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, 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 a published writer and Associate Professor of English at Kalamazoo College where she teaches creative writing, literature, and journalism; and she teaches yoga classes 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 lead richly creative lives and 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 (9 a.m. – 12 p.m.), afternoon (2 p.m. - 4 p.m.), and evening (7 p.m. - 9 p.m.) sessions on Saturday, and a morning practice followed by closing circle (9 a.m. – 1 p.m.) on Sunday.

Registration and Lodging Details

First, email Marin to register for the retreat. Early bird registration for the retreat program is $325; on September 1, the cost increases to $350. Space is limited. Please inquire about options for financial accessibility.

Once you have registered and paid for the program with the facilitator, Marin will direct you to 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, payable by cash or check made out the Fetzer Institute at the end of the retreat. Participants will check into their cabins between 1:00 and 4:00 p.m. on Friday, November 3 at a time you communicate via your cabin reservation. Cabin check-out is at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 5.