“The creative path is entirely about open minded curiosity.” — Elizabeth Gilbert
REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN !
Living Memoir: A Contemplative Writing Retreat
A Weekend Retreat at Drala Mountain Center
September 26-28, 2025
Come spend a weekend meditating, writing, wandering, reflecting and sharing your stories in the wild and rugged land of Drala Mountain Center in Colorado.
For two days, we will connect with moments in our lives through contemplation, free and prompted writing, time spent alone in nature and finding ways to use all our senses in the telling of our stories.
Living Memoir is not a guidebook on how to write a memoir. It is a journey of discovery traveling out of our thinking minds into the world of memory through feelings and images. Creative writing is a full body experience and in this retreat we will be exploring how to be fully embodied as we tell our stories. There will also be time during the two days for large and small group sharing.
No experience in writing or meditation is needed to join the gathering.
Registration is now open on the Drala Mountain Center website:
https://www.dralamountain.org
Past Workshops
Calligrapher and artist Barbara Bash and Victress offered their first weekend AWAKE MIND: Write-Draw-Contemplate retreat in 2021. They have continued each October since with a weekend or day long virtual retreat.
“I’m always amazed at the depth of insight that comes from participating in Awake Mind… I learn something about myself and the world..” — Catherine H.
“The workshop was powerful for me. It took me into places I would never have gone on my own. I felt brave and supported.” — Eloise M.
“I appreciated all you both offered to this retreat - your wisdom, creativity and generosity. I especially enjoyed writing and drawing the haiku..” — Nora
In June 2023 Victress led an in-person weekend retreat with the help of painter/writer Irma Velasquez in Sebastopol, California. A small group of women spent two days together writing, meditating, painting and dancing as they reflected on what is means to grow older.
I felt so nourished by the weekend
The activities and the company.
Thank you. — Lea B.
I am loving bringing more awareness of each moment into
my daily life at home. — Gena M.
It was an amazing retreat. Thank you for the care and thought
you gave as you took us through the process. — Irma V.
"It was absolutely inspiring, mind-blowing, and an awakening experience for me.” — Fitri
"I loved Victress's relaxed informative style. I really had fun and felt greatly supported writing." — Becca
"I appreciated her presence, sense of humor, and knowledge of subject matter."
— C.R.