the midwest inner excavation adventure (come along...)

(photo by CGM Photography)

The Be Present Retreats are heading to the Midwest

I simply delighted to announce that the Midwest Inner Excavation Adventure will be held in the beautiful lakeside town of Culver, Indiana from May 11-15. Culver is a magical place that is very dear to my heart, and I can't wait to connect with those who will be joining us for some play and connection in one of my favorite spots in the world.

Kelly Barton and I will be your guides on this adventure as we explore some of the ideas and themes brought up in my book Inner Excavation: Explore Your Self Through Photography, Poetry, and Mixed Media. We will play with paper and paint and color, dance inside words and find our inner poet, sit in the quiet, go on photography excursions, spend time with our senses, eat fantastic food, take walks by the lake, and explore our beautiful surroundings. There will be time to create, rest, connect, and breathe deeply.

(photo by kelly barton)

Kelly and I will be team teaching each day using the mediums of photography, writing/journaling/poetry, mixed media art (paint, paper, fabric, and many other good things), and meditation to explore three themes: 

• The Senses
• The Beauty of What Is Real 
• Unearthing the Story 

Each participant will be asked to bring a simple creative toolkit (more details will be provided with your information packets), and many of the art and other creative supplies will be provided. You are going to love playing with all that we are tucking into boxes and bringing with us on this adventure!

An important aspect of this experience is the invitation to listen to what you most need. If you need to head down to the Culver Coffee Company for some coffee with whipped cream, you can take that time for yourself. If you need to take a nap or simply stay in pajamas all day, you can make that choice. If you want to invite everyone to join you in a dance break and turn up some Tina Turner, to put it simply: you have come to the right place.

Bringing these retreats to my home state fills up my heart. (Yes.) And to bring a retreat inspired by a book that I wrote...I am smiling big over here. I simply cannot wait to gather with all who attend and dive into ways we can tell our stories and look at where we are on our paths through poetry, photography, and art. 

To learn more about this retreat, including tuition details and more about Culver and lodging, head over to the Be Present Retreats website. And feel free to send over any questions! Just click the email button in the sidebar.