West London Buddhist Centre

In Shakespeare’s Two Gentlemen of Verona, a character advises another to ‘write till your ink be dry’ in pouring out his feelings for his beloved. And since 23^rd April marks the bard’s birthday, we’re taking our cue from him!

Eavesdrop on Dharmavadana and Vishvantara as they talk about the weekend.

So, as the glories of spring burst around us, the theme of our weekend is love in all its aspects: romantic love, loving friendship, kindness, love of nature, love of our favourite places, the love that breaks down barriers and connects us to all things, the love we give, and also receive.

In some ways, writing, imagination, art – all these are love, because they are expressions of that in us that yearns to embrace the world. Love breaks through separation, although really there is none to break through.

Listen to what a recent participant experienced.

As the Sufi poet Rumi said:

Your task is not to seek for love,
but merely to seek and find
all the barriers within yourself
that you have built against it.
(trans. Coleman Barks)

In that spirit, let’s see if together we can, through writing, open to wherever love takes us and whatever it reveals.

Wolf at the Door offers a friendly and nurturing way of exploring the imagination through writing, with the help of a little meditation and, sometimes, ritual. Through varied exercises, prompts and activities, as well as by listening attentively to each other’s words during optional readings, we can travel together on exciting and rich journeys.

No writing experience is necessary, just a willingness to step through a door into new creative spaces, accompanied by experienced guides.

What to expect
Open to all. You do not need to have been on any previous Wolf at the Door weekends in order to attend this one, Nor is writing experience necessary, though if you do write regularly, we hope you would enjoy the workshop too. Apart from a willingness to dive into the imagination, all you need to bring with you is a pen and plenty of paper – which we do recommend rather than electronic devices.

The basic format is that the leaders will set up a variety of activities to stimulate the imagination and get you writing. There will be opportunities to read out what you’ve written so that others can hear it, but this is an invitation, not a requirement. The focus of the weekend is on enjoying our exploration of writing and letting the imagination flow, rather than on technique or critical feedback, although the leaders may introduce general tips. Each day will run from 10.00 – 5.00, with an hour for lunch 1.00 – 2.00 and tea breaks.

Lunch will not be provided so you may like to bring your own to eat at the Centre or explore the many cafes and restaurants roundabout.

Places will be limited to 18 to help ensure everyone has a chance to fully take part. Booking is required by payment of a fee and must be for both Saturday and Sunday, as we give out vital introductory guidance on the Saturday. Please note that if you need to cancel less than seven days before the start of the weekend, the Centre will be unable to give you a refund.