Creative Workshops 2006 - May Writing Newsletter
Dear writer
Here we are in the season of change.
May your words fall fertile like autumn leaves.
I believe we write from the edge of
ourselves. Seasons of change. Sometimes
grief, sometimes ecstasy.
I’m thinking of the words we use when we write - their music and meaning.
Words such as ‘ecstasy.’ From the Greek, ek-
stasis, “to call to stand outside.”
Standing outside the ego? In Sanskrit ecstasy is ananda , one of the names of the Divine. Sometimes I wander from original meanings and need reminding.
Two
other heavyweight words have arrived in my space recently – ‘obedience’ and
‘discipline.’ Yet I need these qualities
for my writing. This week my reading
brought their Latin origins so I wrote this poem:
The Source, the Current
schooling took away
the movement of words,
made weights of them -
obedience,
discipline.
I staggered with these
names in the abstract
away from the source,
buckets of water
yoked around my neck,
no spillage allowed.
romancing my road
to Latin
in this last quarter,
I find them en route
obediere,
discere.
to listen, to learn.
these workwords meet me afresh
swimming in the current.
the water in the pails
spills back into the river.
April
travel
Mid April saw me in
Workshops
…and so to the May 06 workshops. Thank
you to all those who pass on this letter. Please let me know if you don’t
want to receive it.
Hermanus
(Volmoed)
Walking with your
Story: A Creative Retreat (with Bob Commin)
5-7 May (18.00
Fri. – Sun 14.30) R 780* (Vuka if you want to come)
We explore our life stories
through our connection to nature. We visit waterfall, dark wood, mountain, grotto,
lily pond, meditation hut and chapel. We draw from these places the images,
symbols and themes for our life journey.
(The price
includes 2 nights accommodation shared (single supplement)
R600* for
locals where no accommodation is required)
KZN Ixopo Buddhist Retreat
Centre 039 834 1863 brcixopo@futurenet.co.za
Zen Men Breath
and Words (with Bob Commin)
19-21 May
During this weekend we live and
breathe as a brotherhood of men. We explore how meditation and words help us to
be present in ourselves, our relationships, our loving and fathering, work,
play, health and our re-creation. We take as guide poets, monks, and mystics.
Sat 4 June 14.30
– 17.30
A newspaper once ran a 50 word story competition. Now you hear of
the genre Flash Fiction. The workshop
shows you how to build a life story hut, a fiction hut, with only a few stones.
Making every stone count.
Sun 5 June 09.30
– 16.00
How do we grow a text, shape it give it form, create art out of our
scribblings and first drafts? Make it more alive? How do we involve our
readers? This workshop will show you how to grow your writing in a creative,
organic way.
Beginner writers are welcome. Bring copies of texts in progress if
you wish.
Somerset
West. Shape and Substance: Crafting your
Writing R320
Sun 2 July 09.30
– 16.00
See text under Johannesburg workshop (above)
Sat 8 July 09.30
– 16.00
See text under
(The
The River
Journey: Late winter Writing Retreat at Vaaloewer
Sat and Sun 26-27
August 09.30 -16.00 (R780)
I do not know much about gods; but … the river Is a strong brown
god (T S Eliot)
Explore your life stories through your
connection to nature. We draw images and symbols from the river and the
landscape around it. We create and craft our writing journey. There will be
time for silence, bird
watching and for dreaming. Travelling – 100km ex J’burg. B & B
available at reasonable rates. Book early to secure your accommo.
And arriving late 06…. The
Helderberg Writing Escape
14-19 November (featured in South Africa Writing Vol 2 April 06)
Johanna Castro and I have created the
Helderberg School of Writing. Johanna is an international freelance journalist
who coaches in the genres of magazine writing, travel writing and copywriting. This extravaganza - our first 5 day joint venture - hopes to attract both local and international writers. We’ll be
writing and mentoring at a wine farm and in the Helderberg Nature Reserve. The
escape will offer five days of exploration and discovery.
Uvavnuk, an Inuit shaman, writes:
The great sea has set me in motion
Set me adrift
Moving me as the weed moves in a
river.
The arch of sky and mightiness of
storms
Have moved spirit within me
Till I am carried away
Trembling with joy.
May your writing be this to you.
Dorian
Dr Dorian Haarhoff
021 852 7587 / 082 873 6802
http://dorianhaarhoffwriter.homestead.com
Marais Street
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