a glimpse into poem it out

As I continue to gather poems and prompts and other good things for (More) Poem It Out that begins on Monday, I feel neck-deep in the raw beauty and truth that is poetry. This course comes right from my heart to you because I know poetry can change your life. It has changed mine as it has given me a lifeline, a way to tell my story, and way to feel less alone. It is one of the handholds I turn to again and again to support me on this crazy, awesome path that is life.

Today, I want to share a glimpse into how I teach my ecourses. Throughout (More) Poem It Out, I will be sharing stories, poetry, and prompts through video. I do this because it is the closest I can get to feeling like I am sitting in a circle with you sharing in person. The following video is from the first week of my previous Poem It Out class.

(if you are having trouble seeing the video, click here to watch on vimeo)

And to be totally honest, when I record these videos, I feel like you are there. This is why I decided to create all new content with this next Poem It Out course. I wanted to start new conversations about new poets and new prompts and new stories.

As I talk about with my friend Jen Lee in our recent conversation on her Retrospective Podcast, I really feel like a companion for the people who show up to this space and begin to have a conversation with me on the blog, in my courses, through my newsletter, or in person at workshops and retreats.

It is a gift to me to be able to say to you: Here are some practices I use to feel more connected to myself, to life, to this moment. Here are some stories about how I use those practices and how I've stumbled and walked through grief and sat inside joy and decided to keep walking.

The Poem It Out ecourses are the way I share my most personal poetry adventures and create the space for you to open your heart to your own.

I hope you'll come along. 

Find out more and register here.

here

Yesterday we did something wacky...unusual...we took our two year old out to dinner and it was awesome. She is using so many words now and made it very clear that she wanted to go for "sushi" because she can have "ed-mama." 

The look on Jon's face when he came home and I said that I didn't make dinner but that Ellie and I had decided we were all going out for sushi and edamame...well...let's just say he looked a wee bit overwhelmed.

But I wanted to celebrate. It's been two years since I handed Ellie Jane to a nurse I had just met and down the hall she went where a surgeon would save her life. Two years.

So off we went.

And it was awesome. Edamame. Rice. She had quite the system going.

Followed by ice cream.

She smiled big almost the whole time. We did too.

Two years.

Yes.

Thank you for being part of our journey. I was looking for something in my archives on Facebook of all places and found all the notes sent while we were in the hospital and then looked through the comments here during that time. I felt the love then and am holding it close still now. Thank you.

i am beauty :: an invitation

I am open. I am curious. I am swirling laughter. I am 2 a.m. exhaustion. I am echoing kindreds. I am soft. I am fierce. I am folding. I am stretching. I am trust. I am light. I am love. I am beauty.

*

Over on Chickadee Road our October theme is "I am beauty." We are exploring all that this phrase can mean and we will be sharing stories about how this phrase came to be one of the most important ones Kelly and I each turn to, the ways we struggle with believing it, the ways we stand tall in its truth, and a few other good things. 

*

self-portrait by kelly

Kelly writes: I am giggles.  I am love. I am an irish warrior girl. I am everyday simple.  I am rare. I am on my way. I am velvety pinks. I am color. I am me. I am beauty.

an invitation

We would love for each of you to come along and share your own self-portraits + "I am" poem notes inspired by "I am beauty." Over on Chickadee Road, we are already sharing some reader photos + words. To participate follow these steps:

1) Join the Chickadee Road Flickr group.

2) Take a self-portrait (or choose one from your archives) and pair it with words inspired by the prompt "I am beauty."

3) Share your photo + words in the group.

A few times a week throughout the month, we will be sharing a few of your photos + words. (We will ask first and send you a little Chickadee Road love in the mail as a thank you.) 

You also might want to turn this into a weekly (or monthly or even daily) practice where you take a photo and pair it with an "I am" statement. Feel free to share these photos with your kindreds in the Flickr group.

We both keep visualizing October as a month where we can all help one another remember that we each are beauty. 

AND I hope you will take some time to settle in with a cup of tea and watch the video conversation we've shared that is all about self-portraits and body image.

encountering . one

from the poem "Retrieval" by Arthur Sze 

This line of poetry stopped me in my tracks last week. Memory as encounter...as a hive...yes.

As I continue to settle in after the Unearth Retreat, I want to share a list of goodness that I've encountered in the last couple of weeks. Words and projects from kindreds that have caught my eye and inspired me...

Over on Chickadee Road, Stef is sharing a new monthly column we're calling "In the Creative Mama Trenches." Her honesty deeply inspires.

Jennifer Louden's wisdom deeply resonates again and again. Love the heart and soul in this post about putting a new offering (putting yourself, your truth) out in the world. Oh my gosh I needed these words!

Vivienne's post at Kind Over Matter about how it is time to stop being your own bully had me cheering out loud.

This post from Darrah about how sometimes words aren't necessary is simply gorgeous. 

Andrea's Creative Superheroes interview with Rachel Cole = pure inspiration!

Loving Kristin's short video about trust and seizing the day...it involves a glimpse of her chickens, which was oh my gosh awesome!

Of course I have to mention Positive Panties - the new project between Jenn Gibson of Roots of She and Amanda Oaks at Kind Over Matter. These girls make me smile big time. 

And then this post from my beautiful friend Jen Lee about why she's been keeping silent on her blog at times. This was one of those reads where I wish we had been sitting together on her couch whispering after everyone had gone to bed because I wanted to keep this conversation going.

(more) poem it out

Come along on A NEW POEM IT OUT ecourse with all new lessons, prompts, and videos. I'm calling it (More) Poem It Out and I hope you will join in! 

A few of the themes we will explore include following breadcrumbs to the stories that are waiting to be told within us, dipping our toes into the dichotomy of light and dark & shadows and colors, and diving into accessible writing prompts that will push us past the fear of the blank page and into the world of poetry.

Note: You don't have to take Poem It Out (my first poetry ecourse) to take (More) Poem It Out. This course is open to everyone.

DETAILS

(More) Poem It Out 

Fall Dates: October 15 - November 16, 2012 
Registration has begun! Read on for registration information.

Where & How: The five-week course is hosted on a private blog and private Flickr group. 

New lessons are presented during the first four weeks, and the fifth week is a "Breathing Space" week that gives the community formed during the course an opportunity to continue to share the poems they are writing and other good things as the class winds down. New posts are shared every weekday (Monday through Friday) during all five weeks. Lessons are also sent by email so participants have access to the material after the course ends.

Although the material is presented over five weeks, participants are encouraged to work at their own pace, and the course will stay up for an additional two months after it ends. The Flickr group is available indefinitely for continued connection after the course ends. 

Lessons: Juicy poetry goodness will be posted five times a week, usually in video lessons, and will include topics like:

• Writing and poetry prompts
• Tools to use when you face the blank page
• Poetry creative adventure assignments
• Photography prompts to connect you with the world around you (and with yourself)
• Stories about my own poetry adventures
• Stories about why I poem and how it helps me sift through the beauty and the rawness of life
• Inspiration posts that will introduce you to poets, poems, and other good things
• Interviews with poets and poetry lovers

Supply list:

• Journal/notebook and favorite pen/pencil
• A camera (any camera is fine, including a camera phone)
• A Flickr membership (only needed if you want to share your photos)

Cost: $75

Register

Registration has begun! To participate in (More) Poem It Out this month, click the PayPal "Pay Now" button below. 

Your confirmation email from PayPal confirms your spot in the class.

A few days before we begin, I will send classroom information so you know where to go on the first day of class.

Note that I will use your PayPal email address to communicate with you. If you prefer that I use another email address, let me know when you register or via an email to liz [dot] lamoreux @ gmail [dot] com (or click here to email through this website).

To read testimonials and the Poem It Out FAQ head over here.

why retreat (with erica)

Today, I am sharing another post in a series of guest posts from a few of the ladies who have attended my retreats over the last few years. My hope is that these posts will give you a glimpse into the Be Present Retreats and invite you to realize the importance of taking time away from your daily life to recharge, connect with your kindreds, and rekindle your creativity.

As I am in the midst of re-entry from the Unearth Retreat this week, I am so happy to welcome these words from kindred spirit Erica about her experience of retreating earlier this year. Thank you Erica for sharing your open heart and beautiful words. 

***

why retreat?

because sometimes we lose ourselves amidst the hay-day of life. sometimes we realize, we need to take a moment, or a few hours, maybe even days, for ourselves. so we can reconnect with our true inner- self. i realized the need for this moment last year as i browsed through my new magazine to which i so joyfully and unexpectedly found at our local stationary store.

i truly believe the best things come to you when you least expect them, but need them most. this was the case when i was instantly drawn to the cover of mingle magazine. it was as though i secretly knew there was something unique awaiting my discovery. it was whispering my name. i recall saying "this magazine has my name written all over it".

i recall the evening like it was yesterday, when i flipped to the double page spread that said "BE PRESENT RETREATS: Community and Creativity" followed by "Once you get here you won't have to worry about anything" these two phrases could not have appeared at a more perfect moment in my life. community and creativity? yes. not have to worry about anything? book my ticket!

this all surfaced in front of my tired eyes at a time when I was feeling lost from myself. overworked, overwhelmed and out of touch with what truly makes me, me. as i read on, i felt the pull inside of me. i shed a few tears as i knew i had just discovered something so rich, so inexplicably meant to be. i knew i needed to go. with the support of my loving husband a few weeks later, i finally booked my ticket. i was going to seattle. to retreat. to be at peace with myself. to look inward. to cultivate, uproot and reroot myself.

 

i assummed, based on the fabulous article in mingle there would be a lot of time to heal, nourish, rest and rejuvenate. that much i knew would be true. what i hadn't realized amidst all my pre-retreat jitters (and believe me....there were many!), was just how much it would all resonate with me. stick with me. guide me. lighten me. capture me. envelope me. balance me. it did all that and so much more, too.  

it got me out of my head and into my heart. it connected me, spiritually with myself, the universe and beyond. it helped me remember who i really am. it helped me recognize there ARE people like me, with passions like me, in this world. i am not alone. there are souls out there who love writing, all things vintage, getting messy with paint and being at one with nature and your camera. yes! this retreat allowed me the time and space to accept myself for who i am. it provided the opportunity to invite myself to be me.

this poem best sums up reasons why kindred spirits such as those i met on this fabulous retreat should retreat. 

i rested
i thought
i created works of art with my hands 
with color
with love
with ambition 

i wrote poetry
it poured out of me as if my heart were a volcano
juicy, molten poetry lava is what i released 

i ate 
deliciously, yummy food. 
got back to my roots.  

i met beautiful women
with open hearts
wanting what we all want in life
to love and be loved
like and be liked
be happy and bring forth happiness  

i explored the beautiful woods of frog creek lodge
i gazed at the mossy green trees
alive like fire
green fire 

i captured moments with my camera
i relished in my time with nature 

i listened to the rain
again and....
again

a beautiful place in a beautiful world

i let myself be me
without judgement
i worked hard to let go of the powerful critic within   

i accpeted the present 
i released the past 
i embraced the future 

i looked inward
seeked the quiet inside my mind 
i was present
present with me

erica lives in the beautiful annapolis valley of nova scotia, canada with her phenomenal husband and two cuddly fur-babies. she describes herself as an eclectique woman and lover of the sand and sea. you can peek inside her world  at www.femmeclectique.blogspot.com where she blogs, not as much as she wishes, as she is currently completing a masters degree in counseling and completing her yoga teacher training, along with working as an elementary school teacher full-time. she looks forward to less busy days and is patiently awaiting the completion of her garage-turned-studio makeover where she plans to "retreat" so she can: sing. play the piano. paint. write. sew. do yoga. sit fireside. read delicious books. seek the necessary quiet inside her mind. she plans to continue to nourish her soul and express herself the way retreating so gently reminded her that she deserves. 

saying yes

new mugs . one is waiting for you

Over here, I'm saying yes 

to making space for more beauty, more lightness, more me.ness

to more sewing

to laughing out loud while watching television while everyone else is asleep

to finally cleaning off the nightstand (and waking up and thinking i was in a new room)

to cranberry juice and 7up

to a whole new level of self-care

to playing with yarn (even if that means abandoning a project i'm not liking)

to reaching out to say hello

to soaking up so much goodness

to printing out more photos and putting them right on the wall with washi tape

to bringing in new ritual to my retreat preparation

And you, what are you saying yes to today?

PS thank you for your kind comments and emails about last week's video post. so grateful for you.

thoughts from here

I think this could be called, "The one where I muse about how I think our soul chooses our family and how my role isn't to keep Ellie beside me so I can grab her hand when I need it and how it all connects to daycare and making the best choices for our family." It's about 13 minutes, so settle in with a cup of tea and a muffin or a glass of wine and dark chocolate.

But if that doesn't appeal, well, come back Monday for another story...And if it does, trust that I really mean the part at the end about continuing the conversation about the things we are "afraid" to blog about.

Anyway, these were thoughts that needed to tumble out of me yesterday afternoon even though I wasn't wearing any make-up and my hair needs a little something something and this morning, my heart tells me to share them here.

I mention my yoga teacher Laura Yon Brooks and one of her teachers, Eric Klein, in the video.

Happy weekend,

Liz