Spiritual Writing: Epiphanies and Soul J Perspectives

Catalog description

What constitutes personal spirituality and how does one communicate it in language and story? In this course, we will explore how spiritual dimensions are experienced and expressed, from the contemplative to the subversive, in the genre of memoir and lyrical personal essay– with a dash of poetry thrown in. Reading diverse accounts of numinous experiences for inspiration, you will be guided to reflect upon your own seeking and practice regular short writing exercises that can be developed into personal essays. Special attention will be directed towards how writing itself can be a contemplative practice and offers a space for discovery. We will pay attention to the relationship between personal and universal journeys, underlying patterns and the collective. Each student will choose a full-length memoir to read in addition to class texts.