Feeding the Moon
And Learning to See
Want to dig deeper in your writing practice, converse about creativity, practice yoga, eat delicious food, soak in the Hierve el Agua springs, sweat in a Temazcal, and experience the sensory explosions of Oaxaca? Please join me for Writing from the Soul, a six-day/six-night retreat from March 15th to 21st, 2026 in Oaxaca City, Mexico.
A few weeks ago, I stumbled upon the work of Remedios Varo, a Spanish painter who spent many years living in Mexico City. In Varo’s painting Star Porridge, a woman holds a spoon up to a caged crescent moon, feeding it particles of star dust. With her other hand, she is cranking a machine to process the celestial material pouring in from the chimney. Varo never revealed the meanings behind her work but some art historians have speculated that Star Porridge is a depiction of motherhood. Perhaps she is saying that maternal caretaking is the bridge between the human world and the cosmos?
The painting struck me. I know if I would have become a mother earlier in life, this cosmic connection would have been totally lost on me. I would have felt saddled and squashed. I wouldn’t have been able to be present in that experience until I had tried out about 1000 other ways of living and creating meaning. Now, after many years of travel and adventure behind me, I am beginning to understand the existential desire behind starting a family. Caretaking is starting to seem a little more cosmic.
It’s interesting how the same human experience can be felt thousands of different ways. We can walk through a forest to a clearing by the pond and enjoy the trees and the squawking geese. Or we can feel scratchy and anxious, fantasizing that the view would be better in the Alps or the Himalayas. This was my life for so many years, always chasing the next adventure. I didn’t want to just go on a hike; I needed to go on the world’s best hike. When I was 23, I found myself on a trek in the Himalayas, a loop from Darjeeling, India to Nepal. Now when I think of the Himalayas, I don’t fantasize about a better view. My body remembers the muddy uphill climbs, the altitude headaches, and mist so thick I felt like I was walking through a cloud. I remember panting heavily as a woman flew by me, a child wrapped on her back, carrying a jar of water on her head. I remember the sweet relief of hiding in my tent drinking Yak butter tea as a storm brewed outside.
Lately, I’ve been feeling tired of the life of adventure—the stomach bugs, the uncertainty of navigating life in another country, the longing for deeper community and connection. Maybe I’ve been doing this all wrong? I thought last week as I was sitting in a plaza. Maybe I would be happier if I had just settled down? As I started ruminating, I noticed a family. The parents were so young and stylish, they looked like they had just stepped out of a Christmas card. But then I looked closer. The father was twitchy and anxious, constantly checking his apple watch. His toddler pulled on his leg as he turned away furiously typing a message. It was as if the universe had delivered me the perfect mirror. We can have a family and wish we were elsewhere. Or we can be on the highest mountain summit and wish we were snuggled up with a family.
Perhaps this is the path of the adventurer—to become conscious. It is not about seeing the view from the mountaintop but changing the filter through which we see everything. I had to experience the Himalayas to appreciate the pond. I can now say with credibility “actually, guys, the view is just as good at home.” (Especially during rainy season!) The Earth is alive everywhere, not just in the most exotic travel destinations. All of life holds meaningful particles when we hold them up to the light. Every moment is an opportunity for presence and awe, even if we are just sitting in a plaza or walking to the pond.
Remedios Varo moved to Mexico City as an exile during the Nazi occupation of Europe. For most of her life, she struggled financially and did not receive much external validation for her art. The woman in the painting looks exhausted and strained but she keeps grinding away, literally, to make star porridge for her moon child. Maybe Varo is expressing that art is a way of maintaining a cosmic perspective in the face of life’s challenges? The creative process can be tedious and solitary but it feeds something bigger than ourselves.
To be an artist, first, you must learn how to see. Perhaps the adventure, struggle, and heartbreak Varo faced helped her understand the interconnection between all living things. Our accumulated memories swirl around in our subconscious. We have to experience a lot of life in order to see patterns between its disparate parts. Everything comes from the same material, but this is something we have to learn to see. It’s usually the lonely and difficult parts of life that make us reach for this cosmic perspective.
In Star Porridge, the woman is trapped in a tower and the moon is in a cage, but they are not separate. They are interconnected with the universe. The painting illustrates the richness bubbling underneath the tedium of our daily lives. It’s a reminder that spiritual transcendence is available to us anywhere. Today, whether you are tending to a child or scribbling words on a page or sketching out your next painting, remember the sacredness of each tiny action step. Remember you are feeding the moon.
Love,
Emily
P.S. Keep reading to learn more about the Writing from the Soul retreat!
Writing from the Soul Retreat
What is it?
Writing from the Soul is a 6 day/6 night retreat centered around transforming the feelings, emotions, and experiences inside of you into creative expression. Through writing workshops, live music, yoga, nature outings, and cultural experiences, you’ll inspire your inner artist, awaken your voice, and find the courage to tell the story only you can tell.
When is It?
Sunday, March, 15, 2026 to Saturday March 21, 2026
Where is It?
Oaxaca, Mexico is a sacred land nestled in the foothills of the Sierra Madre Oriental mountain range. Native to the Zapotecs and the Mixtecos, this region is rich in history and home to a number of significant archaeological and spiritual sites. We’ll be staying in Oaxaca City, an artist’s paradise filled with galleries, museums, markets, an iconic botanical garden, and some of the best food in the world. Mole, tamales, tlayudas, and quesadillas with squash blossom flowers are some of the regional specialties. We’ll spend six days and six nights experiencing some of the best nature, art, culture, cuisine, and healing practices that this region has to offer.
Who is Invited?
This retreat is open for new and seasoned writers of all genders, ages, and nationalities. We gladly welcome anyone looking to deepen their creative expression, regardless of your level of experience. Come solo or with a friend or partner. The retreat will be conducted in English.
Where are we staying?
We’ll be staying in a beautiful private villa in the heart of Oaxaca City.
Daily Themes
Every day will be dedicated to a different theme to guide us in our writing, exploration, and creative expression.
Sunday: Ground & Relax. Arrive and check in to the villa anytime after 2 PM. We’ll have a delicious Mexican welcome dinner at the villa so we can relax, get to know each other, and set our intentions for the week. In the evening, Oaxacan musicians David and Adrianna will lead us in a therapeutic sound healing so we can unwind after a long day of travel.
Monday: Awakening the Artist Within. On Monday, we will wake up fresh and ready to ignite the inner creator. Our workshop will focus on awakening the muse, listening to your intuition, and opening yourself up to divine inspiration. We’ll practice poetry-infused yoga in the morning, set our creative intentions for the week, and spend the afternoon soaking in the magic of the city around us.
Tuesday: The Past. On Tuesday, we’ll visit Monte Alban and reflect on the history of the Mexican land where we are staying. We’ll dedicate our writing workshops to reflecting and writing about our personal history. Emily will lead the workshop on the Alchemy of Memoir and we’ll dive into the process of turning our personal experience into story.
Wednesday: The Purge. As we reflect on our past, we may realize that some of our stories and limiting self-beliefs are better left behind. Local musicians David and Adrianna will lead us in a vocal activation workshop, designed to access our inner creative power through music and sound. We’ll also offer an optional Temazcal (a traditional Mesoamerican sweat lodge ceremony) for anyone seeking deeper purification and spiritual connection.
Thursday: the Present. On Thursday, we’ll travel to the mountains and spend the day immersed in nature. We will let the Earth be our guide as we soak in the Hierve el Agua Spring, walk through the trees, and journal while overlooking sweeping views of the mountains and petrified waterfalls. Our workshop will focus on how to draw upon the natural world for inspiration, symbolism, and metaphor.
Friday: The Future. We will enjoy one last day in Oaxaca together with plenty of time in the afternoon to explore the city. Today’s workshop will be focused on our central theme—writing from the soul. In the evening, we will celebrate the end of our retreat with an integration ceremony so we can set intentions about how we can channel our creativity and stay committed to our projects when we go back home.
Saturday: We’ll share one final breakfast together at the villa and then depart.
Investment
We are offering an early bird special of $1600 until the end of December.
The first six people to sign up will get a private room with a full-size bed at the villa. A discount is available for couples who want to share a room/bed.
What is included?
Accommodation for six days/six nights in a private room at a beautiful villa.
Mexican Welcome Dinner on Sunday.
Daily breakfast, coffee, and tea at the villa.
Daily workshops on writing and creativity.
Yoga classes with live music.
Sound healing.
Welcome Gift.
Drinking Water.
What is not included?
Flights to Oaxaca City.
Taxi to Villa (We will be happy to arrange your pick-up from the airport with a secure taxi service for an additional cost. We will try to coordinate group pick-ups to make this more economical)
Outings and excursions. (These activities are optional and will have an additional cost as outlined below)
Hierve el Agua ($25 USD entrance fee)
Monte Alban ($5 USD entrance fee)
Temazcal (TBD based on our group size but probably between $40 to $50 USD)
Dinner (We will offer a daily breakfast/brunch but lunch and dinner will be on your own. We’ll suggest group dinner outings but these are optional and everyone is free to make their own plans. You can easily get by on $25 per day or less.)
Travel Insurance.
How do I sign up?
You can find more information and sign up at the link here. Secure your spot with a 50% deposit.
We offer a variety of payment plans so you can make this retreat work for you. Email me with any questions.
Wise and beautiful. 🌿