Written on the Body with Elana Bell (Generative Poetry Workshop via Zoom)

“Who taught you to write in blood on my back? Who taught you to use your hands as branding irons? You have scored your name into my shoulders, referenced me with your mark. The pads of your fingers have become printing blocks, you tap a message on to my skin, tap meaning into my body.”― Jeanette Winterson, Written on the Body

We are creatures of the senses, human-animals. We experience life through our bodies, and yet so often when we sit down to write, we rely exclusively on our heads to provide inspiration.  This can lead to a sense of frustration or disconnection from the creative process. In this generative workshop, we will use embodied practices including breathing techniques, sound meditation, and movement to quiet the inner critic, calm the nervous system, and open the creative channel. From that place we will explore generative writing prompts and texts designed to connect us to our bodies and the wellspring of creative inspiration they can provide. We will read texts from Walt Whitman, Lucille Clifton, Sharon Olds, and others to amplify this connection to the body and embodied writing. You will leave this workshop more connected to your body as a source of creative inspiration, and to the others who have joined you for the journey.

NB: This class will be taught on Zoom and capped at 12. Link will be sent to email you use to register at the time of registration and again the day before the class. Please make sure to read our course policies page regarding workshop conduct and logistics before registering for any class at HVWC. Scholarship information will be available for this class on July 15^th and applications are due on August 15, 2022.