Deepening into Winter: A Creativity Circle
I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says, "Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again.” - Lewis Carroll
Friends, please join us for a special winter session of Gathering Ourselves, a creativity circle to connect more deeply with what's within ourselves and with each other. We'll be gathering in December to ground and connect with ourselves as we enter into the winter season.
Wendell Berry writes "that the dark, too, blooms and sings." So let's sing into the dark, and gather in the dark, and see what may be blooming in this time of quiet, stillness and festivities.
In our online gathering, we'll use 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 yearnings and desires for the winter season.
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 deepen your connection to yourself, rest, explore, and nurture yourself as we enter into the end of the year holidays. Bring yourself, and bring a friend!
The details
We'll be meeting on zoom on Friday, December 12th from 10 am to 12 pm Pacific/11 am to 1 pm Mountain/12 to 2 pm Central/1 to 3 pm Eastern time and 6 to 8 pm London time.
We'll split our time between grounding rituals, exploring some prompts and poems, creative play, and sharing. Our gathering will be playful and warm, filled with kindness, generous listening, and the reassurance that 'you can only do this right.'
The gathering is open to all, whether or not you've joined us for a Gathering Ourselves group in the past.
What would it mean to have wings in winter, as Mary Oliver writes?
"I feel my boots
trying to leave the ground,
I feel my heart
pumping hard. I want
to think again of dangerous and noble things.
I want to be light and frolicsome.
I want to be improbable beautiful and afraid of nothing,
as though I had wings."
- from Winter Starlings, by Mary Oliver
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 ways I 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 nothing is wasted - speaks to my soul. And I'm amazed by what arises in collage, how images becomes doorways into healing and new life.
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, 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
What if I'm not creative? Is writing or artistic experience required?
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 play.
What will our time together be like?
We'll split our time between grounding rituals, exploring some prompts and poems, creative play, and sharing. Our gathering will be playful and warm, filled with kindness, generous listening, and the reassurance that 'you can only do this right,' as our friend Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer says.
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 lots of time for 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, but other parts feel shy, please come, knowing you get to choose the pace of sharing you need. If you want to come, we want you there!
What if I can't make it? Will it be recorded?
Yes, we'll record the gathering if you can't make it.