"When I don't write, I feel my world shrink. I lose my fire, my color." - Anais Nin
Weekly Writing Practice with Rhea 8 Wednesday evenings, September 7 - October 26, 7:00 - 9:30 PM Mocha Momma's in SE Portland, $160
"It is my belief that we are as a species evolving toward something better, not worse, and that writing is one of the primary ways that we are doing it. We are in the midst of a quiet revolution, a revolution of pen and paper." ~ Julia Cameron, The Right to Write
Now is the perfect time to explore your stories and change how you see yourself and your world. In these weekly writing sessions, we will connect with our inherent creativity and passion for life. I use interesting and imaginative writing prompts in order to support our inner journeys as writers and women. Get fresh perspective and open the door to yourself. Sessions include opportunities to share your writing without judgment and to receive positive feedback from fellow writers. Our focus is on letting a process of discovery unfold and getting out of our own way so that the voice of the deep self can be heard.
Weekly Writing Practice with Traci 8 Tuesday Mornings, September 13-November 1 10:00am-12:30pm, $160.00 Location: NE Portland
Many of us hold the dream of wanting to write. We sense that there are stories living inside of us that need to be told, but in our busy lives, we have not been able to create the time, space or circumstances to explore this.
This fall, write in a community of others with a weekly practice group. In this group, we will use fiction, memoir and poetry to explore, play and connect more deeply with ourselves, our writing and with the other women in the circle.
Participants will also have the opportunity to receive feedback from the group on works-in-progress.
Come join us and see where your writing takes you! No previous writing experience necessary.
To register contact Traci: traci@pdxwomenwriters.com or 503-317-5148. Scholarships and payment plans available, please inquire!
Weekly Writing Practice withDawn 10 Wednesday Mornings, September 14 - November 16 10:00am-12:30pm, $195.00 (ask about payment plans) Location: NE Portland
"...Then something began pushing things up out of the soil and making things out of nothing. One day things weren't there and another they were...I don't know it's name so I call it Magic...Magic is always pushing and drawing and making things out of nothing...Every morning and evening and as often in the daytime as I can remember I am going to say, 'Magic is in me!"
- The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett
Your stories are important. Your imagination is priceless. When you write you free your authentic voice and learn to trust the tremendous resevoir of creativity that resides within you. When you listen to other women's stories you are liberated, inspired and changed forever. Sculpt time this fall to deepen your writing practice and to become more intimate with the story of your own life. Wherever you are with your writing, this morning workshop will provide a safe, inspiring space for you to write without critique or judgement. We will use prompts as springboards into where you most need to go with your own writing. Participants will also have the opportunity to receive feedback from the group on works in progress. Writing in community is like sunshine and water is to blossoming.
Creative Memoir Workshop withDawn 8 Thursday Evenings, September 22 - November 10 6:45pm-9:00pm, $170.00 Location: SE Portland (Westmoreland area)
"Everyone has the right to tell the truth about her own life." - Ellen Bass
The deepest and richest source for your writing is your own life. The story of your life is tremendous. It is full of joy and pain, loss and beauty. It is a story of love, and it is a story of the challenges of becoming fully human. Your story contains details and characters no one could possibly make up. In this workshop you'll have the opportunity to focus on a memoir theme that calls to you. We'll approach this theme from different angles so that you leave the workshop with a rich body of work. We'll practice the art of telling a story how we remember it - sticking to the truth while acknowledging that memory is a creative act that also requires our current perspective and imagination. When we write our true stories we gain insight and understanding. Writing our stories liberates us. Sharing them with others is a gift to the world.
Some favorite line or suprising image will rescue my vagrant attention from the careening bandwagon of my thoughts and redirect it to the path of my soul. My mind quiets, my breath deepens, and I remember what matters most to me."
- Kim Rosen, "Saved by a Poem"
Weekly Poetry Workshop with Dawn 8 Tuesday Evenings, September 27 - November 15 6:30-8:30pm, $160.00 Location: SE Portland
We think we are not poets. We are carpenters, teachers, bakers, maybe even writers, but a poet? We forget that not only was poetry our first language - Goo Goo Gaa Gaa Up Now Yes Yes Heee - but that poetry is as natural to us as breathing. We were born to make music and to paint pictures with our words. Our hearts and our world are in dire need of poetry. Poetry frees us. It changes how we engage with life and deepens all of our writing. In this workshop, we'll sculpt word combinations in new ways to capture an ordinary moment, an extraordinary story. We'll experiment together with this wonderful gift we call language. No previous poetry experience necessary.
Writing Through the Darkness: For Those Whose Lives Have Been Affected by Depression with Traci* 6 Monday evenings, October 3 - November 21 (no workshop Oct 17 or 31) 6:45 pm - 9:00 pm, $120 Location: SE Portland (Sellwood)
"...it became clear that writing was a far more powerful tool for healing than anyone had ever imagined.” ~ James W. Pennebaker, Writing to Heal
Based in part, on the pioneering work of Elizabeth Maynard Schaefer, Writing Through the Darkness, is a workshop for those whose lives have been affected by depression. Sometimes, the most challenging thing is to reach out and be in the company of others, but in a safe place, the most amazing things can happen.
We'll explore what depression means to each of us, how it has affected our life and how to move forward into a lighter state of being. We'll share writing, the comfort of a woman's circle, and probably some laughter as well.
Workshop is limited to 8 participants. No writing experience necessary.
To register or for more information, contact Traci at traci@pdxwomenwriters.com or 503-317-5148. Scholarships and payment plans available for this workshop, please inquire.
*Traci is not a therapist, just another soul on the journey. Please, check with your doctor or therapist if you have any questions.
Writing Down the Moon a writing and astrology workshop with Rhea 4 Friday Mornings, October 28 - November 18 10:00 AM - 12:15 PM, $100
Throughout time, the Moon has been a symbol of deep power and mystery. Legends and sacred stories about the moon have sprouted from every culture. The Moon has a story to offer to you as well, and this four-week workshop will give you a great foundation to understand your true nature and unlock the doors to your deepest needs. Using personal writing sessions, lecture and guided meditation, we will explore the power of the Moon in a safe, inspiring environment.
As the moon journeys through its phases -from the ripeness of full to the dark solitude of new - so we too have our own rhythm. These shifting moods can be challenging to navigate. Learning about the nature of the Moon in our natal charts, as well as the phases and eclipses of the Moon, we can link up with natural cycles to find greater strength and balance.
In Astrology, the Moon represents our INNER NATURE. Your Moon by sign, house and aspect can help answer vital questions:
-How do you give and receive love? -What are your natural defense mechanisms? -What are you looking for in relationships? -What do you need to feel supported?
Wherever the Moon was when you were born will reveal how you manifest these vital energies and exactly who you are when no one's looking. This workshop will take us to the beginning of the next eclipses cycle - a potent gateway through which we can set intentions for the future.
Don't miss this opportunity to discover more about your inner nature!
No previous experience necessary. All women are welcome. For more information or to register, call (503) 234-8996 or email rhea@pdxwomenwriters.com.
