Fearless Creativity: A Writing and Meditation Retreat

Fearless Creativity is a writing and meditation retreat at Drala Mountain Center in Red Feather Lakes, Colorado, led by Susan Piver, a longtime meditator, Buddhist teacher and New York Times bestselling author. It is a creative workshop for anyone who wants to explore their life through writing, whether you are working on a novel, a memoir, poems or songs, or simply want time to journal. No prior writing or meditation experience is needed.

What to Expect

The retreat runs from a Thursday afternoon to a Sunday midday, three nights in the Colorado Rockies in the dark of winter. Susan Piver teaches a three-step creative process she has shared at dozens of retreats over the last decade: meditation practice, journaling, and a dedicated block of time for personal writing. A fourth ingredient, community, holds the other three together. When writers work alone together, a supportive container forms, and the retreat is built around that.

Arrival is on Thursday between 2:00 and 5:00 PM at the Guest Services Cabin, followed by an orientation to the schedule and the space. On the two core days, the rhythm is steady:

- Morning meditation session
- A first extended writing period
- Midday meditation and lunch
- An afternoon writing period
- Evening reflection and a community gathering

Short meditation sessions are woven through each day, and the two long writing periods leave room to settle into your own work. On Sunday there is a final meditation and a closing ceremony, with departure by 12:30 PM. You leave with a simple three-step meditation and creativity practice you can keep up at home.

About Susan Piver

Susan Piver is a New York Times bestselling author and a Buddhist teacher. Her books include The Wisdom of a Broken Heart; Start Here Now: An Open-Hearted Guide to the Path and Practice of Meditation; The Four Noble Truths of Love: Buddhist Wisdom for Modern Relationships; and The Buddhist Enneagram: Nine Paths to Warriorship. She has seen again and again at her retreats that when these steps are followed, words arrive in an atmosphere of joy rather than struggle.

The Setting

Drala Mountain Center is in Red Feather Lakes, Colorado, and the retreat takes place in its winter landscape. Several kinds of lodging are available:

- Dormitory: gender-segregated shared rooms with beds for up to seven or eight people, with a shared bathroom and showers down the hall.
- Monk Room: a private room with bed, bedding, closet, large window, desk and chair, and a shared bathroom. It costs less than other private rooms and offers more privacy than the dorms.
- Single or Double Room: a private room with dresser, closet and an attached three-quarter bathroom with toilet, sink and shower.
- Junior Suite: a queen-size bed with comforter, desk, dresser, closet, sitting area and a private bath with bathtub.

All meals and drinks are provided, with vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options.

Before You Go

The retreat is open to all levels, and past participants have included novelists, memoirists, poets, songwriters and people who simply like to keep a journal. It is offered in English. Tuition includes instruction and guidance from Susan Piver, three nights of lodging, and all meals and beverages. Extra nights can be added at a reduced rate if you would like to arrive early or stay longer.