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Writing Through the Changes
About the course
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How It Works
As a self-directed course you set your own pace and schedule – complete the activities whenever you feel like it, spending however long you choose on them. You’ll receive introductory materials to get you started, followed by four seasonally-oriented Portfolio Packets, delivered to you at each marker’s turning (December, March, June and September), to inspire writing, reflection, interaction, curiosity and creativity. It begins December 2021 with the Winter Solstice Portfolio Packet and ends in September 2022 with the Autumn Equinox Portfolio Packet.
You’ll work with a Creative Journaling Portfolio throughout the course - a physical, hold-in-your-hands, multi-media journal designed to incorporate all of your writings; observations in nature; discoveries about natural history in your place; ideas, brainstorms and lists; drawings and pressings from the natural world; and anything else that feels relevant to your life and explorations through the course. The Portfolio Packets themselves are designed to fit inside the Portfolios, along with all the pieces you add.
Once you register, you’ll have access to a special “Members Only” page on my website. There will live all the resources to participate including instructional video and audio files to guide you through the activities and writing prompts, and your downloadable Portfolio Packet for each season. You simply log in, navigate your way to the Writing Through the Changes Members Only page, and access your materials at will.
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The Full Experience Includes
Introductory Materials
Pre-recorded online videos and audios will help you get started with the following:
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Setting up the experience as a whole
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Notes on finding supplies to create your own Creative Journaling Portfolio.
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Setting up special spots in nature as well as in your home in which to conduct your writing and journaling prompts.
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Instruction on how to journal and freewrite, and how to participate in the writing and journaling prompts as a whole.
Included in each seasonal Portfolio Packet
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Inspiring pieces of reading from nature writers oriented to the season.
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Meditations based on grounding into the place, season and self.
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Connection to nature activities designed to get to intimately know, through curiosity and experience, a place’s plants, animals, cycles, geology, weather and the like.
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Contemplative journaling prompts encouraging self-reflection, goal-setting, and release. Journaling prompts will refer back to the meditation and connection to nature activities, pulling from what might be discovered there.
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Connection to the community activities fostering qualities of listening, compassion and generosity.
Also included in the experience
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Audio files that can be downloaded to a portable device such as an iPod or cell phone with recorded instruction by me on that season’s journaling prompt. Audios are meant to be used like podcasts or music files which can be listened to without needing internet or wifi access.
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A subscription to Molly's Earth Muffin Memos blog and newsletter with inspiring articles on topics such as connecting to place, earth stewardship and community.
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Pricing
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Take all four seasons and get a discount! Four Portfolio Packets included for Winter, Spring, Summer, and Autumn. Access to all materials throughout the year. $180 - a $60 discount!
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Individual Seasons: $60 each. Materials available (including introductory materials) two weeks before and after seasonal marker.
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Seasonal Dates
Each Portfolio Packet and supporting materials made available a week or so before that season's marking
Winter Solstice: December 21​
Spring Equinox: March 20
Summer Solstice: June 21
Autumn Equinox: September 23​
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Sales Policies
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Sales with online courses are final with no refunds available.
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Course fee is per person. Encourage your friends to register! But please no sharing.
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All course materials are copyright by Molly Murfee.
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I do not share your personal information collected in registering to become a member for this website or for the course. I do use it, however, for internal purposes only, to facilitate the course, to help inform me in improving course design, and to keep you in touch with my upcoming courses and writings.
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This course is made possible through the generosity of the Artistic Enrichment Grant of the Crested Butte Arts Festival
Use the Winter and Summer Solstices, and the Spring and Fall Equinoxes, to create a space of pause - to reflect and center; support your mental, emotional and spiritual health; energize your creativity; and foster grounding and nurturing relationships to your home place. Delve into each season’s metaphorical significance and symbolism to cultivate connections to self, nature, and community.
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Writing Through the Changes unlocks the cathartic potential of writing to navigate difficult times, in personal worlds of life shifts and transitions, as well as in our collective world of pandemics, political upheaval and climate crisis as our own internal “seasons” rise and fall with the external ones. It gives us a positive outlet for our creativity and self-expression while establishing a regular rhythm of journaling and connection practices through each of our year’s seasonal markers.
This year-long, self-directed, online course offers support for establishing a regular writing and journaling practice; grounding and finding solace in creating a relationship to home place through outdoor immersion and connection activities; and finding connective threads within the community creating a sense of belonging and purpose; all to put in your toolbox to help navigate the difficult waters of these times.
Emphasis is placed on disconnecting from technology and obligation and intentionally carving out quiet space for yourself at these four pivot points, establishing meaningful and personal ritual and celebration for every season.
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