Writing & Mindfulness: A Practice for Navigating Difficult Times

Daily writing practice and consistent meditation practice have the power to ground us during difficult times. Writing gives us perspective and helps us make sense of the world. Mindfulness teaches us how to make space for joy as well as fear.

This experiential meditation retreat and writing workshop invites writers and meditators of all levels to delve deeply into both practices. We’ll begin each day with a burst of freewriting—what Natalie Goldberg calls ‘writing practice’—generating work we will share with each other in a safe and supportive environment.

This will be followed by guided meditations crafted to help us develop the resources necessary to cope in times of crisis, as well as nourish our creativity. Our meditations will encourage us to be more present to the world, to forge a strong mind/body connection, and to more easily access our emotions and empathy.

The workshop’s meditations are grounded in both Vipassana and Zen Buddhist traditions, as well as the mindfulness work of Jon Kabat-Zinn and Thich Nhat Hahn. The meditation experiences will be supported by prompted bursts of free writing designed to help us tap into our creative energy, bypass our internal judgment, and bring out our most original and deeply felt writing. We’ll also explore how the practices of free writing and journaling can support us during times of uncertainty and change.

There will be time to write—and time to share what we’re writing with the group. Together, we’ll explore:

1. Guided meditations to encourage us to be more present to the world, to forge a stronger mind/body connection, and to access our emotions and empathy
2. Prompted free writing to help us tap into our creativity and bring out our most deeply felt writing
3. Exploring how both daily meditation and daily writing practice can help us stay grounded in difficult times

By the end of the workshop, everyone will leave with the tools—and the inspiration—to cultivate their own daily meditation and daily writing practices.