08/15/2026
October 16-20th, 2026 I’m leading a retreat I’m calling Reset in the Redwoods: a long weekend of writing, reconnecting, hiking, laughing, and a little yoga.
The retreat venue is stunning. Mount Madonna Center in Northern California is surrounded by redwoods, and is the perfect place to soothe an over-taxed nervous system. There will be writing circles, writing prompts, chances to share pieces you’re working on currently, or things you write over the weekend (there will be no pressure to share).
There will be daily gentle yoga and guided meditation. There will be hiking. There will be laughing and probably crying, too. We will sit and look up at the stars together at night.
If you’ve been feeling heartbroken over the state of the world, and/or wondering whether art is helpful at a time like this, I suppose I’d ask what it is that ever changes anything if it isn’t art, writing, poetry, music? People putting their hearts on their sleeves and their bodies on the line?
That’s what it always is — the stories we tell, the things we say and do, who we decide to be when push comes to shove. It’s the chorus of people who refuse to be quiet, who won’t cooperate with cruelty, who can’t go on about the day like everything is normal. Eventually that’s what gets people to take action, even if it takes longer than we might like or understand.
Maybe you need a little nurturing right now, because deeply feeling people are certainly feeling a LOT these days, but maybe you also want a little flame-stoking. No reason you can’t have both.
If this sounds like you, here is the link with all the details! There are lots of different options for accommodations, and I would love to meet you in person 🤍
https://open.substack.com/pub/allyhamilton/p/what-if-we-met-in-person-that-would?r=gcqpo&utm_medium=ios
Sending you a lot of love, friends,
Ally Hamilton xx