We are off to the Kingdom of Bhutan this week, thirteen adventurers, one tutor and our guide Tenzin, for our Creative in Bhutan Retreat. We will just miss Mountain Echoes Writers Festival  which we hope to attend next year. On the last three days of our adventure we will be attending teachings with Chogyal Namkhai Norbu, a Tibetan master and scholar, who was professor of Tibetan Literature and Language at Napoli University for many years and is recognised as a mind emanation of the 17th Century Shabdrung of Bhutan.The weekend is open to all Bhutanese to attend and is sure to be an historic occasion!

Our physical journey will take us to Thimpu, the Punakha Valley, the famous Tiger’s Nest Monastery, and Paro town.  We will be meeting with Bhutanese writers and artists along the way. It seems writing is very popular in the Kingdom. A Facebook group for Bhutanese writers has 17,177 members!

Our creative journey will take us deep into the source of our art and writing as we find our inspiration in the newness of  a cultural landscape and physical terrain never before experienced.  Each day we will ponder the meaning of one of the eight auspicious symbols and follow the cardinal directions and elements of the mandala of the Five Dyani Buddhas and the Four Guardians. With the rivers and mountains as our guide we will progress our creative projects with morning workshops and afternoon sharings.

Our group is made up of some fabulous writers and artists including:  authors Walter Mason, Ashley Kalagian Blunt, Peter Bishop, Ellen Maling, Alexandra Touchard, Caroline Josephs and more.

If you want to come next year let me know!