THE LANDSCAPE OF

 

SOUL AND STORY

 

Touching the Ancient Land of Ireland

September 19-29, 2012

 

 

Writing Retreat and Tour with Carolyn Brigit Flynn

 

During this sacred pilgrimage, we will travel outward to the ancient landscape ofIreland and inward to the rich territory of our unfolding souls. We will visit Ireland’s wild, rugged beauty, meet her people, and encounter her poetry, music and storytelling.  Our days will include transformative circles for writing, dream telling and sacred story, as well as visits to many of Ireland’s most sacred ancient sites.  Visual artists, photographers, and musicians are all invited  The retreat is open to women & men.

LOCATION

We will visit two parts of Ireland. Starting in the Boyne Valley, north of Dublin, we’ll visit incomparable, world-renowned ancient places such Newgrange, Knowth, Dowth, Lough Crew, Kells, Tara, Monasterboice and Bective Abbey. Then we will travel southwest to the wild, isolated Beara Peninsula, where we will stay in the colorful town of Eyries, and gather at the celebrated Anam Cara Writer’s Center.  We will explore spectacular places such as the Ring of Beara, Ardroom Stone Circle, Castletownbere, the Hag of Beara, Bonane Heritage Centre and the secluded Bere Island. We will visit the world of Irish pubs and hear traditional Irish music.  On our way south to the Beara Peninsula, we’ll also spend a day in Kildare, exploring the land and sacred wells of the goddess Brigit.

 

EQUINOX AT LOUGH CREW

Our trip has been arranged for the Fall Equinox sunrise at Lough Crew, an ancient mound with its opening oriented to sunrise on each Equinox.  If the weather is clear, the sun will enter the mound and illuminate the beautiful carved stones inside.

 SPECIAL GUEST DEENA METZGER

Deena is a poet, novelist, teacher and medicine woman who has developed therapies (Healing Stories) which creatively address life-threatening diseases, spiritual and emotional crises, as well as community and environmental disintegration. She is the author of many books, most recently the novels Feral and La Negra y Blanca, and Ruin &  Beauty, her collected poems.  Deena will lead two retreat days of writing  and healing stories.

COST AND REGISTRATION

All lodging, ground transportation, guides, entrances to sites, writing facilitation and most meals are included. Cost is $2,880. Airfare arrangements and expenses are on your  own. This trip could fill quickly, so reserve your place as soon as possible, but no later than March 20, 2012, with a $500 deposit ($200 of this deposit is nonrefundable). Email carolynflynn@cruzio.com to indicate your interest and receive registration details. NOTE:  Cost is double occupancy.  Single occupancy is $3,030.

CAROLYN’S ROOTS IN IRELAND

Ireland is the land of Carolyn’s ancestors, and the sacred ground of her creative and spiritual work. Her private journeys over the past twelve years feed her deep connections with Ireland’s history and lush landscape. She has longstanding connections with relatives in County Roscommon and County Dublin. She  makes regular pilgrimages to Ireland’s sacred stones. As a peacemaker who carries the spirit of Ireland’s ancient Mother Goddess Brigid, she also regularly visits and makes offerings at Ireland’s holy wells and sacred shrines.

Carolyn first led groups of writers and artists to Ireland in 2002, with a focus on meeting the creative spirits and the ancient ancestors in the landscape, the carved stones, the hills and fields. Her most recent writing retreat andpilgrimage in Ireland was July 2007.

 

CLICK HERE FOR IRELAND INTERARY

CLICK HERE FOR RETREAT CENTERS, GUIDES AND LINKS

CLICK HERE FOR IRELAND FLYER:  Ireland-Flyer-2012 Flynn