Spore Prints
w/ Lidia Yuknavitch & the Corporeal Writing Squad

October 25th-28th, at The Salishan Coastal Lodge near Lincoln City, OR

Spore Prints

spore print — noun — a deposit of spores of a fungus made by allowing the discharged spores to collect on paper or glass and form a print that gives a picture of the arrangement of the gills and of spore color

While the vast body of the mushroom lives beneath the soil and beyond our vision, in folds and networks of mycelium, it is the fruiting body of the mushroom that sends a story out into the world that scientists, as human mammals, can make some sense of. Mycologists collect the spores of fungus in order to make spore prints that allow them to identify mushrooms. Many mushrooms look similar to one another—but their spores each tell an individual story.

At this retreat beside the Pacific Ocean during the peak of mushroom fruiting season along the Oregon Coast, join us as we let our words fall like spores upon the page and see what they tell us about the vaster stories held within our bodies—both our individual bodies, and our collective body. We will carry you through sequences of generative writing portals to help release the stories inside.

We’ll be aided in this journey by the Mushroom School Workbook which we’ve developed for our year-long Mushroom School program. This retreat isn’t part of Mushroom School, but if you missed out on enrolling and want a sense of what we’re up to there, this would be a great opportunity. Each participant in Spore Prints will receive the Mushroom School Workbook to take home with them—some of the very last copies available!

We’ll also be visited by a special guest writer who we’re delighted to introduce to you.

In this interactive creative retreat we will explore together through conversation, imagination, mushroom metaphor, meditation and divination, and of course, writing portals. With plenty of time to rest and relax as well. Held at the beautiful Salishan Coastal Lodge next to the Pacific Ocean and embedded in old growth forests, this retreat is a chance to unwind, unplug, and regenerate and generate. Beach access is included with accommodations, there is a restaurant both on-site and down the hill, and Lincoln City is about 15-20 minutes away. Note: we will not be organizing any mushroom foraging forays, but experienced foragers will find the nearby forests a veritable wonderland!

Come join Lidia Yuknavitch & the Corporeal Writing Squad (Janice Lee, Domi Shoemaker, and Katie Guinn) for a weekend to remember.

Fill out the form below to let us know you’re interested in attending!

SCHEDULE:

Friday:

Evening: introductions and libations

Saturday:

8am-9am: breakfast (provided)

9:30am-12pm: meditation and creative generative lab with Lidia

12pm-1pm: lunch (provided)

1pm-4pm: further writing+release

4pm-7pm: time to rest+explore

7pm-8pm: Participant Readings

Sunday:

8am-9am: breakfast (provided)

9:30am-12pm: meditation and creative generative lab with Lidia

12pm-1pm: lunch (provided)

1pm-4pm: further writing + release

4pm-7pm: time to rest+explore

7pm-8pm: Participant Readings

Monday: check out and return to our lives, still feeling all the ripples

Note: Portland (PDX) is the closest major airport and you will need to arrange your own transportation to and from the lodge.

Cost:

You can put down a $500 deposit to reserve a spot, with the balance due by September 3rd! Deposit is fully refundable minus a 10% processing fee.

Single Room (for those who prefer to lodge alone): $2,500/pp

Double Room: (for those who choose to lodge with another writer, either someone you know who is also attending, or we can pick for you): $1,800/pp

If you choose a single room, you will have a king-size bed. If you choose to share a room, you can choose a room with one king-size bed or two queen-size beds.

Refunds are available minus a 10% processing fee up until September 15th—after that date, we will only refund you if we are able to fill your seat.
Please fill out the form below to register and we will be in touch soon! (Note: you will not submit payment through our site. Our Navigator Daniel will invoice you directly via email.)

COVID-19 Info and Cancellation Policy

COVID-related info: Due to continued concerns about the spread of Covid-19 and its variants, we have secured and will be convening in a large event space, which allows distancing. Proof of vaccination will be required in advance; you will be contacted by our Navigator, Daniel, in order to send him a photo/scan of your vaccination documentation. Attendees must be two weeks removed from their final vaccination as of no later than September 25th, 2024 in order to attend. We will also be requiring KN95 masks, and strongly recommend getting a booster dose of the vaccine.

In addition, because of returning concerns of rising cases, to attend this retreat, you must also include proof of a negative PCR Test taken within 72 hours of October 25th, or a Rapid Antigen test taken the morning of October 25th, our first day face-to-face. When presenting the proof of a negative test please provide the confirming negative test report you received from your provider. If you have taken an at home Rapid Antigen Test, please take a photo of the results on a sheet of paper with your name and the date (10/25/2024) written on it. We will also have Rapid Antigen tests available all weekend.

We apologize to anyone this excludes who has not yet been able to receive the vaccine (or has a health condition that precludes them from getting vaccinated), however we have collectively decided that requiring proof of vaccination is the safest way for us to move forward.

Cancellation Policy:

If you cancel more than 45 days ahead of time, we can provide you a full refund although we will hold back $100-$150 to cover the credit card processing fees on both your purchase and the refund. Once we are within 45 days of the event, we can only refund you if we are able to fill your spot.