Writing About Thin Places, Sacred Places G220242-6
Ever been to a place that feels like sacred ground, where you feel blissful, blessed, perhaps in the presence of the transcendent or the divine? That’s a thin place, an identification used by Celts long ago.Thin places are spaces where heaven and earth come closer, where it seems possible to sense or glimpse across the divide between. Writer Eric Weiner explains, “Heaven and earth, the Celtic saying goes, are only three feet apart, but in thin places that distance is even shorter.” Think St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, Petra in Jordan, or Sequoia National Park. Our own Ghost Ranch is, to many, a thin space—its dramatic, otherworldly beauty enthralls, inspires, reverences, even jolts us out of usual ways of looking at the world. Few come away from a Ghost Ranch experience unchanged.
In this workshop write about your own experience with thin places—Ghost Ranch or around the world–both in group activities and on your own. Add visuals if you wish. Discuss together how other writers and mystics have written about such special places. Share your writing in group. Come away with a fresh perspective and a collection of new and thoughtful texts. All levels of writers welcome.This workshop, Writing In Thin Places, Sacred Places was moved from previously advertised dates February.
During this Covid-19 period, participants are asked to bring their own supplies (hand sanitizer, KN95 or N95 masks, water bottle) to limit touchpoint and sharing. Lodging options range from dorm style $684 to private bath $1,074 that includes room and meals for the first person occupying the room. If you are sharing the room with a family member or trusted travel companion, the second occupant should register for their workshop separately and choose the commuter option in lieu of a lodging option. This will help ensure that all participants are included in meal counts, and placed in the correct workshop in order to receive the pertinent follow up information.
HELP
Please use the options below to find helpful information regarding Ghost Ranch Workshops and Retreats
Virtual Events: Payments made for Virtual Events are non-refundable. If you are unable to attend the event, recordings will be made available to you after the event. For events with multiple sessions, every attempt will be made to make the session(s) available to you before the next scheduled session.
In-Person Events: During this Covid-19 pandemic period, written notification must be received no later than 45 days prior to the start date of your workshop in order to receive a refund, minus a $100 processing charge. No refunds will be processed after that time. We reserve the right to announce a change in leadership or cancel any program 45 days prior to the first day of the workshop. In that event, you may transfer to another workshop without charge or we will refund the full workshop payment. Many participants have found it helpful to purchase travel insurance. This cancellation policy does not apply to January term. If the cancellation is Covid-related and is received less than 45 days prior to your start date, your funds will be left on deposit for another ghost ranch workshop or future stay or you can make it a full donation to support us through this unique business period.
EVENT FAQ's
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What day/time does the workshop start and end?
In-person workshops begin with check-in at 3:00 p.m. and a ranch orientation in the evening on the first date listed for the course and end at 10:00 a.m. with checkout on the last date listed.
Virtual workshops will have a varied schedule that is identified within each workshop description.
During Covid safety period - single occupancy lodging is the standard
- During Covid-19 periods, all lodging types will be single occupancy at no additional charge. Of course, you can share a room with a spouse, partner, family or another person that shares your full-time residence. The extra folks that share a room will pay for workshop registration fees and meals.
What is the difference between a room with private bath, a room with semi-private or shared bath, and a room with communal/dorm bath?
Private bath refers to the type of bathroom, not single occupancy
Private Bath Room: There is a bathroom in that one room that is not shared between or with any other rooms. The highest rate tier of Ghost Ranch lodging.
Semi-private/shared: There is a bathroom between two rooms that is shared by the occupants of the two adjoining sleeping rooms. These rooms will only be used as family or group suites, not to be shared by unknown neighbors as in the past.
Communal/dorm: There is a communal bathroom/shower in the lodging building and participants will need to exit their room to reach these facilities.
Instructors
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Carol Lea ClarkCarol Lea Clark, Ph.D., is both a published writer and a writing instructor. She is associate professor emerita of English at the University of Texas at El Paso, where she taught a variety of writing courses in the Rhetoric and Writing Studies Program. In 2008-09, she held a Fulbright Lecturing Award and taught at the University of Jordan in Amman. She has published articles about artists in several publications, including Southwest Art.
While in Jordan, Dr. Clark began her research for Clash of Eagles: America’s Forgotten Expedition to Ottoman Palestine, which was published by Lyon’s Press. The book tells the story of America’s 1848 naval expedition to explore the Jordan River and the Dead Sea. The New York Public Library awarded her a short-term fellowship to research the book.
Dr. Clark has been a National Endowment for the Humanities fellow, a scholar in residence at St. Benedict’s Monastery in St. Joseph, Minn. and a writer in residence at the Hambridge Center in Georgia. She has published ten books, a variety of scholarly articles (including three about the Middle East) and some 50 magazine articles.
Currently she is writing a speculative fiction novel with a major character based on Georgia O’Keeffe.