Letting Go ended On Wednesday 24th June with Symposium in Stirling – and the launch of a Letting Go anthology of poetry, stories, and creative non-fiction.

Image credit: ‘The Jump’ by Louise Humphrey

If you’d like a copy of the anthology, email admin@autumnvoices.co.uk. The on-line four writers’ in residence have published stories, articles and writing prompts on the website and in the anthology. Here are two: Letting Go Takes Courage and The Older I Get the More I Need to . . . as well as many more creative word treasures on https://autumnvoices.co.uk/

tohu-wa-bohu

Last month I discovered this new-to-me word while reading The Art of Is by Stephen Nachmanovitch. At my talk in Stirling I invited the audience to chant the word with me until the meaning became clear! (“from chaos to order. . . .”) Now I think of tohu-wa-bohu as a one word poem.

The Poet’s Way Saturday 11th July from 5:15 to 9pm

Doors open at 5:15pm for a prompt start at 5:30 – ending around 9pm and with one short comfort break and a longer 30 to 40 minute break for refreshment and writing time. Please bring vegan food to share.
Venue: Glasgow Buddhist Centre: 72 Berkeley St (G3 7DS), sharing space with the Glasgow Unitarian Church. Bring a poem to share, your own or a favourite published poem. Please bring 4 copies of one poem you want appreciated.
The Poet’s Way awakens to the power of poems to compliment & enhance our spiritual practice. Inspired by Manjusvara’s book The Poet’s Way (Jane Hirshfield says “this book offers warm-hearted, step-by-step awakening into the possibilities and powers of poems”).

Dhanakosa Poetry Book

If you have ever been on a retreat in Dhanakosa watch this space for an invitation to contribute to a poetry book. The intention being to produce an accessible, durable and attractive print of around 80 pages with some photographs to illustrate the Centre and its setting. The book will celebrate 35 years of retreats by Loch Voil, and income from sales will be donated to the Dhanakosa charity. From the beginning in 1992, the centre has run entirely on “Dana” donations. Please send me an email: dh.sukhema@gmail.com if you’d like further details on how and when to submit. Here’s a short film about Dhanakosa

Tell it Slant – Friday 31st July 2026 7 p.m. to 9.30 ish

Open mic with Carla Woodburn and Christie Williamson. Share your poems, new or old. It’s a relaxed night, with a byob policy and tea and coffee available to buy from Locavore. Cake too! All welcome.

Linda France Writing Hours Tuesday 14th July 4 to 5pm

I find the New Moon Writing Hour with Linda on zoom a boost to my commitment to free-write everyday. I also recommend Linda’s Startlings, which are rich with ideas, books, and reflections on her life as a writer. She reaches out to other writers and readers inviting comments and seeking mutual inspiration. Her mid-Summer Startling where she remember: “women, weeding, hoeing, picking off caterpillars. Women, always bent, the bones in their backs burning from the inside.. . .”

Poem of the Month

Each month at the end of my newsletter, I would like to publish a poem or flash fiction related in some way to writing for well-being. For August please send me your writing on a theme of “Circumstances Beyond Our Control” which is the title of a pamphlet by the late Lee Gershuny who was interviewed by Robin Lloyd-Jones for a chapter in Autumn Voices.

Map of Eternity

I found a map of eternity
with no lines connecting the dots,
no signs pointing the way,
no reason to go and
no reason to stay.

I dress for the trip
with no change of clothes,
nothing to find and
nothing to hold,
only the map and
the light on the road.