JAN 2025 ✺ RETREAT ✺ VIRTUAL
THE WINTER FOLD:
A RETREAT FOR REST
Sundays | 5–7PM EST
19 Jan – 16 Feb 2025
$75–200
Group Size: 6–12
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No striving. No planning. No grinding. No goals. No 75 Hard. No pressure.
Step away from the noise of the New Year and rediscover rest as a vital part of your creative practice.
In this 5-week virtual retreat, we’ll reflect on five transformative works of art, uncovering lessons that inspire rest and guide you in building your own winter refuge.
What You’ll Experience:
- Art & Stories: Dive into iconic works that inspire rest and creativity.
- Creative Exercises: Gentle prompts to spark reflection and renewal.
- Connection: A space to share and grow with a supportive community.
- Quiet Exploration: Find space for stillness and personal connection to your creative process.
- Integration: Discover actionable ways to integrate rest into your creative practice and daily life.
Sliding Scale:
$75: Subsidized pricing for those with financial need. Use code GREEN
$150: Standard pricing. Use code PURPLE
$200: Supporter pricing to help subsidize others.
This intimate retreat is limited to 6–12 participants to ensure a deeply personal experience. Winter is a time for slowing down, for listening, and for turning inward. Let’s rediscover rest together.
While attending all sessions is ideal to fully immerse yourself in the experience, it’s not mandatory. The retreat is designed as a full experience, and proceeds will be donated to LA Wildfire Mutual Aid, supporting vital community needs.
Each week centers around a theme inspired by a renowned, iconic work of art.
Reflect on Ross Gay’s Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude to explore rest as an expression of joy and appreciation. Gratitude, much like rest, offers a transformative pause—an opportunity to notice and celebrate the small, often-overlooked moments that bring us peace and fulfillment. Inspired by Gay’s vibrant celebration of life’s tiny wonders, we’ll examine how cultivating gratitude can deepen our capacity for rest, fostering a renewed sense of connection to ourselves and the world around us.
Discover the transformative power of silence through John Cage’s 4’33”, a work that invites us to embrace quiet as a vast, expansive space for creativity and self-discovery. In a world filled with constant noise and distraction, silence offers a rare opportunity to listen—not just to the sounds around us, but to our inner thoughts and the subtle rhythms of our lives. Together, we’ll explore how sitting with silence can reveal clarity, spark inspiration, and create room for meaningful reflection.
Inspired by Jun’ichirō Tanizaki’s In Praise of Shadows, we’ll delve into the beauty of nuance, imperfection, and the slow unfolding of life. Subtlety invites us to notice the things often overlooked—the play of light and shadow, the quiet details that hold deeper meaning. This week, we’ll reflect on how slowing down can help us uncover hidden layers in our creative process and daily life, embracing imperfection as a source of comfort and authenticity.
Inspired by Agnes Martin’s With My Back to the World, we’ll explore the transformative power of simplicity as an intentional act of rest. Martin’s life and work embody the art of retreat—turning away from external noise to focus on quiet, subtle beauty. Her meditative grids remind us that rest comes not from doing more but from paring down, creating spaciousness for what truly matters.
Inspired by Rainer Maria Rilke’s Letter #8 from Letters to a Young Poet, we’ll explore rest as a process of growth, transformation, and self-trust. Rilke writes: “Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves. Perhaps, then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer.” Becoming asks us to slow down, trust the process, and allow ourselves to grow in the quiet spaces that rest provides. This week, we’ll reflect on how rest helps us hold space for the questions, uncertainties, and transformations that shape our creative and personal journey.
What’s Included:
- Five 2-hour Zoom sessions (Sundays, 1/19–2/16, 5–7 PM EST)
- A complimentary 1:1 coaching session to deepen and personalize your experience (optional).
- Guided prompts, journaling exercises, and opportunities for personal reflection.
- A supportive community of creatives navigating rest together.
What You’ll Need:
- Access to Zoom and a computer
- A quiet, distraction-free space
- A notebook and your favorite writing tool for journaling
What You Won’t Find Here:
- Goal-setting or striving
- Homework or extra tasks
- Pressure to share
- A need for prior art knowledge—this retreat is designed to be accessible to everyone
- Feeling burnt out or uninspired
- Who finds it challenging to slow down or prioritize rest on their own
- Seeking a deliberate, creative pause during the winter season
- Craving rest without the expectation of productivity or outcomes
- Curious about exploring what rest could look like in their lives and creative practices
- Who enjoys “parallel play”—engaging in a shared activity alongside others for accountability and support
FAQ
Do I need to attend all sessions?
While attending all sessions is ideal to fully immerse yourself in the experience, it’s not a deal breaker if you can’t make them all. Each session builds on the last, but we understand life happens. Recaps will be sent after every session to ensure you stay connected and can keep up with the group.
Will sessions be recorded?
No, sessions will not be recorded to maintain the intimacy and privacy of the retreat space. However, detailed recaps will be provided, so you’ll still benefit even if you miss a session.
What can I expect from the sessions?
Each session is thoughtfully designed to create a balance of reflection, creative exploration, and rest. Expect a mix of guided activities, prompts, and opportunities to connect with other participants.
What if I’m new to retreats or creative practices?
The Winter Fold is designed to be welcoming and accessible to all, whether you’re a seasoned virtual retreat atendee or exploring for the first time. The retreat is about reflection, rest, and connection—there’s no experience required.
What should I have on hand during the retreat?
We recommend joining from a computer or laptop for the best experience, as there will be presentation materials and opportunities to connect with others. A notebook or journal, a comfortable and quiet space, and anything that helps you feel grounded—like a favorite drink or cozy blanket.
Is a free coaching session really included?
Yes! Enrollment includes an optional complimentary one-on-one coaching session. This personalized session is an opportunity to explore creative goals, reflect on retreat takeaways, or dive into a topic of your choice. Details about scheduling will be provided during the retreat.