It’s been a week since I returned home from Taos and Jennifer Louden‘s annual writing retreat.
Her retreat is particularly good because Jen spends a significant amount of time talking about “taking it home”–too often the schedule at a workshop or retreat is so packed that workshop leaders don’t address the issue at all, or only spend a few minutes at the last session talking about it.
One of the gifts of Jen’s retreat is that it does carry outside of the retreat time.
Fortunately, my husband is used to this. I’m more quiet and reflective. I’ve learned to re-enter regular life, or “ordinary time” in a slower, deliberate way.
This is not to say that I’m now writing every day for hours on end. I’m kinder in my thoughts as I reintegrate into daily life. This year, I’m choosing to create spaciousness in my schedule, asking “What do I want?”
I don’t know about you, but that’s pretty darn big for me.
comment zen: be kind. play nice.
It’s wonderful that Jen focuses on “after the retreat time.” She’s a master, isn’t she?
I’m glad your finding ways to keep it going, giving yourself the tender time you need.
<3 Mahala
yes, yes, yes to everything about bringing home your retreat…..yes, yes, yes for this blog!