Listening to the River of Life

A Contemplative Writing Retreat

With Anne Simpkinson

October 22 - 25, 2023

Single $530, Double $490 (includes an ensuite bathroom and all meals from Sunday dinner through Wednesday breakfast)

Register Here

 

 

About this Offering

“Stories have to be told or they die,
and when they die, we can’t remember
who we are or why we’re here." - Sue Monk Kidd

Life is like a river, generally flowing strong and constant but, at times, hindered by obstacles, churned by storms, and diminished by drought. As we move through life, we gather experiences and then create stories that need telling. How do we share these stories? How do we communicate them for writing demands attentiveness, honesty, courage, imagination, and a willingness to be surprised by grace? This retreat will aim to be a portal to deep listening to ourselves, others, and creation. It will blend silence with personal writing time, periods of Centering Prayer, contemplative conversation, and sharing, while also providing time for reading, walking the grounds, and gazing out at the waters of Long Island Sound. The retreat will afford the opportunity and quiet environment to work on a current writing project, begin stories long thought about, or immerse oneself in silence in order to find what needs to be voiced.

About the Presenter

Anne A. Simpkinson is an award-winning journalist, story midwife, and writing coach. She and her former husband Chuck founded Common Boundary, a nonprofit organization that explored psychotherapy, spirituality, and creativity. They authored Soul Work: A Field Guide for Spiritual Seekers and edited two anthologies. In 1999, Anne moved to New York City and rode the digital wave from websites to interactive applications, content generation, and social media. She also served as Communications Director for Mercy by the Sea for several years. Anne has been practicing Centering Prayer (CP) since 1996. An Introductory CP Workshop facilitator, she facilitates Centering Prayer Circles and contemplative retreats in New York, Massachusetts, and Connecticut.