Walking Through Grief with Khalil Gibran

Join us in community as we explore the healing works of poet and spiritual mystic Khalil Gibran. We’ll spend our time gently reading, writing and reflecting together, as we work our way through the darkest time of the year. This workshop offers a quieter space to notice what has been, what you are currently sitting with in the darkness, as well as the small glimmers that can sometimes be found there. Whether you’re navigating the loss of a loved one, a phase of life or grieving the collective losses evident in politics and ecology, you’ll find a supportive place within our group. This is a writing for wellbeing gathering. There is no pressure to produce polished work, no previous writing experience is needed and sharing is always optional.

Dates/Times

This program is a 3-part series with weekly sessions in-person on Tuesdays, from 10:00-11:45 am CST.

• Jan. 26, 2027
• Feb. 2, 2027
• Feb. 9, 2027

Schedule

• 10:00 am – Welcome & settling in
  • Introductions
  • Guided mindfulness & breathwork practice
• 10:30 – 11:45 am – Poetry reading, reflective writing and discussion

Optional meals: Lunch at the monastery is available at 12:00 pm each Tuesday for an additional $19. We offer buffet-style meals prepared by our chef from fresh, healthy, locally grown ingredients. With 48 hours notice, please contact retreats@holywisdommonastery.org to reserve a meal.

Instructor – Erin O’Neill

Erin O’Neill is an advanced practice social worker, grief tender and trauma-informed writing guide living in Madison, Wisconsin. She draws upon her training in Emotional Awareness and Expression Therapy (EAET) with leading pain expert Dr. Howard Schubiner as well as Adult Nature Connection training with Wild Harmony Nature Connection and certifications in mindfulness, breathwork and the Write Your Self therapeutic writing method.

One of the most transformative practices in her healing has been observing and living with the cycles of the natural world, thus nature also plays an important role in her work with clients in the areas of grief and chronic pain. When it has been difficult for her to move forward, she has always found the earth to be a guide. We all go through difficult seasons in our lives – sometimes we can be deep in the midst of a winter even when the sun is shining and the world around us is in bloom. To view our own suffering as something cyclical – continuously echoed in the changing of the seasons, the plants, the phases of the moon – can lead to the most profound shifts in our darkest places.

Her aim is to create supportive group experiences that heal body and spirit.

Cost & Registration

$89/person, includes all 3 sessions.

The registration deadline is Jan. 24, 2027, or when the registration reaches 15 people. There is no refund for cancellations, but registrations are transferable.