Gathering Ourselves: A Creativity Circle to Deepen Connection and Compassion
Friends, please join us for an upcoming, free, open to all experience of Gathering Ourselves, a creativity circle to connect more deeply with ourselves and each other.
In this online gathering, we'll be using prompts, poems, and our own creative expression - whether it's collage, journaling, writing, journal pages, drawing or more - to nurture a more generous, deeper, and restorative relationship with our inner world.
We'll couple our exploration with group sharing - a safe, sacred space where we can share, listen to ourselves, and listen to each other.
This gathering is a chance for you to experience a taste of our upcoming 6 month group, Gathering Ourselves, to see if it's the right fit for you. Bring yourself, and bring a friend!
The details
We'll be meeting on zoom on Friday, April 25th from 10 am to 1 pm Pacific/11 am to 2 pm Mountain/12 to 3 pm Central and 1 to 4 pm Eastern time.
The gathering is open to all, but due to the sacred nature of our time together, it will not be recorded.
About us, your guides
Karly Randolph Pitman
I'm delighted to be offering Gathering Ourselves with my friend Tamara. I'm a Soul Diver who loves to explore the depths and wonder in the world - especially with kindred spirits.
I'm a poet, writer, teacher, mother, seeker, and facilitator. Illness, eating disorders, and depression are some of the 'guests' who've cracked me open into greater compassion and wholeness.
Writing, embroidery, mending, and collage are my favorite ways to play with creativity. My poetry practice helps me see with different eyes, awaken to wonder, and connect more deeply with the living world. The deeper meaning of mending - that none of us are waste - speaks to me. And I'm amazed by what arises in a collage, how an image becomes a doorway.
I live in Austin, Texas where I love to go for long walks, make anything with my hands, ride my bike to the local library, explore garage sales and thrift stores, lay on the earth, and marvel at the garden. I look forward to having you with us!
Karly Randolph Pitman
Tamara Strijack
I am a mother, an educator, a counsellor, a consultant, a collaborator and a creative.
On any given day, you might find me facilitating, matchmaking, equipping or creating. One of my greatest joys is coming alongside others on their journey — whether it be finding outlets for emotional expression, or finding one’s way as a parent, teacher or helping professional. My own personal playgrounds are found in writing with fountain pens, giving voice to inner experience through collage and meandering through the woods.
I am an advocate for playful gatherings and for connection in the natural world, as well as a collector of salts, a curator of pauses and a friend of Folklife magazine, where I take their motto “slow the folk down” very seriously.
I am so looking forward to this opportunity to collaborate with my friend Karly in this playful and soulful exploration we are calling Gathering Ourselves.
Tamara Strijack
Questions and what to bring
Is writing or artistic experience required?
Nope, none. This gathering is open to all, whether you think of yourself as creative, a writer, or not. We're not here to perform, critique, or even create something 'good,' but to explore our relationship with ourselves and open to our experience. The only requirement is a willingness to show up and offer your presence to the group.
What will our time together be like?
We'll split our time between centering ourselves, creative play, exploring process, and sharing and listening. Our gathering will be playful and warm, filled with kindness and generous listening, and reassurance that 'you can only do it right.'
What should I bring?
Bring a candle, your art and writing supplies, those things that help you feel comfortable (water or tea, a cozy chair or blanket), and a device that connects securely to the internet. It's also helpful to settle into a quiet space where you can feel well nourished and present.
Will there be breaks or time off screen?
There will be two periods of creative play where you can be off screen, write and create, take a restroom break, eat a snack, or stretch and move.
I feel shy about sharing. Do I have to share?
Sharing is always an invitation, not a demand. If you feel a spark of interest, and also feel shy, please come. If you want to come, we want you there.
What if I can't make it? Will it be recorded?
Because of the sensitive nature of the group, it won't be recorded. We understand that things come up, but you'll need to come to participate.