Writing Retreats
Since 1990 I have been leading writing retreats for women. We meet both for weekends in Block Island, Rhode Island, and at my home in Lakeville, CT.
In Block Island (see photos below) we gather at “Turning Point”, a beautiful and secluded compound overlooking Sachem Pond and the North Light. Wonderful food, walking the beach and the labyrinth on the property, and writing, writing, writing, have brought scores of women out over the years, many for multiple return weekends. Here is what a few of them have had to say about their experiences:
The thing that Sharon knows is that our voices are there, waiting for us, that we already have the juice we need and that the world needs us to speak. I’d call her a voice expert. She does it with the people she brings together, the beautiful places she puts us in, the food, the conversations, but most of all, with the quiet, the freedom, the permission, the acceptance she brings. Her specialty is extraction. She’s an extractor of that tiny silver thread that is so central to powerful writing: a woman’s own inimitable way of saying her truth. She is also, by virtue of her specialty, a teacher, a healer, a medium and her own best example--both on the page and in the world. No woman should allow herself to miss what Sharon has to offer.
M.B.
If you’re going to set the stage for a dramatic episode, Block Island fills the bill in every respect. The woman’s writing retreat, my first experience, was ethereal, inspiring and not a little shocking.The setting was gloriously secluded and charming, and the labyrinth overlooking the ocean served as the crowning touch. Sharon is masterful at drawing women out, and knowing when to let them be. I came away with memories printed on my writing lexicon, and in my heart.
J.J.
When I attempt to explain the Block Island Women's Writing Retreat to friends, I inevitably tongue-tie myself in frustration as I can't ever seem to come up with a comprehensible overview. The experience is so much greater than words - spoken or written. And that's the point I try to make. The retreat isn't really about writing at all, although that's what we do. The writing becomes a means to finding pieces of my soul, my truth, that I never knew existed. And there they lie, so clearly, so succinctly on a sheet of paper.
I have learned over the years, not to explain the retreat to women I encounter. I just ask them to come. I tell them it will change their life. Most have continued attending. It becomes part of each woman's journey. Thank you, Sharon. Providing this retreat has gifted so many.
P.E.
The weekends are limited to ten women. The dates for 2010 are September 30-October 3rd. Cost will be $600 for this 4-day retreat. Contact Sharon for more information or to register.
Sunday Writing Retreats
Many of us sense that there are stories within us that need to be told, but cannot find the time, space or circumstances in our busy lives to do so. This series of Sunday writing retreats with Sharon Charde will provide that opportunity. The retreats are intense community writing experiences. Together we create a safe and supportive writing environment that encourages risks we would never take alone. We are fed by the listening of others, the rest from our busy lives, the delicious lunch. There is no critical feedback, only focused attention and deep acceptance.
This is the fourth year of Sunday Retreats. The group is limited to eight women, many of whom attend on a regular basis. The cost is $75 per session, or $65 if you sign up for four or more. The dates for 2010 are: March 7, April 11/12 (will be a weekend session - $250), May 23, June 13, July 11, August 15, September 12, October 17, November 14, December 12. They are subject to change so please continue to check this website for updated information.
Here is what three women have to say about our Sundays:
As a newcomer to the group, I entered Sharon's home full of insecurity - afraid to expose my tender underbelly. What I found was an inspirational and nurturing guide, a comfortable and deeply personalized sanctuary for creativity, and an eclectic circle of courageous and intuitive women. Being allowed the unadulterated expression of raw emotion sans scrutiny has given me a tangible sense of artistic freedom, clarity, and inner peace that follows me home each month.
J.B.
These retreats rejuvenate my writing life in a way that nothing else does. I come away feeling cleansed and eager to move back into my writing projects with vigor, as well as with a handful of new and surprising ideas for future writing. Sharon creates an amazingly safe and nurturing environment that enables us all to move toward our true voices. As we write and speak our words, we hear and are heard in a deep way. The process reminds me how to be present as a listener. These retreats are a sanctuary where there is no judgment, just loving witness.
N.M.
Writing in the company of other women infuses the isolation of the art with a sense of community. Reading one's writing aloud in the company of other women validates and supports one's art. Hearing other women read their writing enriches and inspires one's own effort. Above all, Sharon's writing retreats offer a safe, non-judgmental environment in which to explore, to understand in one's own voice one's inner landscape.
L.Q.
Weekly Sessions
In May 2009, Sharon added a third writing experience for women, a ten session evening group at the CHMA Northwest Center in Lakeville. She will continue to offer this experience with a third session, to begin on March 2 which will run for ten consecutive sessions, from 5-7:30. Cost is $250 for the ten sessions.
Please call or email me for directions, information or to register. I look forward to writing with you here at my home!