Writing with the Ancestors
Our emphasis will be on ancestral explorations, writing between the worlds, and story finding.
In our culture, where for countless valid reasons so many of us seek to strengthen our sense of focus, deep connection, and wholeness, I believe good stories are companions to our sacred longing—important guideposts pointing us to the wishes of our soul. I also believe that writing in community, where we can concentrate and also feel the dynamic energy of the group, is both healthy and natural. There is no such thing as a completely “solo” human creator.
Your Invitation
This generative writing workshop is open to all who feel drawn to it. In a dark moment of the year, I hope the event will be a green blossoming branch for any of us feeling pulled to explore stories of the past. Together, we’ll probe such stories for their magic and relevance to the only time there is: now.
Our focus will be experiential. In other words, this won’t be a workshop about performance (arriving at a product) or craft. Those things have their place. But above all, as a writer and teacher, what I seek to facilitate are conditions for inspiration and deeper meaning-making. Catalysts for compelling journeys. You may find yourself doing your most powerful writing after our gathering has ended.
What does it mean to write with the ancestors?
Exploring details from the lives of family members who have passed on can be a way of evolving self-understanding and a sense of belonging to a greater story. It may bring healing across generations, stimulate insights, and help you cultivate new reserves of inner strength. It may also lead you along new paths of imagination and storytelling. That being said, not everyone knows or feels inspired by the histories of their biological forebears. If that’s the case for you, then I invite you to consider ancestors simply as those who have gone before. The lives of people in the past with whom you feel a connection.
We will establish a warm, safe space for all participants to create. Come prepared to give yourself uninterrupted time to write and journey to an imaginal realm that is both your birthright and a creative portal. I will share curated readings and resources, along with questions and exercises designed to take you deeper into story-finding and expression. You will also receive a hand-out before we meet, to help you prepare, and another one to take away afterwards as you continue your writing journey.
Will we get into ghostly material?
While that will not be the main focus of this workshop, the answer really depends on the tales you find and bring. Each person’s interests and experiences are unique.
A Few More Thoughts…
The stories sparked and developed during our time together may be expressed through any genre. Some may arrive unexpectedly. Some may be ancestral tales already familiar to you that have been calling to be revisited and voiced. In our troubled human world, more than ever, we need good stories. Ones that offer us passage to greater awareness and empathy, life’s mysteries, and the wonder of what’s possible.