Poets and closet poets begin their 2024 retreat schedule at Mountain Light on Friday, February 2, starting with a gathering ceremony at the outdoor firepit (weather permitting) and continuing with morning and afternoon sessions by the woodstove in the cozy Stone Cottage. All are invited, and interested parties should contact Debbie Scott at Debbie@MountainLightRetreatVa.com. Registration, to be paid on arrival, is $20.

We will invite the presence of St. Brigid of Ireland, patron saint for poets and healers, and retreat for the day in the aura of her flame. St. Brigid crosses the portals of time, opening connections between poets and ancient times, represented by the Shenandoah Mountains.

Concurrent program sessions for participants are new to the retreat format. In the morning, offerings include a guided meditation with an inspired writing session in the Stone Cottage. Louise Mitchell, author, healer, and spiritualist, will lead the session. Meditation has been the pathway of her journey that began in 1986, producing seven fiction and non-fiction books.

The concurrent morning session is free writing time on-site at Mountain Light.

In the afternoon, Retreat Leader Ray Griffin will lead a session on writing Tanka poetry that includes its cousin, Kyoka, a short form that pokes fun at life. It can be snarky, cutting, slang, parody, or ironic. So, not all writing will be serious and profound. Of interest, Ray is an accomplished expert in short-form Japanese poetry and published a book on the subject, Under the Ginkgo Tree, available from Amazon.

The concurrent afternoon session is free writing time on-site at Mountain Light. May the whim of the universe flow through your senses and draw you to join the gathering of poets. A light breakfast is provided. Bring your own lunch and snacks. (The snow day for the event is February 13.)