Session One: Reframe

Writing may be a solitary pursuit, but all forms of storytelling are an exercise of connecting with others, entering into a dialogue with an unknown audience. This session invites you to explore the Why of your story. We’ll mindfully unravel how the relationship of the self as writer and our perceptions of the reader influence literary decisions. Here, we thoughtfully examine:

• Initiation – what prompted your current writing project and how this impacts structure

• Intention – why your story and your writing style shift throughout the creative process

• Investigation – what gets in the way of telling the truth and how to relieve this pressure

Session Two: Refine
Time to revise the concept of revision through artistic Refinement. What does it mean to revisit our work, and how can we establish a mindful process that aligns with the deeper meaning of our story? This session engages the relationship between the meta concept of our Big Picture and the meaningful minutiae of detail (precise rather than trivial). By paying close attention to how we engage with more unwieldy passages in our work, we begin to recognize patterns that can be streamlined to enhance the artistry and clarity of our prose. Here, we mindfully investigate ways to:

• Frame – How to problem-solve by sustaining a cohesive and coherent narrative throughline

• Drain – Fill up and let go to truly sense how less becomes more

• Play Insane – Why a wild and crazy choice can shake up reality and reveal added clarity

Session Three: Refresh
Begin again, the foundation of meditative practices as well as the writing life. Every day, a new page, a new breath, a new possibility. How might we Refresh our work, feeling refreshed overall by the process? One idea that comes from ancient wisdom: note impermanence. Another idea: seek beauty. This begins within, as we connect with our natural way to simply Be, noting the beauty of existence that is illuminated through an awareness of our common humanity. In this session, we will experiment with mindful practices that Refresh our entire Being to prompt an energetic shift in our writing. Here, we spark our sense of:

• Noticing – boost awareness in all seasons of light, shadow, limbo

• Nature – what feels relevant, what may be resonant

• Nurturing – befriending the self to sense possibility in ourselves and our characters

 Lara Wilson, a writer, teacher and 40-year meditator, devotes her life to exploring the intersection of mindful wellbeing, nature immersion and storytelling. Intent to share the meditative practices that helped her through years of breast cancer treatment, she established the mindful wellness educational collaborative Be Well Be Here, a 501c3 nonprofit in Concord, MA. Lara’s short stories have been published in The Kenyon Review, StoryQuarterly, American Fiction, Confrontation, Indiana Review, and the Chicago Tribune Book Section as well as anthologized in Printers Row and Hacks: 10 Years on Grub Street. Her essays have been featured on NPR / WBUR’s Cognoscenti and in a collection honoring her mentor, the late Andre Dubus. Lara holds a master's degree in English and American literature from Harvard and a graduate certificate in Mindfulness Studies from Lesley University; she also earned certification in restorative yoga (RYT-200), Reiki (Level II) and advanced mindfulness trauma training (TSMa). She and her husband are the parents of four beloved adults, two of whom were married last year. Ask about her passion for forest bathing and equine experiential learning – and share your story!