Poetry as Spiritual Practice – Fall Series 2026

Event Description

Registration Coming Soon!

Wednesdays, October 21st, November 18th, and December 9th, 2025

The Poetry as Spiritual Practice workshop invites you to experiment with words as a way to deepen your connection with your Inner Guide.

No writing or poetry experience necessary. Just bring yourself and writing materials.

In Poetry as Spiritual Practice you will:

• Contemplatively read and listen to diverse poets, past and present—like Molly Peacock, Basho, Chen Chen, Wendell Berry, Joy Harjo, and others including newcomers on the scene.
• Create your own work in response to mindful writing prompts, with the option to read aloud. You can also opt to share about the writing experience. 
• Give and receive kind support for your creativity in a warm and inclusive setting of both beginners and seasoned writers.
• Build your own writing practice, whether you’re just starting out or need a boost for ongoing work.

Program Details

• Each Poetry as Spiritual Practice session is a stand-alone workshop.  By registering for the Fall Series 2026, you are invited to participate in any/all of the three poetry workshops: October 21st, November 18th, and December 9th. 
• The pay-as-led** registration fee for each session is $20.  We suggest paying $50 for the series.​

**Pay-as-Led is a method of offering sliding scale pricing so that paid events are more accessible for people with a wide range of abilities to pay. Participants choose how much to pay for the registration fee.

The facilitator will lead this eRetreat using Zoom. During these calls, participants will have the opportunity to reflect on the content, worship together, do additional exercises, and build connections with each other.

Already participated in a previous Poetry as Spiritual Practice session? Feel free to join us again — every session will be different!

Poetry as Spiritual Practice will be facilitated by Gay Edelman

Gay Norton Edelman is a member of Shrewsbury Friends Meeting in Shrewsbury, NJ, where she is currently Co-Clerk of Ministry & Counsel. Gay is a poet, essayist and author of the book, The Hungry Ghost: How I Ditched 100 Pounds and Came Fully Alive. She is a Writing Instructor with Project Write Now, a non-profit writing school based in Red Bank, NJ. Working with groups and individuals, virtually and in-person, she focuses on the deep psycho/spiritual aspects of the creative process. Previously, as a writer and editor working in women’s magazines, she specialized in psychology, spirituality and relationships. Gay has worked for many years as a spiritual life coach. Also a Reiki master, yogi and martial arts student, she often combines healing modalities in her spiritual nurturer practice.

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