Shamanic Poetry: Drinking from a Deeper Well

Fall is upon us, and especially here in the U.S. November looks set to be a month of darker days, both literal and figurative. As Toni Morrison famously put it in her essay reflecting on her temporary artistic paralysis and depression in the wake of George W. Bush’s re-election in 2004: “This is precisely the time when artists go to work. There is no time for despair, no place for self-pity, no need for silence, no room for fear. We speak, we write, we do language. That is how civilizations heal.”

Join Emma Campbell-Webster and Schuyler Brown for a deep dive into the healing power of poetry. In this intimate virtual workshop we will dedicate four weeks to a traditional journey of initiation, first asking ourselves, “What in me needs healing now?” then letting poetry show us the way, knowing that what is personal is also collective.

Each week you will be guided through a meditative shamanic journey that will surface images, metaphors, symbols, the language of the soul, and your deepest insights and wisdom. We will bring forth the mystical poetry of the ages for inspiration and put it all together to create fresh poems that deliver our newfound understandings straight into the hearts of others.

As we gather together each week, we’ll share our art and insights, forge community, and feel our way forward as a whole. There is nothing more powerful than making and sharing art with a fellowship of kindred spirits, and in times like these it is both an act of resistance and a triumph of the spirit. You'll be moved, feel connected, be transformed, and emerge with (at least!) three new pieces of poetry, and your innately revolutionary creative juices flowing.

The class is open to anyone with a sincere desire to explore, heal, and share.

Morrison concludes her essay with this powerful reminder: “I know the world is bruised and bleeding, and though it is important not to ignore its pain, it is also critical to refuse to succumb to its malevolence. Like failure, chaos contains information that can lead to knowledge—even wisdom. Like art.”

As America—with the world as witness—goes through this time of passage, let us join her not as powerless bystanders, but as conscious participants in both the pain of chaos and the wisdom it leads to. Let us make art—together.

FORMAT & TOPICS:

The class is structured around four live Zoom sharing sessions on Sundays in November. Our themes will reflect the progress of a traditional rite of passage as described in this article by Schuyler, The Moment is Ripe for a Rite of Passage:

Sunday, November 1st (1pm-3pm EST): Introduction to Shamanic Poetry, Initiation, and Setting Intentions

Sunday, November 8th (1pm-3pm EST): Poetry Share–Separation

Sunday, November 15th (1pm-3pm EST): Poetry Share–Liminality

Sunday, November 22nd (1pm-3pm EST): Poetry Share–Reunion, and Integration

Following the live gatherings on Sundays, we'll deliver a video with a guided shamanic journey by Schuyler and poetic inspiration by Emma that you can listen to at a time that best fits your personal creative process. You will then compose a poem from the experience to be shared with the group, either on our private Facebook page, or during the ‘open mic’ live gathering the following Sunday. In previous sessions, participants loved the challenge and companionship of the sharing sessions most of all—even those who initially felt shy about sharing. We create a safe space for both play and support.

COURSE FEE:

$395 (reduced rates available to a limited number of participants based on need)

HOSTS:

Schuyler Brown is futurist, coach, and facilitator of conscious group process. She has worked extensively in the corporate world and with high-performing artists, activists, and entrepreneurs to clarify and activate their vision and heal culture. As a dedicated yogi, dancer, and student of Vedanta, Tantra, and Sanskrit, her work infuses contemporary business practices with mystical and feminine wisdom.

Emma Campbell Webster is an author, performer, and poet with a deep love of truth and beauty. She studied English Language and Literature at Oxford University and, following a transformative spiritual awakening in her twenties, has been on a multi-year, deep inquiry into how to bring together the arts and spirituality. Emma has come to find poetry to be one of the most—if not the most—powerful and impactful ways for art to serve as a conduit for the light of healing, presence, and awakening.