Field Notes from an Ordinary Day: Meditation and Creative Writing (AC2D26)

Please only register for one of the two formats: On-Land or Online.

Registration closes at 9:00am (Pacific Time) on July 25, 2026. A waiting list will be created if the program fills early. A recording* will be available following the program.

Description:
To write something that comes alive on the page—and wakes up both writer and reader—you don’t need an extraordinary life story or a cutting-edge concept. You need the capacity for sustained, intimate attention.

We’ll practice two forms of paying close attention—mindfulness meditation and free-writing —and turn them toward the mundane and magical details of being alive. The day will unfold through cycles of meditation, writing to prompts, and sharing in small groups without critique. As the mind settles, what’s been swimming beneath the surface can emerge onto the page.

No writing experience is required, and you’re not aiming to leave with a polished piece. What you’ll leave with is the embodied experience of writing as a contemplative practice: a way of noticing what’s here—or imagining what isn’t—and discovering that the ordinary, met closely enough, is never quite as ordinary as it seemed.

On-Land Sliding Scale: (AC2D26)**
Benefactor – $310
Sustainer – $235
Basic – $140
Scholarship Rate (BIPOC, M/K) – $70
**Volunteer/Work Exchange opportunities, which include full or partial Scholarships, may be available for the in-person program. For more information, please contact the Volunteer Coordinator at volunteering@spiritrock.org.

Online Sliding Scale: (xxxZ26)***
Benefactor – $175
Sustainer – $95
Basic – $75
Scholarship Rate (BIPOC, M/K) – $45
***Online Program: All are welcome! No one will be turned away for lack of funds as space allows. For more information, please email Registration@spiritrock.org no later than 12:00pm (NOON) PT on the day prior to the program date.

Access to Recording

• Registration includes unlimited access to this program’s recording. You must register by the deadline above. The recording will be available in ~10 days after the program.

On-Land Attendees

• The on-land program will take place in the Community Meditation Center (CMC) in the Great Hall.
• Bring a lunch and a water bottle. Lunch is not provided.
• This is NOT a residential retreat. Overnight accommodations are not provided.

COVID Safety Protocols for non-residential programs: details here.

Cancellation Policy for On-Land: Daylongs, Multiday Programs (1-3 days), Family Programs, CE fees:

• NO REFUNDS.
• Open Credit or Donation to Spirit Rock = cancel 2 or more business days prior to program (Pacific Time)
• No Open Credit = cancel less than 2 business days prior