects Authentic Self

Calm Mind reflects Authentic Self

Beginning

Beginning

Middle

Middle

End

End

 

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