Name: Burning Bright: Poetry of William Blake
Start: 2026-08-08T09:30:11-04:00
Location: Wisdom House Retreat & Conference Center

Wisdom House Retreat & Conference Center

Presented by Robert Piazza
Rekindle your creative fire! Poets of all levels, from beginner to advanced, come together to read, write, and recite.  Viewing life as a spiritual battle, William Blake created Songs of Innocence and Experience and The Marriage of Heaven and Hell.  Join us for a generative workshop in which we explore the poetry and paintings of William Blake, taking a deep dive into ten of his major poems, to see how we can apply Blake’s creative tension between opposing dualities into our own writing.  Bring pencils &amp; notebooks. Poems will be provided. Enjoy opportunities to nurture your Muse!
COST | $75, lunch included

Local Event: Burning Bright: Poetry of William Blake

Litchfield County

Litchfield

Connecticut

Burning Bright: Poetry of William Blake

Presented by Robert Piazza
Rekindle your creative fire! Poets of all levels, from beginner to advanced, come together to read,...

Ripley Waterfowl Conservancy

Join Ripley, Charym Yoga Studio, and Belden House for an outdoor yoga class! Hosted every Sunday at the Conservancy, these classes taught by Charym’s outstanding instructors offer a relaxing time in nature.
Admission to this class also grants admission to the Conservancy day-of from 10am-4pm.
$15/members | $25/non-members
Please bring your own yoga mat. Weather Policy: This is an outdoor event and is weather-dependent. In the event of inclement weather, classes may be canceled. Weather-related cancellations will be announced at least 12 hours before the scheduled class time.

Local Event: Yoga with the Birds

Yoga with the Birds

Join Ripley, Charym Yoga Studio, and Belden House for an outdoor yoga class! Hosted every Sunday at the Conservancy, these...

Ethan Allen

We are excited to offer a longer day for shopping beginning this Sunday! Stop in to kick off the day with light refreshments.Buy More, Save More is back now through July 31! 🎆 Living, bedroom, dining, home office—even outdoor and window treatments 🤩—choose the pieces that fit your vision and save up to 20% on your entire purchase!Spend $4,000 or more, Save 20%*Spend up to $3,999, Save 15%*Plus, Save an extra 10% on Clearance!New Sunday Hours: 11:00 am - 6:00 pm135 Albany Turnpike Canton, CT&nbsp; 860.693.8372*Exclusions apply<a href="https://www.ethanallen.com/en_US/make-appointment?StoreID=147" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Schedule a complimentary appointment with a designer here!</a>

Local Event: Enjoy New Sunday Hours at Ethan Allen!

Hartford County

Canton

Enjoy New Sunday Hours at Ethan Allen!

We are excited to offer a longer day for shopping beginning this Sunday! Stop in to kick off the day with light...

An opportunity to feel seen, supported, and restored without reinforcing the old painful storyline.
Life can ask so much of us. Whether we are caring for ourselves, supporting loved ones, navigating illness, grief, overwhelm, uncertainty, or simply trying to stay afloat in a demanding world, it’s easy to become exhausted by the stories we repeat internally and externally.
This is not a space for fixing, rescuing, or endlessly reinforcing the old painful storyline.
It is a space for honest presence, heartfelt understanding, compassionate connection, nervous system support, perspective, refreshment, and renewal.
Together, we explore new ways of relating to ourselves, our hearts, and the challenges we face, personally and professionally, without bypassing reality or becoming trapped inside it.
This circle offers an opportunity to: • feel whole, safe, and loved no matter what is happening • reconnect with balance, perspective, and inner steadiness • receive meaningful support without judgment • discover greater peace in the midst of real life • nourish the heart, body, mind, and spirit • remember that you do not have to carry everything alone
Come as you are.
No performance. No pretending. No need to have it all figured out. Just real humans gathering in Heartspace.
Hosted online by Melissa Lewis, RN BSN
Online via Zoom

Local Event: FREE Zoom Circle of Support

FREE Zoom Circle of Support

An opportunity to feel seen, supported, and restored without reinforcing the old painful storyline.
Life can ask so much of us....

Presented by Melissa Lewis, RN, BSN, CHPN
<h4>A 5-Week Online Course: Mondays August 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 from 7 PM-8 PM</h4>
Includes a complimentary one-to-one personalized consultation
Most families aren't unprepared because they don't care; they're unprepared because no one ever taught them how.
In this warm, practical, and encouraging five-week course, you'll learn the essential steps to organize your wishes, reduce uncertainty, and create greater peace of mind for yourself and those you love.
Together, we'll explore the five key areas every family should have in place, from important legal and medical documents to meaningful conversations, emotional preparation, and practical guidance drawn from more than 30 years of serving in hospice and palliative care.
Whether you're planning ahead, caring for aging parents, supporting someone with illness, or simply want to be prepared, you'll leave with greater clarity, confidence, and a personalized action plan.
During This Series You'll Learn:
<ul><li>The essential legal and medical documents every adult should have</li><li>How to communicate your healthcare wishes with confidence</li><li>Conversations that help prevent conflict, confusion, and regret</li><li>Emotional preparation that brings greater peace and resilience</li><li>Practical wisdom from three decades at the bedside about living well, loving deeply, and letting go with grace</li></ul>
This Course Is For You If...
<ul><li>You want to protect yourself and the people, pets, and plants you love.</li><li>You'd like your family to spend their energy loving and grieving, not managing logistics.</li><li>You're navigating caregiving, aging, illness, or planning ahead.</li><li>You know it's time to begin, even if you're not sure where to start.</li></ul>
End-of-life planning doesn't have to be overwhelming. When approached with care and intention, it becomes one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself and those you love.
Hosted online by Melissa Lewis, RN, BSN, CHPN
COST | $200 for 5 sessions, includes all session recordings and a one-to-one personalized consultation
PLEASE NOTE: You are NOT registered for a ZOOM program until you receive a confirmation email. Call 860.567.3163 with questions.

Local Event:  ZOOM Series: Peace of Mind Planning

 ZOOM Series: Peace of Mind Planning

Presented by Melissa Lewis, RN, BSN, CHPN
A 5-Week Online Course: Mondays August 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 from 7 PM-8 PM
Includes a...

Presented by Regina Ottman
You are invited to bring your curiosity, sense of play and creative spirit to a one-day exploration/celebration of music, art and oil pastel!&nbsp;
Oil pastel is a beautiful, vibrant, versatile medium that can be used in many&nbsp;different ways, allowing a wealth of mark-making possibilities. During the&nbsp;workshop, we will explore techniques for painting and drawing with oil pastel,&nbsp;and discover new avenues to bring oil pastels into our work.&nbsp;After lunch, we will delve into how music can awaken inspiration in our art&nbsp;practices, bringing unique ideas, inspiration and voice to our creative flow. Music&nbsp;and art have always been sisters, inspiring and challenging each other. Using oil&nbsp;pastels and some of the techniques we explore in the morning, we will create&nbsp;work in collaboration with several different genres and styles of music.&nbsp;It promises to be a fun, joyful day of art and music! I hope you can join us! All&nbsp;levels are welcome and encouraged; adults only please.&nbsp;The workshop will include a tour of Regina's oil pastel paintings in the Marie&nbsp;Louise Trichet Art Gallery, on view from 11 June through 27 July.&nbsp;
Materials List
Oil pastels: - a small, inexpensive set of 6-10 colors 
Brushes: two or three oil paint brushes. Cheap brushes are fine! 
Paper towels 
Paper: watercolor paper, mixed media paper, etc. No smaller than 8"x8" please. 
Optional Item: an apron or smock, if you are messy like I am
COST | $75, lunch is included

Local Event: Making Music with Oil Pastels

Making Music with Oil Pastels

Presented by Regina Ottman
You are invited to bring your curiosity, sense of play and creative spirit to a one-day...

Presented by Caroline Phipps
As the first generation for whom rapid radical change, both globally and personally, has become the norm, our lives are constantly being transformed in many ways: personally, socially, economically, environmentally, and spiritually. And the pace is only accelerating, so how well we adapt to our changing circumstances is one of today’s greatest challenges.
There’s nothing unique about having to deal with change. Change is a fact of life. Change is inevitable. Change is constant. Nothing remains the same. Every hour, every minute, every second is different from anything that came before. Despite its inevitability, however, how we feel about change is profoundly complicated. We long for change; we dread change; and we are rarely at peace with it.
In this workshop, Making Peace With A Changing World, we will explore the many nuances and consequences of our relationship with change and the concept of “durable adaptability” - a mindset and framework that helps reduce our fears while turning change into an ally.
Note: This workshop is ideal for those who enjoy sharing their experiences as well as for those of us who prefer a quieter approach as observers and listeners.
Workbooks will be provided in person and available electronically to Zoom participants.
IN-PERSON | $50, lunch is included
ZOOM | $20

Local Event: HYBRID Making Peace with a Changing World

HYBRID Making Peace with a Changing World

Presented by Caroline Phipps
As the first generation for whom rapid radical change, both globally and personally, has become...

Presented by Rt. Rev. Br. Mark D’Alessio
Mary Oliver is a favorite of poetry lovers of all ages for her lyrical, intimate, and sensitive poems, many of which use nature as a lens for exploring a wide spiritual spectrum of human emotions, from love and joy to sorrow and despair. The best of Oliver’s work reminds us to pause and take a breath, revel in our surroundings, and not take anything for granted.&nbsp;
Join us this year for our annual Mary Oliver Retreat at Wisdom House, led by Br. Mark, one of our most popular facilitators. Together we will explore Thirst (2006), the luminous collection Oliver wrote after the death of her partner. In Thirst, Oliver opens her heart to loss while stepping more deeply into the language of prayer, praise, and spiritual yearning. At once tender and fierce, these poems name the rawness of mourning, the ache of absence, and the stubborn beauty of the world that continues. Throughout, they shine with hope and the possibility of renewal.&nbsp;
As Oliver writes: “Another morning and I wake with thirst / for the goodness I do not have / I walk out to the pond and all the way / God has given us such beautiful lessons.” Thirst invites us to discover how grief can open us more deeply to this rhythm of love, loss, and surrender.
Through reflection, contemplative practice, and guided conversation, we’ll invite Oliver’s poems to become companions on our own journeys of loss, healing, and hope. No prior knowledge of her&nbsp; work is needed — only an openness to allow poetry to speak to the heart. Come walk with us through Thirst and discover how grief, too, can open us more deeply to love, resilience, and the quiet hunger for God.
$85 | COMMUTER, lunch included

Local Event: Mary Oliver’s Thirst: Poetry, Loss and the Longing for God

Mary Oliver’s Thirst: Poetry, Loss and the...

Presented by Rt. Rev. Br. Mark D’Alessio
Mary Oliver is a favorite of poetry lovers of all ages for her lyrical, intimate, and...

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Litchfield|Local Event

Burning Bright: Poetry of William Blake

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