you reading this

I have this idea. I was driving home last night, thinking about what to write, and specifically what to write for the blog, because the whole thing about blogs seems to be about keeping things fresh, current, updated, and there's this pressure (self-induced, but still) to add a new entry more often than not.

So I was driving home, thinking about what to write, and I looked down at my gas indicator panel and my gas was nearing empty. And this made me think about the writing process, and how we can only do so much in solitude, and that so much energy and spirit comes alive within the context of community. Even in the virtual sense, I always feel like the writing I put up here gets lengthened and broadened, is given an elasticity and depth and...coherence because there are other people there to read it.

As I've gotten to visit the work of other blog writers, and as I've begun to know, in a certain sense, the bloggers, writers and readers who are visiting me, I've been thinking about the power of this community, how important it's been to me to be able to share my thoughts, my work...to share myself, and to really feel seen in the best sense.

So, for those reading this, my idea is to gather a group next summer for a long weekend writing retreat. I live in Northern California, and there are plenty of places here that would serve well in that capacity. But I am also happy to travel elsewhere, for the convenience and ease of others. Basically, what I'm picturing is a writing intensive - Thursday through Sunday or thereabouts - that would involve some serious blocks of time set aside for personal writing, and also ample time to share with the group. There are many ways to do this - with writing prompts that we all would jumpstart from, for example - but on the whole, I see this retreat as a place to get more creative juice, to tap into the wisdom of a group of writers and be able to share our process, our challenges, our hopes and visions and whatever we might need help with regarding our writing practice.

For some reason, I get all squirmy whenever I hear the words "sacred space" (it could be the East-Coaster in me), but in a way, the goal of this retreat would be to offer up a safe and soulful environment to go deeper into the writing, and to share in that exploration with others. I love having a blog, and I love knowing (at least in a virtual sense) other bloggers and writers, but I keep thinking: Wouldn't it be amazing if we could all write together in the same room for once?

Thoughts, impressions, feedback, questions, ponderings welcomed...