Teaching & Retreats

Carolyn has taught ongoing writing groups, residential retreats and writing intensives called Writing to Feed the Soul since 1997. The focus of her work is the generation of new writing drawn from deep within the soul and psyche.

Her teaching themes include an imaginative mix of poetry and prose, evoking dreams, the elements, ancestors, the earth and nature, animals, spirit guides, sacred geometry, tarot, qabbalah, and myth – all with the intention to allow archetypal, mythic and shamanic themes to provide seed and sacred ground for new and enlivened writing.

Writers often find that a new voice emerges, and that their work goes deeper, exploring vital themes and profound hidden stories. Carolyn brings people together in order to write in a unique atmosphere of deep listening, profound witness and feedback, with an eye to the continued unfolding of the writer and the truest spirit of her work.   

 

REGULAR WRITING GROUPS

October 2011-June 2012 Schedule
During these regular groups, there is time for members to bring in writing for witness and feedback. In addition, Carolyn introduces a new writing theme each meeting, and the members write, and then read together in a vibrant and safe environment. These writing groups are the core of our writing community–and are wonderful, inspiring, safe and truly fun.  Creativity explodes in the room as language sings and cries.
BI-MONTHLY 
These regular writing groups meet twice a month, generally the first and third full weeks of the month.
Monday evening, 6-9:30 pm
Tuesday evening, 6-9:30 pm
Wednesday afternoon, 2-5:30 pm
SCHEDULE:
October 17-19 & 24-26, 2011 (last two weeks of month)
November 7-9, & 21-23, 2011
December 5-7 & 19-21, 2011
January 9-11 & 16-18, 2012 (second and third Full weeks of month)
February 6-8 & 13-15, 2012 (first and second FULL weeks of month)
March 5-7 & 19-21, 2012
April 2-4 & 16-18, 2012
May 7-9 & 21-23, 2012
June 4-6 & 18-20, 2012

 

SATURDAY MONTHLY GROUP
The monthly writing group meets the second Saturday of the month. The time is 10-2:30 pm.

 

TO RESERVE A SPACE:   For more information or to inquire about reserving a space, please contact Carolyn at carolynflynn@cruzio.com

 

LOCATION AND COST
All groups meet in the Live Oak area of Santa Cruz. Cost for the Bi-Monthly Groups is $240 per three-month session (or $80 monthly payment). Cost for the Monthly Group is $195 per three-month session.

 

EXTENDED WRITING RETREATS

At these extended retreats, writers gather for three full days and evenings in order to provide a magical, communal and focused container to delve deeply into our writing lives. There is abundant silent personal time to write and to pursue your own individual work, or to work on a writing project in a focused and uninterrupted way. Some writers use the extended retreats to re-read work from the past years in order to understand their own themes, working with specific pieces to edit or share. The retreats also include time for sharing dreams, guided writing exercises, individual meetings with me and as always the amazing magic and fun when we gather.

Rhythm: Each day there is a morning circle to track our work as writers, tell key dreams from the previous night, discuss writing issues that people are thinking about and to do some guided writing exercises. Most late mornings and afternoons are free for writers to work on their own. Carolyn holds individual meetings with all participants to discuss their work, their writing and to provide general guidance on dreams, life issues, etc. She is available to read draft manuscripts, poems or essays and provide specific editing suggestions. Participants gather in the evenings to read work aloud, to share each other’s company, provide witness and feedback, and to continue our discussions of writing, soulwork, craft and approach.

Dates and Registration: Carolyn will hold 2 to 3 extended writing retreats in 2012.  Please check back here for the dates, or join her mailing list, in order to receive announcements.

 

INDIVIDUAL CONSULTATIONS

Carolyn offers a joyful and innovative individual conferences with writers and those seeking to pursue questions of writing, creativity, life and spirit.  She works directly with writing and editing, as well as with dreams, tarot, art, and the ancestors—always seeking to name and acknowledge the spirits who are feeding our lives and making requests of us. Please contact her at carolynflynn@cruzio.com if you would like to inquire about this.

ONE-DAY REDWOOD MOUNTAIN WRITING RETREATS

Dates for 2011/2012 to be announced

These one-day Redwood Mountain Writing Retreats are held at lovely Amity Cottage in Ben Lomond.  These will be beautiful days to write, to be with the land, to settle in with the rhythm of the seasons.  These gatherings are always profound, safe, inspiring and full of grace.   

Rhythm:  Throughout the day, we will sit quietly with our notebooks, pen and paper, ink and tree, with our ancestors and the writing spirits–and a profoundly sacred grove of elder redwoods.  We will have morning and afternoon writing sessions, a period of silence, circles to listen to each other’s writing, and time outdoors.  We will deepen our connection with the ancient trees, mountain air and forest creatures.

Location:  The retreats are held at the Amity Cottage and the Redwood Amphitheater on Barbara Thomas’ property in Ben Lomond, about 35 minutes from Santa Cruz.  The cottage is lovely, and we will spend time in the Redwood Amphitheater, a beautiful grove of ancient trees full of lush and bountiful spirits.   We have access to rich wooded paths, quiet, and silence.  

Food:  Tea, drinks and healthy snacks will be provided throughout the day.  Participants are invited to bring along potluck dishes for lunch.

Cost and Registration: The cost is $125  To indicate your interest in a future retreat, please email Carolyn at carolynflynn@cruzio.com.