Opening to Inspiration: Meditation & Writing for Aliveness & Connection

Step into a weekend designed to nourish both inner stillness and creative expression. From Friday, December 4th, to Sunday, December 6th, 2026, this retreat invites you to explore the meeting point of meditation and writing in a setting shaped by nature, reflection, and connection.

Guided by award-winning poet and transmitted Zen teacher Brooke McNamara, participants will be supported through lovingly curated practices that open space for deep listening, fresh insight, and authentic voice. The experience is intended for anyone longing to reconnect with the free creativity of childhood, rest in the quiet wisdom beneath daily busyness, or find the right container for a book or ongoing project.

Held at Drala Mountain Center, the retreat offers time to settle, attune, and engage with the living poetry of the land. Through a balance of structure and spaciousness, you’ll be invited to write from tenderness, courage, and curiosity while sharing the journey with a community of fellow seekers. The atmosphere is both grounded and expansive, creating room for inspiration to emerge naturally.

Arrival: Friday, December 4th, 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Departure: Sunday, December 6th, 12:30 PM

Tuition: Tiered tuition: $250, $370, or $490 + 2 nights lodging, combined at checkout.

Meals and drinks are included, with vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options available. Extra nights may be added at 50% off.

Program Schedule

• Friday 2:00 - 5:00 pm | Registration

• 5:30 - 6:00 pm | Orientation

• 6:00 - 7:00 pm | Dinner

• 7:00 - 9:00 pm | Program Session: Introduction to the Intersection of Meditation & Writing Practice

• Saturday 6:30 - 7:00 am | Meditation (Sitting & Walking)

• 7:30 - 9:00 am | Breakfast

• 9:30 - 12:30 pm | Program Session: Opening to Inspiration ~ Deep Listening & The Aliveness of Ideas

• 12:30 - 1:30 pm | Lunch

• 1:30 - 3:30 pm | Free Time

• 3:30 - 6:00 pm | Program Session: Opening to Inspiration ~ Impermanence & Emergence

• 6:00 - 7:00 pm | Dinner

• 7:30 - 9:00 pm | Optional Sharing Circle / Open Mic + Meditation

• Sunday 6:30 - 7:00 am | Meditation (Sitting & Walking)

• 7:30 - 9:00 am | Breakfast

• 9:30 - 12:30 pm | Program Session: Opening to Inspiration ~ The Art of Revision / Tending the Garden + Integration

• 12:30 - 1:30 pm | Lunch and Departure

Lodging

Several lodging options are available during checkout, and all include healthy meals and drinks. Off-campus participants who prefer to commute or arrange their own accommodations may do so for tuition plus $40 per night for meals and facility use.

• Car Camping: 5 primitive parking spots in the Rigden parking lot for parking and sleeping. Includes food and access to the bathhouses in Rigden Lodge. No water or electric hookups for RVs.

• Dormitories: Beds for up to 7-8 people, with men and women housed separately. Shared bathroom and shower stalls down the hall.

• Monk Rooms: A more affordable indoor option with a private room, bed, bedding, closet, large window, desk, and desk chair. Shared bathroom.

• Single and Double Rooms: Private space with a 3/4 bathroom, plus a dresser and closet.

• Junior Suite: Queen-size bed, cozy comforter, desk, dresser, closet, private bath with bathtub, and sitting area.

Retreat Faculty

Past participants have described the experience as gently powerful, deeply spacious, and creatively transformative. Many have shared that the combination of meditation, writing, and community created a rare sense of clarity, depth, and delight.