I returned two weeks ago to Bali after a 4-month hiatus in Turkey, Greece, & California to teach a 6 day writing & breath workshop. Since I’d rather scrub toilets than stand up and speak in front of a class, this was self-imposed torture. At least that’s what it felt like in the months leading up to the event. I’ve been organizing writing retreats around the world since 2006, but this would be the first one that I would teach.

Most people don’t set themselves up to do things they don’t want to do. So why do I? I can’t really say. All I knew was that it was time.

During the retreat we explored authentic writing that comes from within via deep listening, body awareness, and showing up to the page consistently. We journeyed inside with breath work to stir up and release old blocks, and to mine what we really had to say. After two days of intense, cathartic breath sessions that took the students to places they’d never been, they asked for a day off from “breathing” – their psyches needed a rest.

Fully open, we sat down and brainstormed our projects, mindmapped, designed each students’ unique message, and plotted the way forward. I watched with amazement as our individual books and multi media “ideas” blossomed into real living, breathing things.

What did I learn? That teaching is more like being a guide and involves a heck of a lot of trust, getting out of the way, being still, listening, and allowing whatever wants to be taught, to show up organically.

Oh yeah, I also discovered that I can walk directly into one of my biggest fears and come out on the other side alive.

Stay tuned folks! Several amazing books and multi media projects are headed your way. I’ll be the first to let you know when they are born. And with that, I am off to write.

With gratitude and great relief,
Robin