We’ve entered the Winter quarter of the year called Samhain on the Celtic calendar, a time of year that brings the gifts of restoration and renewal if we remember to follow Nature’s wisdom. As the cold weather closes in, the soul is led to more reflective depths. I’m reminding myself as I write this to do more inner reflection and less outer connecting – or find some equilibrium with the two.

I do love keeping connected to people, with this blog for instance, and I also appreciate beginning each day sitting at my writing table.

Restoration and renewal happens in a weekly Writing Life women’s writing circle that very much feels like an oasis. We’re free to bring whatever we are feeling to the circle. Although we all can’t meet in person, there is an opportunity to join the Writing Life Circle “from away.” You can write in your journal as we do in the circle in Nanaimo and ring the Tibetan ting sha to mark your intentional beginning (or something else that helps you begin your writing practice.) Creativity coach, Eric Maisel, chooses a particular coffee mug from a favourite city each day to begin his daily practice.

The dates of the next Writing Life Circle “from away” are Wednesday, November 11 to Wednesday, December 16: six Wednesdays on which I send out notes, resources, and writing practice prompts. It’s all done by email.

The theme of “Destination Unknown: Ritual as Road Map” came about as I’ve used the “destination unknown” theme in summer writing circles in the past. We don’t know where we’ll end up when we set out to write and we make discoveries along the way.

There can be restoration and renewal by connecting to ourselves in an intentional way. There may be an image, a phrase, a poem to inspire our beginning and then there are surprises, even epiphanies, along the path.

“Ritual as Road Map” came about as it is a phrase from Carol who comes to the Writing Life women’s writing circle in Nanaimo regularly. It was said at one of our pot luck lunches following a six-week circle last year (when we could gather around the table in that way). The pot luck gathering was one of our rituals. Carol’s phrase stuck with me and I look forward to exploring its many aspects with others.

“Ritual as Road Map,” got me thinking about the rituals in my life and their purpose. I find that rituals can lessen anxiety, offer respectful entries and graceful exits, and help me to be here, right now.

A ritual is a ceremony of intention. There are some elements that help to create a ceremony for your writing such as the lighting of a candle, or something specific to you, to mark your beginning. There may be guides you greet, a mantra you repeat and then you open yourself to what appears when you show up.

The map that emerges is one you uncover along the way as your pen leads the way. When some time has elapsed during your solitary journey, you close your writing time with gratitude to all you greeted at the beginning of your ceremony. You may be surprised by what was discovered and you may feel content that you have taken the time to spend with yourself.

I know a map has a compass and that could be a good thing. And a ritual, can become a compass as well. It can let you know “you are here.” That may be the only message you need.

The dates for “Destination Unknown: Ritual as Road Map” are:
Wednesday, November 11 – December 16, 2020
Time: I usually send out notes and writing practice prompts on a Wednesday morning around 10:30 a.m. Pacific time
Place: wherever you’re most comfortable writing
Fee: $120 which can be paid by cheque or e-transfer.
To e-transfer, my email is creativity@maryannmoore.ca.
To send a cheque, make it payable to Mary Ann Moore and send it to 3350 Hickman Place, Nanaimo, B.C. V9T 3Y1

How the Writing Circle “from away” works

Writing Life: Nourish Yourself. Honour Your Voice. Write Your Stories.

I send out weekly notes and writing practice prompts and you can share your writing with others in the circle, via email, if you choose. I’ll comment on everyone’s writing and you are free to comment as well if you’d like. All comments are meant to encourage the honouring of your voice and the writing of your stories.

When you see the “Come to Centre” mandala (created by Sarah Clark) in the weekly notes, it means there will be a writing practice prompt to guide you in your writing. When I use the word “practice” I mean something that is ever-renewing as well as something we get better at through our constant devotion to it.

Have a look here for comments from previous Writing Life “from away” participants.

Please let me know if you have any questions, you’d like further information about the writing circles, or to express your interest in joining. You’ll see my email address at the top of this page: creativity@maryannmoore.ca.