On Sunday, I watched an episode of Compass hosted by Gina Chick of Alone fame. The Rewilders features the story of Claire Dunn, my rewilding teacher in the 10-month Nature Based Leadership Training course I completed in 2022. WATCH HERE
Like wild/cold-water swimming, rewilding is catching on. Hooray!
For me, there’s an inextricable link between nature and writing. I love books written by women with powerful nature (and feminist) themes and I often write with nature as my muse. It’s an idea woven throughout the chapters of Brave Women Write.
By deepening our connection with nature, we deepen our connection with self and our writing becomes more vulnerable and authentic. And braver.
There are many nature practices to adopt to ignite your writing—and life. And no, you don’t need to be an Alone contestant or sign up to a year-long course to access them. You can get started now.
Try some (or just one) of these. After the activity, journal about it or integrate the experience into a piece you’re currently writing.
- Bare-foot walk (fox-walk) slowly in your garden or park.
- Find a sit-spot and return to it regularly.
- Listen to the birds and observe their behaviour.
- Make and tend a fire.
- Grow your own food.
- Find a local wild-water swimming hole.
- Create a nature altar in your writing space.
- Take a hike each week in a new location.
- Turn your meetings into Walk ‘n Talks in nature.
- Write a letter to yourself from Gaia.*
So, how deep is your connection to nature? How do you become a part of nature, rather than apart from her? What role does nature play in your writing, your story, your life?
We’ll be discussing these ideas and more at the Brave Women Write Dinner on Thursday, 14 March in Melbourne. It’s an intimate dinner for 12 women where we’ll be workshopping and sharing our stories. I’d love for you to join me.
MORE DETAILS AND BOOKINGS HERE.
With love
*In the book Active Hope, Joanna Macy recommends writing a letter. Assume that the earth can communicate with you. If Gaia (the Greek Goddess of Earth, mother of all life) could write a personal letter just to you, what would she write? What would she ask of you?
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Join the next Brave Women Writers’ Circle
Beginning Friday 24 May 2024
Are you a woman who yearns to share your story with the world? Do you often suppress your inner voice and wait for that perfect day to write? Or perhaps you’ve begun writing and are feeling stuck? If so, the Brave Women Writers’ Circle is the right place for you.
Carolyn Tate is an experienced author and educator and is the facilitator of the Brave Women Writers’ Circle. The 12-week course guides you to bring your writing project to life while connecting you to a courageous community of other women writers.
