Travellers of the Inner Worlds: Spiritual Memoirs

“Traveller or pilgrim of the inner world,
Fortunate art thou to reach our brilliant air
Flaming with thought’s supreme finality.
O aspirant to the perfect way of life,
Here find it; rest from search and live at peace.”

E-retreat: The programme “Travellers of The Inner Worlds” is a virtual residency or e-retreat programme for professional / amateur, published / unpublished writers as well for anyone who is not a ‘writer’ but is interested in writing his / her own memoirs. Participants don’t need to necessarily travel to Haridwar.

Duration: The duration of the programme is 14 days. There is no start or end date; participants can join for any continuous 14 days.

Methodology: A variety of methods are used. Following are examples of some of the aids to learn and train during this artist e-residency programme. The approach depends upon the planned projects chosen by the participants.

Regression to a a participant’s past experiences to identify a ‘Spiritual Experience’
Synthesising the ‘Happy Memory’
Learning & practising ancient sacred mantras and chants on flora
Sacred Sanskrit Syllables writing
Writing a ‘Spiritual resume’ as opposed to a ‘Job resume’
Curate / collage and build an inventory of ideas for each individual participant
Plan an art-work for each participant, based on fusion of ancient and modern, east and west, art and spirituality

Materials:

Photographs, letters, documents – assembling of participant memory
Similar materials of family
Any 3 autobiographies suggested by each

Schedule. The duration of the programme is 14 continuous days.
Day 01: Onboarding and introduction
Day 02: Plan of specific writing project
10 days: Day 3 – 12
Actual writing starts the 3rd day. A participant writes about 500 words everyday for 10 continuous days. Feedback on each day’s writing is given by AZIMVTH each day. In 10 days, a rough body of five thousand words is created.
Day 13: Compilation and editing.
Day 14: Dikshant. Planning the next steps, if any.

Options of subjects A participant has the following optional subjects from which one could be chosen

Joining PIW (Pilgrims of the Inner Worlds) an ongoing book project at AZIMVTH Ashram
Any other individualised memoir
A tribute to a person, plant, animal, idea etc
Travelogue or any other writing

Outcomes

Self-aware
Participants become more self-aware. This fortnight becomes an occasion to pause, look back, reflect and finally, anticipate future. As a result, the spirit is re-kindled.
Tangible progress
This e-retreat becomes an opportunity for those who have been toying with the idea of writing, to make actual progress.
Publishing
If a participant joins in an ongoing project at AZIMVTH Ashram, then she / he may get her work published as part of the larger work.

More on Creative Writing

AZIMVTH are involved with a variety of projects based on creative-writing. Following weblinks contain more information.