Tomorrow night I will begin to lead a four week intensive on a course I am calling Going Deeper. Going deeper in writing. Giving voice to stories we have hiding in our bodies.
Stories live within us for many reasons. Often, I believe, is because we are protecting abusers. Because we are or have been abusers. Because we dont want to embarrass ourselves or our families. Because some situations have been too painful to write about. But not all of our stories are traumatic or painful. Some memories are very sweet. But there are even precious memories we hold close and quiet.
No student in the class will be forced to share any story. There will be space if anyone chooses to share. The point of the class is to tell the truth to ourselves. For some of us this will be the first time putting words to personal stories. As writers, we create poems and stories and develop characters we want to be transparent and tell the truth about their histories. But it is difficult to take our characters into waters we are afraid to swim in ourselves.
We have the stories but often when we write about them, we write like there is someone looking over our shoulders. A parent, grandparent, child, sibling, pastor, teacher, judge, police officer, lover, ex lover, boss. Someone. What stories would you release if you had the freedom? Again, no one has to share their stories. The point is the work. The point is the process, the peeling.
This will be a very intimate class. There will only be ten participants. We will be in a cozy office. The class is only four weeks. We will be confronted. Not by each other. By ourselves and the ghosts that stop us from going deeper. I look forward to this journey. I will ride this wave too. I have stories too. I look forward to releasing bitter and sweet stories. Even if the only place they fly is into my journals.
Writers on every level are welcome. This first course is filled but there will be others. I will keep you posted. To those of you who have registered, welcome. TAKE CARE OF YOURSELVES THROUGHOUT THIS COURSE. Take a deep breath. Let it out slowly. Now let's go in.
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