EARLYBIRD PRICING UNTIL December 31
Tending the Writer’s FlameJanuary 28-31, 2027
Bethlehem Retreat Centre
Nanaimo, BC
A creative sanctuary
We invite you to a weekend of nourishing the writer within. Located on beautiful Westwood Lake, surrounded by stunning forest, we will be with water and fire, earth and sky, as we meet our muses and the source places of our creativity. Held by Bethlehem Centre’s restful accommodations and homemade comfort food, our time together combines indoor and outdoor writing, along with deep imagination practices.
PLAN YOUR OWN RETREAT
Download your free guide to a solo writing retreat
Taking time away to devote to your writing is a sacred adventure. Begin here with our guide for a restorative solitary retreat.
Not your average writer’s workshop
Earth-Anchored
Grounded in nature, rooting creativity in the Earth.
Spirit-Infused
Ancestral and spirit guided support for inspired writing.
Heart-Centered
Align with the heart that moves your writing.
Invoke your muse. Ignite your authentic voice.
Here are a few aspects of what you will experience in our time together
01 / Ceremonial Container
We welcome you into a warm, intentional space to step into the dreamscape of your creativity. You and your writing process will be honored and respected in our magical retreat bubble.
02 / Teaching & Guided Practices
Heart-centered rituals and imaginative practices will nourish the soul of your writing and rekindle your connection with the writer within.
03 / Dedicated Writing Time
Each ritual and practice is followed by writing time to let your muse flow freely and open your creative gates. Approach your writing in new ways.
04 / Take Home Invitations
Learn easy to follow practices that can be repeated in your own writing life. Take home keys to new doorways to your writing practice.
Jan 28-31, 2027 at Bethlehem Centre
Meet your writing in a sacred space
Workshop Schedule
Thursday, January 28
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Friday, January 29
10:00 am – 5:00 pm (1 hour break for lunch)
*Evening practice: in-person or take home*
Saturday, January 30
9:00 am – 5:00 pm (1 hour break for lunch)
*Evening practice: in-person or take home*
Sunday, January 31
9:00 am – 4:00 pm (1 hour break for lunch)
Registration opens Nov 1, 2026
Earlybird pricing ends on Dec 31, 2026
Tuition Options
*Tuition will be updated by October 1*
Choose the option that suits you best – whether you prefer to commute or stay onsite for the full retreat experience.
Commuter Option
Stay offsite, but immerse yourself in the workshop during the day. Includes:
- Lunch on Saturday and Sunday
- Light snacks and tea
Stay Onsite
Give your writing extra space by staying at the Bethlehem Retreat Centre. All onsite options include:
- Workshop fees
- 2 nights of accommodation
- 5 meals: Saturday breakfast, lunch & dinner + Sunday breakfast & lunch
Private Room
Enjoy your own quiet, comfortable space.
Payment Plans
Flexible payment options are available!
- Pay 50% at registration
- Pay the remaining 50% by Dec 31, 2026
An immersive in-person workshop on writing & ritual
Accommodation
This retreat offers both commuter and onsite options to suit your preferences. If you’re coming from out of town and prefer to stay offsite, we recommend looking for accommodations near the Bethlehem Centre, such as AirBnBs in Nanaimo or Westwood Lake. Most special diets (GF, DF, vegan, vegetarian) can be accommodate at Bethlehem. Just let us know what you need when you register.
What to Bring
Pack some extra snacks and coffee if its a key part of your writing life. Don’t forget a cozy blanket, and outerwear to stay warm. Bring a notebook and pen and a meditation cushion if you prefer floor seating.
Cancellation policy
You may cancel your registration up until January 7, 2027 for a full refund minus processing fees.
From Jan 8 – Jan 21 you may cancel your enrollment for a 50% refund.
After Jan 21, 2026 registrations are non-refundable, but can be transferred to another person.
What participants are saying
Your guides in writing & ritual
Rayann Gordon
Rayann combines her experience as an artist and professional ritualist to facilitate creative openings, spirit-supported approaches to art making, and connection to one’s own soul. She has degrees in Dance and Psychology and has an art background in writing, installation, video, choreography, and improvisational quilting.
For the past 9 years, she has worked as a ritualist and mentor for people who wish to connect with their spirit guides and ancestors. She approaches spiritual experience with an artist’s curiosity, and art as a spiritual practice. She is also devoted to helping people reclaim the power of their human spirit and creative force after difficult experiences, working as a cult recovery researcher and consultant in addition to her private practice.
Brooke Arnold-Rochette
As a certified Life-Cycle Celebrant, nature-based ritual guide (with an MA in Ecopsychology), and certified Wild Mind Practitioner, Brooke has been working with people for almost two decades, using earth-based rituals as a way to come into conversation with our soulful selves and the wild world.
A creative writer and trained storyteller, she places story-tracking at the heart of her approach. Through contemplative practices, ritual and ceremony, poetry and myth, Brooke gathers the richness of these multiple streams to best serve you in deepening your relationship with your writing and your writer-within.
plant the seeds this imbolc
Tending the Writer’s FlameJanuary 28 – 31, 2027 in Nanaimo, BC
Frequently Asked Questions
What's your approach to ritual as guests on this land?
Our intention is to offer respectful, living, and accessible ritual practices that strengthen the writer within you.
We see the deep weave of capitalism and colonialism in the modern world and grieve the harm these systems cause, the injustices they perpetuate, and the resulting behaviors that damage people and the planet. As settlers on these lands, we aim to be curious allies and humble learners on the path toward reconciliation and cultural repair. Therefore, the rituals and practices we offer are rooted in our own lineages, and where that lineage is lost, arise from our personal connection and training with earth and spirit. We work with our ancestors, the natural world we respectfully inhabit, our spirit guides, and muses to help us create rituals that serve as a bridge between worlds, a language of the soul, and a healing balm for creative hearts.
Do you have payment plans available?
Absolutely. You can divide your payment into two. One when you register and the second payment the week before the workshop.
Will I come out with a finished piece of writing?
The intention of Tending the Writer’s Flame is to connect you to your writing in new, soulful ways. You likely won’t complete a large piece of writing during workshop time, but could work on something over the weekend in the space between sessions. You will likely come out feeling more integrated and intuitive in your writing practice.
Will we be sharing our writing?
I'm an experienced writer. Is this just for beginners?
As with any relationship, our relationship to our creative path and art-forms require tending, deep listening, and food for inspiration. Experienced and beginning writers are welcome.
What if there is a ritual or practice that I don't want to take part in?
More questions? Ask us.