it's about inclusion

 

When people ask me why I started the Be Present Retreats, I usually explain my deep desire to create community and a belief that spending a few days away from your daily life immersed in creativity and being present to the world around you will change your life in very good ways. I also talk about noticing that creative retreats are sometimes so filled with activities and "doing" that participants and teachers don't always have the opportunity to slow down, recharge, and listen.

Today, I want to share that over the last few years my reason for hosting these retreats has begun to come down to one thing: 

It's about inclusion.

It's about creating space for people who are longing for a deeper connection with themselves and like-minded souls but don't know where to begin to find this community, don't have this community where they live, or simply want to connect in person in a small group environment. 

It's about working with teachers who are really collaborators who show up as mentors and guides open to new friendships. Then as the retreat begins they sit side by side with retreat participants sharing their stories, giving of their time, and inviting us all to remember we are not alone.

It's about a safe space that invites you to sit in the quiet long enough that you can hear the whispers of truth that have been trying to get your attention for years.

It's about being surrounded by others who say, "me too, me too" and invite you into their lives.

Your Story Retreat 2012 (photo by Vivienne McMaster)

It's not about needing to be cool enough or creative enough or courageous enough or skinny enough or funny enough.

It's about beginning to trust
that you already are enough
when you show up as you.

The photo above, taken by my friend Vivienne McMaster after she attended the first Be Present Retreat a few years ago, represents the gathering of women who will encircle you when you arrive at a Be Present Retreat. 

In this moment, as you sit in your corner of the world, I want you to invite you to hear these words:

A community of kindreds is waiting for you.

Join us this April for Feast.

Frog Creek Lodge (photo by me)

At the Feast Retreat, we will gather at Frog Creek Lodge in the Pacific Northwest woods outside Seattle and spend time sharing, playing, resting, cooking, creating, and dreaming. Through conversations and creative self-care adventures, we will explore the ebb and flow of life and experience ways we can, as Derek Walcott says in his poem “Love After Love”

Feast on your life.

During this five-day soul care gathering, Kelly Barton and Hannah Marcotti will join me in being your guides. As a group, we will cook meals together, play in journals, make necklace and bracelet talismans to take home with us, explore ways to practice self-care, and circle to share stories and make deep connections.

Your Story 2012 (photo by Vivienne McMaster)

When you arrive at this beautiful cabin in the woods, you will find a place where you can: lean into trust and your inner wisdom, open your heart to kindred spirits, and spend time playing, resting, and sitting in the quiet.

AND I am thrilled to announce that Persephone Brown will be joining us as our kitchen guide and chef! She will help us nourish our bodies and souls through food and inspiration during Feast.

This retreat is going to be so good.

Learn more about Feast and register here. (Updated 2/18: Only 4 spots left!)

The Spring 2013 Be Present Retreat

Feast: A Soul Care Gathering
April 10-14, 2013

At the Feast Retreat, we will gather at Frog Creek Lodge in the Pacific Northwest woods and spend time sharing, playing, resting, cooking, creating, and dreaming. Through conversations and creative self-care adventures, we will explore the ebb and flow of life and experience ways we can, as Derek Walcott says in his poem “Love After Love”

Feast on your life.

Joemma Beach near Frog Creek Lodge

During this five-day soul care gathering, Kelly Barton, Hannah Marcotti, and Liz Lamoreux will be your guides as they create a safe space where you can show up as you. As a group, we will cook meals together, make necklace and bracelet talismans to take home with us, explore ways to practice self-care, and circle to share stories and make deep connections. 

When you arrive at this beautiful cabin in the Pacific Northwest woods, you will find a place when you can: lean into trust and your inner wisdom, open your heart to kindred spirits, and spend time playing, resting, and sitting in the quiet.

Note: Only 15 participant spots are available at this intimate retreat.

a peek into Frog Creek Lodge (taken at Unearth 2012 by Beth Hutson) 

Your retreat experience includes: 

• A safe environment that holds space for truth, laughter, moments of quiet, and the opportunity to share your story.
• A heart-opening five-day experience that begins with a welcome dinner and opening ceremony on Wednesday evening and ends with a closing ceremony Saturday evening and farewell breakfast Sunday morning.
• Daily group gatherings that will include creative self-care adventures in photography + writing, cooking meals together, jewelry making, and a few other good things.
• Space to connect with Liz, Hannah, and Kelly as your companions as they participate in the entire retreat alongside you.
• Time in community to explore meditation, ritual, and everyday sacredness as ways to be more present in your daily life.
• Daily meals and snacks that will nourish you and invite you to see food as a form of soul care.
• The opportunity to connect with kindred spirits who might just become life-long friends.
• Time away from your day-to-day roles where you can just show up as you.
• An invitation to come home to yourself.

Your tuition also includes: 

• Four nights of lodging, shared rooms (twin beds throughout the bedrooms with 2 to 3 people per room)
• All meals (except one dinner as the schedule includes free time one evening to explore the surrounding areas at your own pace)
• Snacks and hot tea/coffee/water provided daily
• All group gatherings led by Liz, Kelly, and Hannah
• Evening activities: Opening and closing gatherings, an art & soul brunch (which will provide the opportunity for mentors + participants to share, trade, and sell their artwork), and other activities
• Surprises and treats throughout our time together

When you come to Feast, you will want to have room in your suitcase because we will be sharing some of our favorite soul care goodies with you throughout the retreat and you’ll need some space to take them home.

Learn more about Feast, your guides, Frog Creek Lodge, and register here.

unearth 2012

Kelly on the pier at Joemma Beach

Whenever I return from hosting one of my retreats, I have a hard time trying to capture it here in this space. I take very few photos because I'm experiencing more than documenting. And then the re-entry time after the retreat is intense as I go from this one contained experience where I play one role back to this other real-life experience where I play so many roles in a given day (just like you).

And then by the time I have some mental space to share, the weeks have passed and I feel silly going back in time. This happens to me often...this time moving on and me wanting to share here and then stopping myself from doing it.

Things don't happen on a real schedule when you have a two year old. I put things on a schedule and it just kind of laughs at me. I planned to share several other blog posts this week. A poem I wrote. That you can now get "The Gift of This Moment" in a three-month subscription. A story about how I went to an event last week where they sent a car for me. Crazy! And a story about how I found myself sitting in the middle of the kitchen floor holding a little girl in my lap as she cried and I couldn't fix it so I cried too.

Today, I want to share this handful of photos from the Unearth Retreat. It really was magic as we painted with Mindy and Kelly and shared stories and wrote poems that we read aloud and then walked along Puget Sound with the most gorgeous light I'd seen this year. Frog Creek Lodge just invites in laughter and healing. When I think about it all, I want to tell you this most of all:

There is so much beauty, magic, and truth found in those in-between spaces when someone shares her story and you breathe in and out as you listen and then sit in the quiet and then you give her the gift of saying, "Me too. Yes. Me too."

 

(Hoping to share more about the Spring 2013 Retreat next week.)

why retreat (with kimberly kalil)

Today, I am sharing another post in a new 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.

Please welcome my kindred Kimberly today. She saved the day at the first Your Story Retreat when she literally put out a kitchen fire. But more than being a superhero in the true sense, she is also a wise, real person willing to share her story so that others will learn they are not alone. I am honored to share her words with you today.

***

She screams.
Spinning, a fiery top, out of control.
She gasps.
Unable to breath. Smothered by the anger.
She melts.
Fear and sorrow oozing from her feverish abyss.
She hopes.
Palms raised, she reaches out
She believes.
Grasping for light, reverie bound.
She screams.

-She Screams, by Kimberly Kalil
Written post retreat

At the start of 2011, I didn’t eat organic.

I didn’t do yoga.

I didn’t meditate.

I couldn’t write a poem to save my life.   

I wouldn’t even call myself creative.

Looking over the Your Story Retreat description the idea of “daily group gatherings that explore meditation, ritual, and everyday sacredness as ways to be more present in your daily life,” seemed absolutely foreign to me. In fact, it seemed downright nutty. I was raised by staunchly Republican, highly religious and ultra-conservative parents. My dad hunts. He slaughters the cows he raises. And there is never any talk of Zen, Buddha or anything equally as exotic or hippie-esque.

Though I’m many years removed from my parents’ home, my upbringing colors many of the decisions I make as an adult. I’d like to think of myself as somewhat progressive and open-minded, but there are times I’m downright small-town. You can take the girl out of the conservative, but you can’t take the conservative out of the girl.

 

Signing up for the Your Story Retreat was a leap of faith. I’m not sure what prompted me to do so, other than a desperate need to find a place in the world where I could unload my aching heart. My marriage was on the rocks. Not kind of sort on the rocks, but moments away from imploding. There was rarely a day that went by that I didn’t cry. I was turning into an angry, bitter person. I had no patience and the anger I had for my husband was seeping into every aspect of my life. I was a ticking time bomb often exploding at the most inopportune times and at people who didn’t deserve my wrath, namely my children.

On the opening night of my first Your Story Retreat I broke down in tears. Liz asked us to share a bit about ourselves and why we were there. I couldn’t articulate why I was there. I couldn’t tell the group the shame, anger and isolation I felt. All I could do was cry -- big, gulping, messy tears. My whole body shook as I let go and with tears streaming down my cheeks the most amazing thing happened:  around the circle arms opened, hearts reached for me and nurturing began. I was welcomed into a tribe of amazing, strong and loving women.

My tribe told me I was awesome. They told me I was brave. The convinced me I was strong enough to make the changes that really mattered. Each word spoken was folded up and placed in the sacred space around my heart.

Over the course of the weekend my soul was fed. At some point, I heard the following words:

“We always have a choice. It’s easy to believe we are stuck. But we all have choices … It’s your story. You can write your own story. ”

I went home a different person. I was still angry. My marriage was still in jeopardy. I still felt like a major failure. But I realized that I had to take charge of my life. There was only one way for me to get better -- if I wanted to fix my family, fix my husband or fix my life -- I had to fix me.

I became a runner.

I changed my diet.

I lost 35 pounds.

I started writing more and taking on creative projects that made me happy.

I started saying no.

I moved on and left behind the things that didn’t bring me joy. At one point that included the idea of being married and making “things” work.

Magically, being the change I wanted in the world worked to bring change not just to me, but to my husband, my family and others around me.

My marriage isn’t on the rocks anymore. My relationship with my husband is better than it’s ever been.

I yell at my children less and enjoy the benefits of greater patience.

I laugh more. A lot more.

I still don’t eat organic, though I’d like to try.

I don’t do yoga, though I’m sure it would help me.

I try to mediate, though I haven’t made it a daily practice.

Sometimes I write poetry, but it still feels less me and more forced.

But, what I am is someone in charge of her own story. Each day, I wake up and I decide how my day will unfold; I decided how to react to my challenges; I decide if I will seek joy; and I decided what matters.  Before I met Liz, I felt hopeless and out of control. Today, I know I’m at the helm of my life and my story.

This is why I retreat. 

Kimberly Kalil is a mom to two precious kiddos; wife to one cool dude; busy traveling consultant; crafter; digital memory keeper; and seeker of all things creative. She and her family make their home in Southern Arizona amid the cacti and javalinas. She’s all about the hot, dry weather of the desert – the hotter the better. 

Kimberly blogs regularly about her life, memory keeping endeavors, and creative projects at www.kimberlykalil.com. Each Monday she shares a piece of digital art she created and you can download it for free in 2012.

Read other posts in the Why Retreat series here.

***

A note from Liz: This September, Mindy Lacefield, Kelly Barton, and I are working together to create an incredible adventure in the Pacific Northwest. Kelly and Mindy will be co-teaching a three-day juicy, soulful painting workshop, and I will share some of my favorite creative self-care practices through mini creative adventures in topics like poetry, self-portraiture, meditation, and a few other good things. Find out more about the Unearth Retreat over here.

here.

here: blue sky, connection, kindreds, so much laughter, silliness, open hearts, stories, cake, photos, poetry, hope, realness, so much laughter, candles for each one, the pushing pulling ocean, listening, sharing, witnessing, just being right here.

(i am so blessed.)

why retreat (with jojo blöndal)

As Kelly, Ali, and I gather goodies and ready the lodge for the Your Story Retreat participants, please enjoy another guest post in this series of posts from a few of the ladies who have attended my retreats over the last few years. My hope is that these posts will not only give you a glimpse into the Be Present Retreats, but also invite you to realize the importance of taking time away from your daily life to recharge, connect with your kindreds, and rekindle your creativity.

And today, I am delighted to welcome Jojo Blöndal who is a kindred spirit I have been connected with since the days of Poetry Thursday way back when. Thank you for sharing your light today Jojo!

*****

I am learning that sometimes I actually have to leave home to find home – a novel concept, but one that really is becoming true for me.
 
A few months back I did just that: I left my home to sink into more of me in the dew and mist of the Pacific Northwest. I traveled 1135 miles to create magic with kindreds. Strangers, really, but like-minded souls, artists and adventurers who did the exact same thing: traveled mile upon mile to escape their lives and find themselves in maple leaves, moss, and the enchantment of tall, green, majestic woods… and in an actual log cabin, no less.

I left home with a small(ish) bag filled with art supplies, fall weather gear, a slew of Moleskines, and a big desire to peel back layers of my being. This is an idea that seems strange to some: that you would get on a plane and travel, off to paint, write, eat, and commune with folks you have never met. And though two of the retreat goers were friends I had recently met, communing with strangers is a concept that fuels me. Yes, it speaks my language: adventure. An adventure with art, words, food, photography, trees, women, exploration, the sea, the forest, coffee, tea, and a labyrinth. I’m in!  I left home with a few small bags, but I’d come back with bigger things. Things tucked in my heart and under my belt. Lessons learned about myself. Lessons I’ve learned before and may learn again (and maybe again).  But each time, the path to this place inside me becomes more clear.

I left my husband and furry feline back in LA to go on this adventure. I said goodbye to all the things I push myself to be: überwife, recognized artist, good friend and neighbor; dependable daughter, sister, and aunt; and an irreplaceable service to my clients. And I said goodbye to the things I do, like keeping a tidy kitchen and bathroom, and making sure the linens are washed, dust bunnies corralled and plants (as well as my husband and myself) fed. I push myself hard! I do it out of love. But I stretch myself with so much grit that most days, grace seems to slip away. And eventually I must say hello to the yearning to refill my well, the whispers of an old friend that knows.
 
It is becoming clear to me that retreat, for me, is a necessity more than a luxury.

I arrived at my destination, welcomed with smiles and hugs and a handwritten name card. It warmed my heart to know that someone was awaiting my arrival. It reminded me that there was room for me here, that my adventure was in full swing and that I’d most certainly carved out some space to grow. I’d made it to the shade of the forest, and I sank in, with eagerness and ease. I sank in, even after surviving introductions–because as much as I love wandering to new places, the excitement (and uncertainty of it) always makes my stomach drop. I was immersed in every moment. I found new ways to look through my lens. I scouted new words with which to craft poems. I rooted about with a long brush and tubes of color to paint my story. And right next to me were beautiful strangers cracking open their tender souls to do the same. I think we were all eager. And we were all willing. And magic was made. It was inevitable.

I am learning what my heart already knows. I am learning that I must retreat to come back home. I am learning that I don’t have to be all that I think I am supposed to, to be accepted or survive or succeed. That I already have all I need. And I sit here with a smile because I will learn this again (and maybe again), but each time the path becomes more clear.

*

Jojo Blöndal is a graphic designer, artist, and creative personal blogger. She nurtures her soul and strawberry patch in the foothills of the Angeles Forest where she lives with her musician husband.
 
Jojo’s passion for creativity is rooted in celebrating the ever-changing perspectives and ever-present rhythms of her days. To preserve herself in a big city, she finds comfort in analog things - from growing succulents and herbs, to writing letters by hand and exploring daily habit with her film camera. When she’s not pushing around pixels, you might find her in a local cafe soaking up tea and sinking into a Moleskine journal.
 
Visit her artwork here, photography here, design work here and heart here.

All photos copyright to Jojo Blöndal.

why retreat (with melissa mcannally)

Today, I am sharing the second post in a new 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 not only give you a glimpse into the Be Present Retreats, but also invite you to realize the importance of taking time away from your daily life to recharge, connect with your kindreds, and rekindle your creativity.

And today, I am over the moon excited to welcome Melissa McAnnally as my guest today. The following is her poem (a poem!) response to the question "why retreat?" (Thank you dear girl!)

*****

Why Retreat?

To fall in love

with the sound of laughter and the taste of wine

To meet new sisters

and feel that you are home

To walk through tall trees

and embrace the texture of moss and the comfort of damp air

To cover your hands in paint

and glue and paper and joy

To rest in the healing power of

the camera lens

To let poetry caress your ears

and flow deliciously across your tongue

To gobble spoonfuls of the

earth’s healing provision

To rediscover yourself

and your place in this beautiful world 

*****

Melissa McAnnally lives along the Texas Gulf Coast, crunching numbers by day and exploring the world of art any chance she gets.

She is grateful to Liz and the Be Present Retreats for introducing her to the joy of messy, imperfect art and the healing power of the written word. 

Read other guest posts in the Why Retreat series here.

pen & paper reflections

a peek into pen & paper

When I get home from hosting a Be Present Retreat and look through my photos, I am always struck by how few I take. Every. Single. Time. I know this is partly because being behind the camera is not really part of my role during these retreats, but somehow, it seems to be a piece in the list of reasons why I have a hard time writing about the retreats when I get back from them. Maybe you haven't noticed, but I seldom write about them when I return. The re-entry time is intense, real life just starts rolling again, planning for the next retreat begins, and somehow I never find my way back to this space to say much.

I would like to change that and have been thinking about a few ways to give myself some space before and after each retreat to write about my intentions and experience and then share some of those thoughts here. Sometimes, I become so focused on creating a sacred experience for others that I forget about paying attention to the ways I can make it even more sacred for me. 

Throughout each retreat (and there have been eight so far!), I am aware of how I know this is the work I am called to do. I feel at home. And I am deeply aware of what a gift this is at this time in my life. As I write these words, I am deeply aware of the support I am so lucky to have as I continue to grow my business and look to all that will unfold in the next few years. (thank you)

As for Pen & Paper...well...this is the part where I get hung up on what words to use. It was a beautiful, rich, open-hearted experience. We laughed and danced and wrote and "poemed" and played with paint and danced some more. Stories and meals nurtured each of us. Dreams were spoken aloud and then written down inside our journals. Naps were taken. Blue sky appeared just when we asked it to. And laughter arrived again.

I love hosting retreats at Frog Creek Lodge here in my corner of the world. Within minutes of arriving, almost every participant mentions that "this space just has such good energy." There is just something about this cabin in the woods. This time we were able to watch eagle parents swoop about looking for food to take back to the nest in the woods near us. And the rain rain rain came down down down, which gave us the perfect writing weather. And then the clouds left while we painted and then played down by Puget Sound.

After everyone left on Sunday, Kelly and I took just a few minutes to sit on the frontporch swing and take in the trees and the moss and the air and the birds singing amidst the raindrops. As we sat there, I was thinking about how each retreat brings a unique cast of characters. Deep friendships are born and nurtured and I am struck again and again by the truth and beauty that entwine to create the one-of-a-kind experience for each of us. After each retreat I say, "Oh I think this one was my favorite." And that is exactly how I feel again. 

I am so blessed.

*****

Today, I'm excited to share that registration for the Fall Unearth Retreat has begun! Kelly Barton and I are heading back to Frog Creek Lodge and bringing Mindy Lacefield with us! Kelly and Mindy will be co-teaching three days of painting and mixed media, and I will be sharing some of my favorite creative self-care practices (including writing and photography) throughout our time together. The three of us are integrating all of it into one big juicy creative adventure. There are just 12 spots left, so please head over to the Be Present Retreats site to learn more.