Loosen your creativity, fill your page with words that want to be written, and share your stories in the inspiring, supportive setting of Tassajara Zen Mountain Center.

Creekside at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center

Authentic, compelling writing comes from a place of emptiness and mindfulness. By showing up, listening, and writing what arises, we discover the ideas we need to bring to light. We calm the mind, then follow playful and provocative prompts to start our pens flowing.

By using timed exercises, we bypass our inner critics and write consciously and freely. Words appear. Memories stir. Tales breeze in and land on the page. After writing, we read aloud and encourage one another, without critiquing.

This practice can serve as a form of meditation or a way to discover the writer within, jumpstart any writing project, or add new tools to your writer’s belt. Writing experience is not needed, just a willingness to be quiet and to play.

No special materials or advance reading are necessary. Participants should bring a pen and a notebook or paper, since laptop use is not fitting for this modality. Cynthia Cummins is guiding this retreat, along with Chikudo Catherine Spaeth.

For women only. To learn more or to register, go to the Tassajara website. The retreat fee is $420 ($357 for SF Zen Center members). Room and board is an additional cost. Rates (including 3 meals a day and all that Tassajara offers) range from $165/night for a shared space to as much as $350/night for the more "deluxe" spaces. Space is already nearly full — so register soon!