You, who are full of the most delicious words, who have the gift of story and poetry, who use these delectable creatures every day. Give me your words! I promise to use them wisely. The groups I work with LOVE them! boondoggle, bamboozle, thingamajigger, whatchamacallit, swagger, bouffant…which reminds me. Below is a video which will trigger fun sound words right out of you! (G rated- You need this version because the teens’ faces say it all!)
– Bulbous Bouffant.
I use these words for my work in Poetry Therapy, a medium which assists others in healing.
No, I haven’t gone to the other side. I love my Wordless Wednesdays, and I have enough pictures to fill many Wednesdays to come…especially nature and art. I’ve been truly blessed this summer.
However, along with it, I’d like to start a new tradition. GIVE ME YOUR WORDS!
In Poetry Therapy, I teach using Poetry as a medium to assist others in healing. They don’t have to write poetry…just enjoy it. Writing is part of the therapy, but students only need to be able to write a postcard or a letter to feel the magical healing powers.
There is an exercise we do that has really cool words we might not hear everyday. We might not have heard them in a really long time. Or, we might have heard them from our parents, grandparents, neighbors, or crazy aunts. Words like: bamboozle, gargantuan, whackadoodle.
I NEED THEM for exercises for my clients…HERE’s YOUR CHANCE!
I can’t wait to see what you come up with. PLEASE? Even if it’s only one word.
Writing retreats are an investment. You are betting your hard earned money that the retreat you are embarking on has the information you need to grow beyond what you expect. You hope that you will gain some writing skills, network with people, and learn some things about the publishing industry. From speaking with others, I KNOW that this isn’t always the case.
I’ve been on 3 writing retreats through Inspired Legacy, with best selling author,
Bridget Cook, and I can tell you that though it seems like it would be the same retreat for me, I learn exponentially each time. Bridget is a soulful, masterful coach who is constantly growing and learning her craft and the latest and greatest in the publishing world so she can be the best for her clients.
Let me get more into more specifics of the retreat just in case you might be interested. Bridget brings phenomenal, engaging groups together and goes through the process of publishing a book, outlining steps of making your writing “juicy” as she calls it, assists you in your audience focus, exploring all publishing options that best suit you, as well as how the publishing process works. You also get to bring your book or idea of a book and have a one on one with Bridget where she gives her insightful feedback. What makes Bridget masterful is not only is she always learning her craft, but she is an avid reader and researcher. An avid reader knows what a reader wants, and an avid researcher knows the market well. You leave the retreat with so much information. I started my first retreat with a 3 page essay, and now I’m writing a book! (Blows my mind too.)
What I love the most, is you can extend the retreat by doing an intensive writing program with Bridget and go into the process deeper, making writing a COLLABORATIVE PROCESS. A dear friend of mine acknowledged this for me by saying “only you would take something like writing which is usually a solitary act and find a way to do it collaboratively”…obviously not only me, because there seem to be others craving the same thing. I believe that blogging is a lot like this collaborative process and we learn a lot from each other. This is just something a little bit more for those who might be ready for a new adventure.
I realize this is a plug for my friend, but I know there are others thinking of taking their writing to another level; and I know that Bridget is more than a writing coach, she’s an experienced author and a caring person who is great at individualizing the program for you. I went into the retreat with a 3 page essay about my dad, and now I’m not only writing his book, but have other great projects on a burner. DREAM BIG!!! (You’ll surprise yourself.)
Just some food for thought.
For those of you who read my blog and were hoping to hear more about my sweet dad, I should be getting back on track very soon. I’ve just had some busy weeks, and have another 3 busy weeks ahead until I can breathe. A teacherly life is crazy in May…and then you’ll really hear from me!
Have a blessed Sunday and happy writing!
Hope to give you an update later today.
Nemaste.
A writer’s retreat in Heber City with the beautiful Bridget Cook of Inspired Legacy.
I can’t wait to write down all my break throughs and noticings along my writing journey of my daddy’s legacy.
It was really fun creating this design with Jakob Marketing. I gave them ideas and suggestions and colors and made a few changes, and Wahlah! It’s as if they could read my mind!
Super easy to work with. So if you’re looking to create your own logo, then this is a place to at least consult: http://www.jakobmp.com
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF MY LOGO? HAPPY HAPPY DANCE!!!!
No pun intended “kid you not.” My first graders were stuck, and I felt like they just weren’t getting this poetry thing. Every once in awhile they’d come up with a poetic phrase. (I’ve heard them say thousands of poetic things throughout the year.) Now, when it really matters, they were stuck! See? It happens to ALL of us! So, I said you can write about ANYTHING! I grabbed a pencil and said, “Tell me about this pencil, first scientifically (so we could get that out of the way). Now, my dear poets, let’s go deeper!” And the magic began. We NEED each other. We deserve each other along this writing journey. Sometimes writing is hard. But with each other, writing can be magical…create “living things,” a “different world, a different you.” I learned this from looking through first grade eyes.
The other day I was sending a post to a friend of mine with my phone and it auto corrected. Instead of saying “you are blessed,” it said, “you ate blessed.” I happened to be in a high state of awareness and felt quite playful, so I wrote about how it would feel to “eat blessed.” What a great tool it turned out to be to stimulate my writing. I didn’t have my computer, so I don’t have that writing, but it’s always good to revisit something. So here is my opening for today. Enjoy!
I Ate Blessings Today
I gorged on blessings today. I took the time to really be grateful for what I have in my life. I didn’t just count it. I took a bite of it, and I chewed it slowly, savouring each morsel of that blessing and giving it permission to fill my body. Blessings deserve to nourish you and touch your every cell with energy and vitality. Then you radiate blessings and your blessings sustain you on those dark dreary days when it’s a challenge to get up.
Ahh, I get it now. I imagine that is how meditation works. And when I see those people who radiate a countenance that is so lovely that you feel revitalized just in their presence, then you know they ate their blessings for that day.
My mantra today is that “I SHALL BE RADIANCE FOR TODAY FOR I HAVE EATEN MY DAILY DOSE OF BLESSINGS.”
~Nemaste friends – may you eat blessings and multiply,
*** This was reposted from another blog I used to write. I enjoyed the writing so much.
A WORD WARRIOR TALE –
Thought to be just a dusty, barren waterhole to some as it lies in the furthest corner of a rancher’s neglected property, but its loveliness is endeared by me. It’s sprinkled with bluebonnets, and there is a strong old mesquite tree whose branches are heavily laden with my tears and my dreams, for it would embrace me when no one would. This place was my sanctuary, my dreamkeeper…
As dusk settled around my dungeon at home, and all were sleeping, it was time for my vigil to start and let the healing begin. With paper in hand, I would escape through a window, climb the prickly barbed fence past the “no trespassing” sign to the freedom and harmony of my secret place of refuge. As I sat in reverence of the solitude, I could hear the calming stillness of the night, scattered with cricket chirps and cicada songs. Lightning bugs visited often. I watched the brilliance of the moon as it graced the water so elegantly, weaving me into a trance.
The trance allowed my feelings to flow freely and words came alive as the events of my life ran through my mind. Through writing, I discovered the innermost parts of me, both the warrior and the princess. I engaged in battle when the ugly heads of fear, loneliness, and teenage turmoil pierced the surface of my serene world. The mighty sword of my word warrior would come crashing down on them, leaving the misery, but taking the life’s lesson with me. On other occasions when I was blessed with the beauty and power of nature surrounding me, the princess in me would gracefully dance in celebration of friendship, love, and life. I became strong, almost invincible, through my characters and imagination in this enchanted kingdom.
Even now, I can close my eyes, breathe in the mesquite, taste the rain, see the moon over the water, and feel its magi envelop me and remind me of all that took place there. And, the peace washes over me again.
Just a barren waterhole to some, but it was a site of hope and renewed life to me. No greater place have I known.
Writing Wings For You 