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DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260528T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260528T190000
DTSTAMP:20260531T073616
CREATED:20260326T173906Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260429T201550Z
UID:10109-1779987600-1779994800@mesarefuge.org
SUMMARY:Happy Hour Before Bay Area Book Festival
DESCRIPTION:Kick off your Bay Area Book Festival weekend by joining the Mesa Refuge community for a happy hour at Telegraph Beer Garden (Beeryland) in Oakland! We invite all Mesa Refuge alums and those interested in our writing retreat to connect with each other\, board members\, and staff. \n 
URL:https://mesarefuge.org/event/mesa-refuge-happy-hour/
LOCATION:Telegraph Beer Garden\, 2318 Telegraph Ave.\, Oakland\, CA\, 94612
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mesarefuge.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Bird-Drawing-Workshop.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Mesa Refuge":MAILTO:info@mesarefuge.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260526T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260526T193000
DTSTAMP:20260531T073616
CREATED:20260420T205324Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260420T205324Z
UID:10177-1779818400-1779823800@mesarefuge.org
SUMMARY:Panel - Fundraising for Arts and Literary Nonprofits
DESCRIPTION:Art and literary nonprofits often depend on the kindness of strangers to secure funding and serve the public. How do they do it? What does it take to support the arts in today’s economic climate? Hear from experts on both sides of the grant-making process as they discuss the ways philanthropy and the tricky task of asking for money create a sustainable arts ecosystem that serves us all. With executive directors J. K. Fowler (Bay Area Book Festival)\, Kamala Tully (Mesa Refuge)\, artist and grant-writer JD Beltran\, and philanthropic leader Dimple Abichandani. Moderated by Elizabeth Forsyth (The Writers Grotto\, Local Words). \nCurated by Mesa Alum Janine Kovac. \nNo registration necessary. To learn more about this event\, visit the San Francisco Public Library event posting.
URL:https://mesarefuge.org/event/panel-fundraising-for-arts-and-literary-nonprofits/
LOCATION:Koret Auditorium at the SF Main Library\, 100 Larkin St.\, San Francisco\, CA\, 94102\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mesarefuge.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Bird-Drawing-Workshop.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260517T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260517T173000
DTSTAMP:20260531T073616
CREATED:20260126T163632Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260127T005622Z
UID:9669-1779033600-1779039000@mesarefuge.org
SUMMARY:Kate Weiner and Kailea Loften
DESCRIPTION:Kate Weiner and Kailea Loften discuss their new book\, Compassion in Crisis: Building Disaster-Resilient Communities (Heyday Books) at this event presented in partnership with the Pt Reyes Books. \n“As we enter an era of climate shifts and more frequent\, layered catastrophes\, this is the book you want beside you to navigate the realities of disaster and recovery. Drawing from survivors\, practitioners\, and thinkers\, this book offers a guide to cultivating the kind of attentiveness and care that might help us think about preparedness wholistically\, from philosophical ideas about how our experiences of time shift to practical and profound advice that can move the needle towards justice in the aftermath of grief and loss.” —Candis Callison\, Member\, Tāłtān Nation\, and author\, How Climate Change Comes to Matter: The Communal Life of Facts \nRegistration info coming soon! \nAbout the book\nA vibrant and holistic grassroots guide to disaster preparedness that builds community resilience. \npolycrisis noun /’pa: .li\, krai.sis/\na time of great disagreement\, confusion\, or suffering caused by many different crises occurring simultaneously and amplifying one another. \nHow do we live in the age of disaster? In this updated and expanded guide to collective crisis preparedness\, Kailea and Kate\, organizers and coeditors for the book and magazine publisher Loam\, share community-shaped strategies on how to practically navigate the challenges posed by overlapping catastrophes–be they environmental\, economic\, political\, or otherwise. Help is here for our bodies\, hearts\, minds\, and shared homes. By amplifying resources for resilience\, the authors underscore preparedness as a constant\, communal practice. They offer inspiration from frontline organizers who help their communities prepare for emergencies\, demonstrate how to envision probable futures after upheaval\, and showcase people-powered projects that nurture collective regeneration. With engaging prompts\, concise checklists\, and heartfelt advice\, Compassion in Crisis helps its readers build and sustain the durable mutual aid networks necessary for rapid response in the face of disaster. This is your invitation into the lifelong work of caring for our Earth and one another as we all find our way through the polycrisis. \nAbout the authors\nKailea Rose Loften is a mother of Tahltan\, Kaska\, and Black American ancestry. She is coeditor for the community publisher Loam and has guided climate change policy with an emphasis on Indigenous rights\, previously serving as a Climate Commissioner for the City of Petaluma\, California. You can contact her through kailealoften.com. \nKate Rose Weiner is a writer\, editor\, and publisher working at the intersections of culture and climate justice. She is coeditor of Loam and director of Loam Library\, a mobile library committed to bringing the power of print to the people. Weiner’s work is shaped by her studies in environmental art\, social practice\, and community herbalism.
URL:https://mesarefuge.org/event/kate-weiner-and-kailea-loften-compassion-in-crisis-building-disaster-resilient-communities/
LOCATION:Dance Palace\, 503 B Street\, Point Reyes Station\, CA\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mesarefuge.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Bird-Drawing-Workshop.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260512T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260526T180000
DTSTAMP:20260531T073616
CREATED:20260323T174140Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260324T181406Z
UID:10098-1778601600-1779818400@mesarefuge.org
SUMMARY:Workshop - The Art of the Nonfiction Book Proposal
DESCRIPTION:Bringing a book into the world requires both vision and a plan. The proposal is where those meet—a living document that serves as the book’s blueprint\, strategy\, and invitation to publishers. While many writers find them challenging\, they are actually a gift to help you refine and articulate the essence and urgency of your work. \nThis three-part virtual workshop with with literary agent\, Wave Literary Agency founder\, and bestselling author Rachel Neumann is designed to support nonfiction writers in transforming their ideas and their work into compelling\, publishable proposals\, with expert support and in a community of values-aligned writers.   \nWorkshop Overview\nAcross three 2-hour sessions\, participants will gain a deep understanding of what makes a powerful nonfiction book proposal and how to position their work in today’s publishing landscape. Each session will focus on a part of the proposal and blends teaching\, discussion\, and hands-on workshopping\, with opportunities for feedback. \nParticipants will leave with a strong first draft of their proposal and a clearer sense of how to move forward toward agents\, publishers\, or continued development.  \nSessions will take place on 3 Tuesdays in May (12th\, 19th\, 26th) from 4-6pm PST. \nSliding scale: $300 for Mesa Refuge alums\, $325-$350 for general public. Limited to 25 participants. Please reach out to nkansky@mesarefuge.org if the cost of the workshop is prohibitive to your participation. \nCancellation Policy: In order to receive a partial refund (a $15 admin fee is deducted from your payment)\, we require 7 days notice.  \nSession Breakdown\nSession 1: The Architecture of a Winning Proposal – May 12\, 2026\, 4-6pm PST \n\nWhat agents and editors are really looking for\n\nThe essential components of a nonfiction proposal (overview\, platform\, chapter outline\, sample chapter)\n\nUnderstanding the marketplace and positioning your book\n\nIdentifying your Keynote\, core idea\, audience\, and narrative stakes\n\n\nOutcome: A concise keynote and an understanding of all the proposal elements. \nSession 2: The Arc of Your Story – May 19\, 2026\, 4-6pm PST \n\nCrafting a compelling overview that captures voice\, authority\, and urgency\n\nBuilding a strong chapter outline and narrative arc\n\nWriting (or refining) your sample chapter\n\nSmall-group breakout sessions for feedback and accountability\n\nOutcome: Understanding of how to outline/arc  \nSession 3:  Positioning & The Path to Publication – May 26\, 4-6pm PST \n\nPositioning and Comps: Your space in the universe\n\nHow to find and approach the right literary agent\n\nQuery letters and submission strategy\n\nUnderstanding the agent-author relationship and next steps\n\n\nOutcome: Clear next steps to refine and build your proposal \n\nRachel Neumann is the President of Wave Literary\, a full-service leading literary agency developing the books we need for the world we want She teaches narrative healing and writing courses and retreats\, and provides mentoring for new authors on their journey to publishing. Rachel is also an award-winning author of four books\, including Not Quite Nirvana and I Am Home: Portraits of Immigrant Teenagers. Her latest book\, How to Start a Fire: A Story of Loss\, Love\, and Revolution\, shares lessons from her life growing up on a remote rural commune and in Oakland\, as well as her experiences in the middle of revolutions around the world. Her work has appeared in New York Times\, Lion’s Roar\, Tricycle\, The Nation\, and Dissent Magazine\, among many others. She has midwifed over 100 books\, including two dozen New York Times bestsellers and for over a decade was the publisher and personal editor for Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. She is a 2024 Mesa Refuge alum and co-chair of Mesa Refuge’s Board of Directors. \n 
URL:https://mesarefuge.org/event/workshop-the-art-of-the-nonfiction-book-proposal/
LOCATION:Virtual
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mesarefuge.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Bird-Drawing-Workshop.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Mesa Refuge":MAILTO:info@mesarefuge.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260424T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260424T123000
DTSTAMP:20260531T073616
CREATED:20260302T215616Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260305T025110Z
UID:9972-1777021200-1777033800@mesarefuge.org
SUMMARY:Workshop - Bird Observation & Drawing
DESCRIPTION:Come spread your wings and join us for a day of observation\, creativity\, and connection with nature! Join artist\, avid birder\, and Mesa Refuge alum Kacy McKinney for a leisurely exploration of the Point Reyes Mesa\, above the headwaters of Tomales Bay\, the 9-mile-long sliver of saltwater that separates the Point Reyes Peninsula from mainland California. Here\, we’ll observe a diverse array of birds—from raptors and shorebirds to flycatchers\, swallows\, wrens\, finches\, and warblers. As we explore\, we’ll take time to observe\, document\, and discuss our sightings. \nThen\, we’ll go inside Mesa Refuge for a drawing session. Using a graphite pencil or ink\, we’ll create black-and-white sketches that capture the birds we’ve encountered. With an emphasis on bird heads\, we’ll explore ways to bring character and expression into our artwork. No drawing experience is needed—just curiosity and a love of birds! Please bring your journal or sketchbook along with your favorite drawing tools (pencil\, ink pen). A small selection of paper\, pencils\, erasers\, and pens will be provided. \nThis event is part of the Point Reyes Birding & Nature Festival. Please visit their website for more information about the festival. \n\nKacy McKinney is an artist\, avid birder\, and scholar. She was raised in Point Reyes Station and now lives in Portland\, Oregon. Kacy has a Ph.D. in geography and has taught at the university level for 15 years. She is currently Artist-Scholar in Residence at the Homelessness Research and Action Collaborative at Portland State University. Kacy was a resident at Mesa Refuge in 2019. View her work\, or follow her on Instagram: @kacy.mckinney.
URL:https://mesarefuge.org/event/workshop-point-reyes-bird-observation-drawing-with-kacy-mckinney-point-reyes-birding-nature-festival/
LOCATION:Mesa Refuge\, 11 Los Reyes Dr\, Point Reyes Station\, California\, 94956\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mesarefuge.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Bird-Drawing-Workshop.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260416T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260416T163000
DTSTAMP:20260531T073617
CREATED:20260210T004449Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260304T173015Z
UID:9880-1776348000-1776357000@mesarefuge.org
SUMMARY:Workshop - Healing Spaces with Jaune Evans
DESCRIPTION:What creates a Healing Space? Light and air\, colors and textures\, palpable feelings of well-being\, a magnetic energy of beauty and safety. \nThe Gathering Room (pictured above) is just one of many healing spaces at Mesa Refuge. Surrounded by curvy coastal live oak trees\, tidal wetlands\, and fragrant wild grasses\, sunlight and fog dance across every window. A peaceful quiet\, a warm fire\, and mug of herbal tea nurtures the writer in us. We can sink into and delight in our own deep creativity\, and\, possibly\, an experience of healing. \n“The notion that nature was important to healing had been around for thousands of years—going back to classical times\, when temples to Asclepius\, the Greek god of healing\, were built far from towns\, high up on hilltops overlooking the sea. But by the late twentieth century\, the field of medicine and state-of-the-art hospitals were generally designed to accommodate state-of-the-art equipment. \n“Before the technological revolution of the twentieth century\, medicine had often believed that environment played a role in healing. The idea that physical space might contribute to healing now in twenty-first century ecological systems thinking has a scientific basis. \n“Healing is thought of in the twenty-first century as a sense of wholeness experienced alone and with others in beautiful sunlight and starlight\, in thrilling conversations\, in feelings of empathy and shared grief\, in the joy and support of true friendship.”  \n – Healing Spaces: The Science of Place and Well-Being by Esther M. Sternberg\, M.D. \nCome join us to explore your creativity in Mesa Refuge’s Healing Space. \nSliding scale $50-100. Limited to 12 participants. Please reach out to nkansky@mesarefuge.org if the cost of the workshop is prohibitive to your participation. \nCancellation Policy: In order to receive a partial refund (a $15 admin fee is deducted from your payment)\, we require 7 days notice.  \n\n\nJaune Evans is a writer and visual artist. She serves as a senior meditation teacher and ordained Soto Zen priest with the Heart of Compassion Zen Sangha and the Bay Area Everyday Zen lineage. Jaune worked in public policy and philanthropy for three decades as the Executive Director of several foundations. Her ongoing interests and professional expertise include public health and hospice\, Indigenous Peoples’ rights\, protecting sacred lands and waters\, cultural and human rights\, gender empowerment\, and global justice alliance-building. She serves on the Board of Directors of Commonweal\, as well as the leadership team of Healing Circles Global. Her relationship with and love for Mesa Refuge as Board Member\, Spiritual Writing Fellow\, and Creative Advisor spans seventeen years of vibrant life in the Bay Area.
URL:https://mesarefuge.org/event/jaune-evans-healing-spaces/
LOCATION:CA
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mesarefuge.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Bird-Drawing-Workshop.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Mesa Refuge":MAILTO:info@mesarefuge.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260402T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260402T163000
DTSTAMP:20260531T073617
CREATED:20260210T002847Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260304T172948Z
UID:9871-1775138400-1775147400@mesarefuge.org
SUMMARY:Workshop - The Wonder of Magic Places with Jaune Evans
DESCRIPTION:Magic places call to us\, enchant us\, leave lasting images of life’s treasured moments in our individual and collective memory.  Writing with (not just about) a place or a cluster of places—a childhood playhouse\, a lush green rainforest\, the sight of our own house at the end of the road\, a writing shed at Mesa Refuge\, the Lincoln Memorial\, a luminescent beach on Tomales Bay—invites us to enter into wonder\, to explore an expansive intimacy with beginner’s mind\, offers us an opportunity to pay attention to and be curious with what we love about the many places we inhabit.  \nWe can experiment with changing pronouns from “it” to “who” for places. We can ask places to share their secrets and sorrows\, historical events and cultural relationships from their past. We can write love letters to places\, prayers and peace treaties\, declarations of interdependence\, covenants of protection from harm or disfigurement.  \nEach participant will bring three images of places they want to write with or be guided by and engage with a story or poem (or any form of writing) that emerges during our time together. Come join us and make some magic. \nSliding scale $50-100. Limited to 12 participants. Please reach out to nkansky@mesarefuge.org if the cost of the workshop is prohibitive to your participation. \nCancellation Policy: In order to receive a partial refund (a $15 admin fee is deducted from your payment)\, we require 7 days notice.  \n\nJaune Evans is a writer and visual artist. She serves as a senior meditation teacher and ordained Soto Zen priest with the Heart of Compassion Zen Sangha and the Bay Area Everyday Zen lineage. Jaune worked in public policy and philanthropy for three decades as the Executive Director of several foundations. Her ongoing interests and professional expertise include public health and hospice\, Indigenous Peoples’ rights\, protecting sacred lands and waters\, cultural and human rights\, gender empowerment\, and global justice alliance-building. She serves on the Board of Directors of Commonweal\, as well as the leadership team of Healing Circles Global. Her relationship with and love for Mesa Refuge as Board Member\, Spiritual Writing Fellow\, and Creative Advisor spans seventeen years of vibrant life in the Bay Area.
URL:https://mesarefuge.org/event/the-wonder-of-magic-places-with-jaune-evans/
LOCATION:Mesa Refuge\, 11 Los Reyes Dr\, Point Reyes Station\, California\, 94956\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mesarefuge.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Bird-Drawing-Workshop.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Mesa Refuge":MAILTO:info@mesarefuge.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260331T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260331T193000
DTSTAMP:20260531T073617
CREATED:20260126T155221Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260126T184202Z
UID:9655-1774980000-1774985400@mesarefuge.org
SUMMARY:Terry Tempest Williams
DESCRIPTION:Terry Tempest Williams returns to Point Reyes to discuss her new book\, The Glorians: Visitations from the Holy Ordinary (Grove Press). \n“I go to Terry Tempest Williams for the reasons I go to Whitman and Thoreau: to recover a capacious spirit and to rejoin the urgent living world. She gives me something bigger than hope.”―Richard Powers\, author of The Overstory \nThis event is presented in partnership with Pt Reyes Books. Each ticket purchase includes a copy of The Glorians. \nAbout The Glorians\n\nFrom the visionary New York Times bestselling author\, a revelatory work of narrative nonfiction exploring beauty in the desert\, climate change\, and\, transformative moments of power in a world beset by uncertainty \nWhether we believe it or not\, rapid change is upon us. I am searching for grace. \nIn this time of political fragility\, climate chaos\, and seeking beauty wherever we can find its glimmer\, Terry Tempest Williams introduces us to the Glorians. They are not distant deities\, but the ordinary\, often overlooked presences–animal\, plant\, memory\, moment–that reveal our shared vulnerability and interconnectedness with the natural world. The Glorians can be as small as an ant ferrying a coyote willow blossom to its queen or as commonplace as the night sky. But what they can collectively show us–about the radical act of attending to beauty and carrying forward against all odds–is immense. \nJourneying through encounters with the Glorians in the red rock desert of Utah during the pandemic to Harvard University where she teaches in the Divinity School\, Williams weaves a story of astonishing personal and societal insight. As she grapples with the unsettled state of the world\, she turns not to despair but to deep reflection. She sees how the Glorians are calling us to attention\, not as an army\, but as fellow inhabitants of our sacred\, threatened home. They remind us of the power of contact between species and the profound courage–and awareness–it will take to dream a more cohesive future into being. \nWise and lyrical\, The Glorians is a testament to the power of witness\, a field guide to finding grace in the unexpected\, and a moving invitation to engage with one another and our surroundings with renewed intention. In a modern world filled with increasing noise and anxiety\, Terry Tempest Williams offers honest sustenance for the mind and spirit and distinguishes herself again as a trusted voice to whom we can turn to more fully understand our times. \nMesa Refuge Alum Terry Tempest Williams is the award-winning author of over twenty books of creative nonfiction\, including the environmental classic\, Refuge: An Unnatural History of Family and Place. Among her other books are Leap; Red; The Open Space of Democracy; Finding Beauty in a Broken World; When Women Were Birds; The Hour of Land; and Erosion: Essays of Undoing. Her work has been translated and anthologized worldwide. A recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship and a Lannan Literary Award\, she is a member of the American Academy of Arts & Letters and is currently writer-in-residence at the Harvard Divinity School. She divides her time between Cambridge\, Massachusetts and Southeastern Utah.
URL:https://mesarefuge.org/event/terry-tempest-williams-the-glorians-visitations-from-the-holy-ordinary/
LOCATION:Dance Palace\, 503 B Street\, Point Reyes Station\, CA\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mesarefuge.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Bird-Drawing-Workshop.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260307T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260307T170000
DTSTAMP:20260531T073617
CREATED:20251117T203418Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260302T192548Z
UID:9161-1772899200-1772902800@mesarefuge.org
SUMMARY:Rebecca Solnit
DESCRIPTION:Rebecca Solnit joins us to discuss her latest collection of essays\, The Beginning Comes After the End: Notes on a World of Change.\n\n\n\nCo-presented with Pt Reyes Books. Each ticket purchase includes a copy of the book. \nAbout the book\nRebecca Solnit offers a thrilling account of the sheer breadth and scale of social\, political\, scientific\, and cultural change over the past three quarters of a century. \nIn this sequel to her enduring bestseller Hope in the Dark\, Solnit surveys a world that has changed dramatically since the year 1960. Despite the forces seeking to turn back the clock on history\, change is not a possibility; it is an inevitability. \nThe changes amount to nothing less than dismantling an old civilization and building a new one\, whose newness is often the return of the old ways and wisdoms. In this rising worldview\, interconnection is a core idea and value. But because the transformation is obscured within a longer arc of history\, its scale is seldom recognized. \nWhile the white nationalist and authoritarian backlash drives individualism and isolation\, this new world embraces antiracism\, feminism\, a more expansive understanding of gender\, environmental thinking\, scientific breakthroughs\, and Indigenous and non-Western ideas\, pointing toward a more interconnected\, relational world. \n\n\n\nMesa Refuge Alum Rebecca Solnit is the author of more than 25 books\, including Orwell’s Roses\, Hope in the Dark\, Men Explain Things to Me\, A Paradise Built in Hell: The Extraordinary Communities that Arise in Disaster\, and A Field Guide to Getting Lost. A longtime climate and human rights activist\, she serves on the boards of Oil Change International and Third Act. Her newsletter of essays and analyses can be found at meditationsinanemergency.com.
URL:https://mesarefuge.org/event/rebecca-solnit/
LOCATION:Dance Palace\, 503 B Street\, Point Reyes Station\, CA\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mesarefuge.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Bird-Drawing-Workshop.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Mesa Refuge":MAILTO:info@mesarefuge.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251205T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251205T170000
DTSTAMP:20260531T073617
CREATED:20251117T202815Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251124T210719Z
UID:9154-1764925200-1764954000@mesarefuge.org
SUMMARY:Writing Day at Mesa Refuge
DESCRIPTION:We are at capacity for this writing day. Thank you for your interest. \n— \nEach season\, we offer writing days of solitude\, sanctuary and community. On these days\, Mesa Refuge is open and available for you to make progress on your writing projects and enjoy the camaraderie of other writers. We start with coffee/tea\, light snacks\, and brief conversation and inspiration. The majority of the day is spent with uninterrupted time in one of the bedrooms or writing sheds to further your creative projects. \nWriting Days are the inspiration of Mesa Refuge alum\, Janine Kovac\, and are loosely held by her and other alums. Please bring your own lunch and any snacks you might need\, so you can work at your preferred pace and timing. Limited to four participants. \nFri Dec 5 – AT CAPACITY\, hosted by Janine Kovac and Margaret Juhae Lee \nPhoto by Jean Melesaine featuring Mesa Refuge alum Shimica Gaskins
URL:https://mesarefuge.org/event/writing-day-at-mesa-refuge/
LOCATION:Mesa Refuge\, 11 Los Reyes Dr\, Point Reyes Station\, California\, 94956\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mesarefuge.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Bird-Drawing-Workshop.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Mesa Refuge":MAILTO:info@mesarefuge.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251115T093000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251115T120000
DTSTAMP:20260531T073617
CREATED:20250922T225658Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250922T234734Z
UID:8444-1763199000-1763208000@mesarefuge.org
SUMMARY:Seasonal Writing as a Spiritual Practice with David James Duncan
DESCRIPTION:Mesa Refuge\, Emergence Magazine and Point Reyes Books are co-hosting a writing workshop with Volume 6: Seasons contributor and acclaimed writer David James Duncan exploring how writing with attention to the seasons can be a spiritual practice. \nDavid has offered creative workshops for over thirty years with a focus on holding spaces of presence\, imagination\, and renewal. At this intimate intergenerational gathering\, David will invite participants to contemplate Earth’s seasons as teacher\, companion\, and doorway to attuning to the cyclicality of our own inner seasons\, while guiding generative exercises that weave together prayer\, poetry\, and imaginative prose. \nAll levels of writing experience are welcome. 10 spots available. Ticket prices as follows: \n\n5 tickets available for participants over 30-years-old\, $75 to $125 sliding scale\n5 tickets available for participants 30-years-old and under\, $25\n\n\nDavid James Duncan is author of the award-winning novels The River Why and The Brothers K\, and most recently\, Sun House; the nonfiction collection My Story as Told by Water\, which was a finalist for the National Book Award; the best-selling collection of “churchless sermons” God Laughs and Plays; and the story collection River Teeth. His recognitions include three Pacific Northwest Booksellers Awards\, two Pushcart Prizes\, a Lannan Fellowship\, and the American Library Association’s 2004 Award for the Preservation of Intellectual Freedom (with co-author Wendell Berry). \n\n  \nFeatured photo pulled from Emergence Magazine\, Volume 6
URL:https://mesarefuge.org/event/seasonal-writing-as-a-spiritual-practice-with-david-james-duncan/
LOCATION:Mesa Refuge\, 11 Los Reyes Dr\, Point Reyes Station\, California\, 94956\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mesarefuge.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Bird-Drawing-Workshop.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Mesa Refuge":MAILTO:info@mesarefuge.org
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR