Sessions that urge people

• to get outside,

• to pay attention,

• to use all of their senses,

• and to write about their experiences.

Get your nature fix, practice mindfulness, shuffle off stress, and be creative! These extended nature walks feature writing prompts that are tailored to your location, allowing us to "discover" the site with fresh eyes and ears. We will begin with a few exercises to get our creative juices flowing. Then we'll head outside and explore the property. Along the way, we  will use all of our senses to increase our awareness and to relieve daily stresses at the same time. Folks are guaranteed to see, hear, and touch something brand-new and intriguing this time, even if they're familiar with the place. And they'll come away with partial or finished pieces of writing or artwork, too. Participants are invited to bring their own journals or sketchbooks, although small ones will be provided.

These offerings are best done with 12-15 people, ranging from teens through adults. A session can last from 90 minutes to 3 hours; or it can expand to fill a whole day or even a weekend retreat. We go out in every season. Contact me for availability and to work out the details.

 "Corinne Smith's walks awaken the senses, stir the spirit, and connect you to nature. She inspires us to see more than we ever imagined in places both familiar and new." ~ David K. Leff, author of Hidden in Plain Sight: A Deep Traveler Explores Connecticut; and named New England Scenic Trail Poet-in-Residence for 2016-2017

Access and print this description as a flyer.

I have led these kinds of walks at Thoreau Farm (Henry David Thoreau’s birthplace) in Concord, MA; as well as through public library and/or land trust programs in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. What we do is similar to the "forest bathing" practice. In each instance, most participants wrote original pieces that would not have come to fruition otherwise. Many were inspired and excited by the experience to do something they had rarely or had never done before. And most of these folks did not write or create art on a regular basis or as a normal routine.

Here's a newspaper preview report of a walk I led in Westborough, MA, in October 2017:

"Gilmore Pond walk in Westboro on Oct. 15 celebrates Henry David Thoreau's 200th birthday." By Christine Galeone. Telegram [Worcester, MA], October 4, 2017.

Get weekly writing prompts at the Write Outside Your Door Facebook page.