The Sunday Night Writing Group

This week I opened 4 spots for The Sunday Night Writing Group. One has already been taken. The others will go fast and registration will be closed again for some time. As I offer these spots there are some things I need to say. Initially I had many more students apply than I had space for. Some left because the group was not what they were looking for. Understandable. Some I gently asked to leave because they were not able to commit to the group in the way I need for people to commit. Also understandable. But both of those things being the case I want, now, to be very clear about what this group is and isn’t and why, as well as what one can expect.

First of all the classes are offered on a donation basis. You can donate what you can, as you can, but the suggested donation is $5 per class.

Next, this is not a “creative writing” class, though surely the writing is deeply creative in its way. The goal of these classes, through timed-writings, is to process our lives, and transform pain into compassion and loving-kindness for ourselves and our lives, to open our hearts and work through what might be stumbling blocks to full and happy lives. It is very deep soul work, healing work, transformative.

A very important aspect of these classes is what might be considered a very Zen approach. This is not a support group. We write, we read, but when we read no comments are allowed whatsoever. I thank you for reading and we go on to the next person. This is a practice, and I am very firm about it. People tend to want to read, and then tell you why they wrote what they wrote, or things they left out, in other words they want to chatter. This “lets the air out of the tires.” It is not allowed. What you have written is very deep work you will have just done. You have opened a portal to something deep inside and you must sit with this, in silence, and let it do its work. If you talk about the content of what you’ve written to others what you’ve written loses its potency. You will not benefit from it and you will not be healed in the way that this process surely heals. And if you are looking for a support group, for people to tell you that you are okay or to praise your writing this is not the group for you, however you will walk away with a strength and calm assurance about yourself, your life, and your writing for having learned the deep significance of this work. There is magic here.

And this is a very deep commitment. This is not a “sign up and drop in when you feel like it” kind of class. I expect, if you want to be there, you will plan to be there every Sunday, with rare exceptions, as in when you are sick or traveling, say, but you will mostly plan to be there. This fosters trust, and intimacy, and a safe ground for everyone to do very deep work. If you cannot make this commitment this class is also not for you. Also, while this is a Zoom/video platform some people using Zoom allow people to call in on their phones and not be seen. I do not allow this. You have to show up and be on video with the rest of us. We are writing and sharing deeply private things and the trust level, a sacred trust, is of utmost importance to me. This cannot be fostered in the group if someone cannot be seen. We are all there, feeling vulnerable, but present with each other. You must attend in this way or not at all.

I have taught this process for 40 years to people, mostly in person, one-on-one, in groups, at colleges and women’s centers, in churches, at festivals, and a very large number of my students have been sent to me by therapists, counselors, and ministers, for some time I taught in a therapist’s office. This is not therapy but a wonderful addendum to any kind of therapeutic work you are doing. It is deeply healing. It is a process that helps you work through what is going on for you so that you can move forward to what is coming next in your life. The women in this group are among the most amazing people I have ever had the privilege to work with. Powerful work is being done here. Every week I am amazed and touched and deeply grateful.

I would love to have you join us. If you are interested write to me right away at thesundaynightwritinggroup@gmail.com and let me know that you are interested and that you are happy to comply with everything I have written in this post. If you cannot comply with all of the above it will not be a good fit for you, if you can however it can change your life.

Blessings and Love, this is my deep heart work, it is a phenomenal group, we would love to have you with us…