The Secret in Your Script You will be amazed at what your handwriting can reveal! Professional handwriting analyst, Lena Rivkin, shares fun insights gleaned from your handwriting. Lena Rivkin, MFA, is Vice President of the Southern California American Handwriting Analysis Foundation. An internationally recognized graphologist with a particular interest in the interpretation of human … Continued
The Secret in Your Script You will be amazed at what your handwriting can reveal! Professional handwriting analyst, Lena Rivkin, shares fun insights gleaned from your handwriting. The Write Note What handwriting analysis reveals about musicians and composers. This presentation is a collaboratin between Lena Rivkin, handwriting expert, and the musicians who will be performing … Continued
What Is Inside Shines Out Myra Klahr, workshop leader, uses techniques to help participants discover the poetry in themselves and the confidence to share their work with others. The evening program and the 3-4 follow up sessions involve discussion, writing and creating a poem. Myra Klahr, winner of the Dylan Thomas Poetry Prize, is … Continued
Self-Discovery through Journal Writing A journal asks you to live your life twice, once when it happens and once in reflection. Journal writing is an ideal way to express ideas, emotions and creativity as well as a way to heal the self, discover hidden abilities and desires—and, of course, deal with life’s realities. The Ranch … Continued
Spend a week-long fitness retreat at Rancho La Puerta Fitness Resort and Spa and find yourself renewed, recharged and revitalized.
Self-Discovery through Journal Writing A journal asks you to live your life twice, once when it happens and once in reflection. Journal writing is an ideal way to express ideas, emotions and creativity as well as a way to heal the self, discover hidden abilities and desires—and, of course, deal with life’s realities. The Ranch … Continued
If you have ever wondered whether you had a story to tell, something to say, some memories to explore, a desire to write a memoir, family history, or anything else, this workshop will give you the tools to overcome your resistance and fear, help you see more clearly that we all have stories to tell, … Continued
The Writing Life: An Evening with Author Elayne Clift “It’s all in the art. You get no credit for living.” – V.S. Pritchett Elayne Clift knew by the age of 13, when she received her first rejection from the Saturday Evening Post (for a poem she still thinks is publishable), that she wanted to be … Continued
The Writing Life. A freelance journalist reveals the secrets to returning to the page, how her career unfolded, and what it takes to keep on keeping on despite all the wild unknowns of the literary world. This talk explores failure and rejection as components to triumph, how to source inspired ideas as a non-judgmental observer, … Continued
Have you ever wanted to write a memoir—either for publication or simply to create a record of memories to pass on to your children and grandchildren? Or do you just want to explore your ability as a creative writer? This workshop will give you strategies for getting started on your writing and tips for writing … Continued
The Creative Habit. Being creative means not knowing what is going to happen. It’s a skill you can practice that will transform you, your work – no matter the field – and your relationships. It’s also the mind-state most needed when there are changes in your life. Focus and fully engaged play are key. A … Continued
During this dynamic opening panel discussion the speakers will be introduced and discuss what they will be teaching and what you will learn; Q & A included.
Yoga and writing, two of my very favorite activities. This popular class takes places annually at The Ranch. It was taught in our beautiful Oaktree Pavilion by longtime Ranch yoga instructor, Phyllis Pilgram, and writer, Irene Borger. We started off with yoga stretches taught by Phyllis to loosen us up, and to help us reach a state of flow … Continued
I didn’t know about the magic of gratitude until a co-worker gave me a book on the subject. The Magic by Rhonda Byrne explains how feeling grateful has a powerful and positive impact on our thoughts. For a full month, I went through the book’s exercises and felt happier and more elevated than normal. Magical things … Continued
There are few moments in your life where you meet someone so epic they have left a mark on history. This week I was in the presence of someone like that: Erica Jong. Oh, you may of heard of her! She wrote the feminist classic Fear of Flying among many, many other novels and books … Continued
Recently we had author Crescent Dragonwagon at the Ranch to teach us about Fearless Writing Techniques. Which, by the way, I think is a great title because writing can be kind of scary. Don’t you think? Especially if you don’t have a background in writing, but just really like to write. It can be intimidating … Continued
It’s that time of the year again. Some people hate it, some love it, but either way, it’s hard not to reflect on the past year and think about changes for the new. Personally, I think goals should be extended all year long, not just the beginning of the year. The tradition of creating New … Continued
A couple weeks back I wrote about my experience in a fiction writing class I took at the Ranch. That same week I had taken another class about writing non fiction from Leslie Levine which I loved. Talk about insider info! It was great to get all these tips plus Leslie is a wonderful presenter. … Continued
In a sense I am a writer. I write for this blog and my own blog too, but do I really consider myself a “real” writer? Hmmm, that’s a tough one. I didn’t go to school to study writing or English, but… I like to write. Actually, I really, really like to write. I find … Continued
Poetry, Memory, Story Iconic, award-winning poet and novelist Erica Jong and recent Poet Laureate of West Hollywood, acclaimed author of four collections of poetry, Kim Dower, will together help writers discover how memory is a storehouse of who we are and what we have seen and done (and smelled and touched and heard). All of it … Continued
Chandra Ram lives and breathes food and what’s exciting in restaurants today. She spent 15 years working as a cook, bartender, server and consulting chef before turning to food writing and editing Plate, an award-winning food magazine that challenges chefs to take food further. She is a James Beard- and IACP-nominated cookbook author and holds … Continued
Veera Sanjana approaches her yoga practice with gratitude, reverence and love. Veera is a certified Hatha Yoga teacher and her teaching style is best described as ‘meditation in motion’. Veera’s unique yoga teaching style stresses a strong fluid practice with emphasis on mind, body and breath connections to direct our attention inwards. She sets a … Continued
Veera Sanjana approaches her yoga practice with gratitude, reverence and love. Veera is a certified Hatha Yoga teacher and her teaching style is best described as ‘meditation in motion’. Veera’s unique yoga teaching style stresses a strong fluid practice with emphasis on mind, body and breath connections to direct our attention inwards. She sets a … Continued
The oak tree’s leaves gently sway in the predawn light as you walk to the trailheads for our morning hikes. The whispers and footsteps of your fellow hikers on this journey are a welcome greeting for the day. It is a new month at The Ranch and full of the promises that have made it … Continued