Writing From the Body

“Imagination is evidence of the divine,” wrote poet and visionary William Blake more than 200 years ago. And yet we experience the world, imagine, and create through our very human bodies. In this retreat designed for artists and dreamers of every ilk, we will drop into the body and connect to the deepest parts of ourselves.

Through immersive yoga practices, including asana, guided breathing, and relaxation, coupled with writing exercises and playful ritual, particularly appropriate to this Samhain weekend, we will unleash and explore the power that is our birthright, face our fears, generate new material, make resolutions, and discover the stories that emerge from and are written on the body. Between facilitated sessions participants will have time for solitude, reflection, and play in nature on the sacred grounds of beautiful Gilchrist.

Poet Mary Oliver wrote that “the most regretful people on earth are those who felt the call to creative work, who felt their own creative power restive and uprising, and gave to it neither power nor time.” In this retreat, we’ll give both power and time to the practices that will allow us to not only live without regret, but with fierce love, joy, and passion.

About the Facilitator

Marin Heinritz, PhD, ERYT-500, is Associate Professor of English at Kalamazoo College where she teaches creative writing, literature, and journalism; and she teaches yoga and barre at Bent9 and Borgess Fitness as well as offers private yoga, writing, and cooking sessions virtually and in Kalamazoo. Writing and the body are inextricably linked in her work on the page and in the studio/classroom, and helping others fulfill their potential through both endeavors is, for her, a spiritual practice.

Retreat Schedule

The retreat will open on Friday at 6:30 p.m. in WindHill and end Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. with morning, afternoon, and evening sessions on Saturday, and a morning practice on Sunday.

Registration and Lodging Details

The retreat begins in WindHill at 6:30 p.m. Friday and closes at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday. Early bird registration is $325 before September 1, 2022, and $350 after that. Space is limited, and participants must register for the retreat with a minimum $200 deposit before reserving a cabin at GilChrist, with remaining cost of retreat due by October 15, 2022. 

Lodging fees and reservations are separate, and participants are encouraged to complete a registration form and submit payment early to secure a spot and secure a GilChrist cabin. After you have registered and paid for the program with the facilitator via marinheinritz.com, contact GilChrist to reserve your cabin using the online registration form or by calling the main office at (269) 244-1130. Lodging is $50/night per person in addition to the program fee. Participants will check into their cabins between 1:00 and 5:00 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 28 at a time you communicate via your cabin reservation. Cabin check-out is at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 30.

Each guest space at GilChrist is equipped with a complete kitchen, and aside from tea, coffee, and snacks during our gatherings, participants are responsible for providing their own meals. See the complete GilChrist FAQ for more information about the facility.

Note: all group participants are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.