The Method in Madness Institute

If you want to experience heaven, work with your thoughts and emotions.

If you want to avoid hell, work with your thoughts and emotions.

PEMA CHÖDRÖN

This second event in the MiMi 2024 writing season builds on the first one.

In April, we studied passages from Pema's Chödrön's book How We Live Is How We Die that allowed us to see HOW to "feel what we feel" (or as Natalie Goldberg calls it in Writing Down the Bones, how to "go for the jugular"). That is the first step in learning to work with difficult emotions (rather than giving in to our propensity to be bothered by them), a skill that both writers and meditators vitally need.

On Sunday May 5, we will take the second step and see

• how to discover the habitual storyline underlying many of our difficult thoughts and emotions, and
• how to harness their energy to give these "poisons" a positive direction. 

As a Buddhist "science of the mind proposes," it is never our emotions themselves that are the problem. Their energy is not good or bad. It is how we relate to them that can either increase our suffering and cause harm, or help us "recycle" their energy so that we can activate their potential,  not only to know better who we are but also to let them open our hearts, become more compassionate, and access real happiness. 

How to use writing practice as a way to "turn poison into medicine"? That's what we'll explore together on Sunday May 5!

PRACTICAL INFO

The event begins at

9 am PT, 10 am MT, 11 am CT, 12 pm ET, 5 pm UK, 6 pm Paris-Amsterdam

and ends 3.5 hours later.

FEE: 49 USD

A recording of the retreat will be available within five days after the event.

The MiMi Scholarship Fund has a limited number of places for those who need financial assistance to be able to benefit from our community's activities too (see below).

This is only possible thanks to the generosity of our donors, so if you can afford it, please add a donation to your order during checkout. Every little bit helps!

FOR WHOM?

MiMi retreats are open to anyone interested in writing, literature, and mindfulness. No meditation or Natalie Goldberg writing practice background is necessary. Whether you're a seasoned writer or simply curious about the intersection of mindfulness and writing, this event is open to any level of experience. All that's required is an open heart and a willingness to explore.

FACILITATOR

Anja Van Rompaey is a published author, philosopher, and certified Trauma-Sensitive meditation teacher (trained in teaching Jon Kabat-Zinn's MBSR, Mark Williams' Mindfulness, and Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach's Awareness meditation programs). She led the writing practice community EU Writing Down the Bones for more than four years and founded The Method in Madness Institute (MiMi), a MindX SRL division dedicated to helping participants learn how to meditate, read the classics in world literature, philosophize, and use writing practice as an authentic Zen "study of the mind" - or to take their practice to the next level.

At this time, Anja teaches The Compassionate Writing Year program as well as a weekly seminar on Suzuki Roshi's classic Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind. Passionate about writing, reading, mindfulness, and sharing her knowledge and expertise wherever possible, she has organized more than fifty Half-day and Full-day online Sit Walk Write retreats. She's currently a student of Mingyur Rinpoche.

To apply for a scholarship click HERE. 

100% Money-Back Guarantee

We guarantee a full refund until 24 hours before the day of the event.