The Art of Sacred Words: Writing As Spiritual Practice

Just like prayer, meditation, yoga, or chant, writing offers a powerful way to deepen our lives of faith. Spiritual writing is writing that honors process over product. Writing that opens up possibility, asks probing questions, and challenges easy assumptions. Putting our “sacred words” to paper can be a pathway to exploration, confrontation, healing, celebration, and lament. In this generative workshop, we will read and discuss some masterful examples of spiritual writing, and we will do a LOT of writing ourselves, guided by “free-writing” exercises and prompts; meditations on Scripture, poetry, and icons; and collaborative conversation. We will talk about how to begin and sustain a writing practice in the midst of our busy lives. We will experiment with a variety of forms and genres. We will consider how to shape our personal experiences of the numinous, the painful, the mysterious, and the transcendent into writing that draws us closer to God. At the conclusion of the workshop, attendees who wish to share a brief piece of their creative work will be welcome to do so during an “open mic” reading.

This workshop is for anyone who wants to write about their spiritual lives, but needs some support and inspiration to get started, as well as for long-time writers who want to deepen their practice, get a lot of writing done, and benefit from the company of fellow writers. Attendees who like to write longhand should bring a notebook (or plenty of loose-leaf paper) and their favorite pens/pencils. If you wish to compose on laptops or other electronic devices, you are welcome to bring them along.