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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260127T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260127T133000
DTSTAMP:20260412T001817
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SUMMARY:Beyond the Eulogy
DESCRIPTION:Tuesday\, January 27\, 2026\n12-1:30 p.m. \n$18\n \nFor capturing the ones we’ve loved and lost so that they can be known to others\, we have eulogies and obituaries. But how do we honor the quieter\, deeper truth—the mark that a loved one has left within us?\nIn this gathering with memoirist Ellen Blum Barish\, you are invited to gently explore the unique imprint someone dear has made on your life. Together\, we’ll open space for memory\, feeling\, and reflection—considering not just who they were\, but how they continue to shape who you are becoming. \nWhat does that inner legacy look like? What does it feel like in your body\, your language\, your creative spirit? \nThrough shared readings from memoir and personal essays\, warm conversation\, and guided prompts\, you’ll begin crafting a piece of writing that honors this personal inheritance. You’ll leave with the beginnings of a meaningful story—one that brings your loved one forward in a way only you can. \n\n\nThis event will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience. \n\nEllen Blum Barish is the author of the spiritual memoir Seven Springs (Shanti Arts\, 2021)\, the essay collection Views from the Home Office Window (Adams Street Publishing\, 2007)\, and a contributor to Chicago Storytellers From Stage to Page (Chicago Story Press\, 2020). You can find her personal essays in Tablet\, Lilith\, Brevity’s Blog\, Full Grown People\, Literary Mama\, and The Chicago Tribune and hear them on Chicago Public Radio. She founded the literary publication Thread\, which earned four notables in Best American Essays. Ellen has taught writing at Northwestern University\, Chicago-area synagogues\, and writer’s studios\, including Story Studio Chicago and Lighthouse Lit Fest. She works privately with writers on essay collections and memoir.
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/beyond-the-eulogy/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251113T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251113T143000
DTSTAMP:20260412T001817
CREATED:20250918T145529Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250918T145529Z
UID:32193-1763038800-1763044200@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:Before I Go: Writing the Ethical Will
DESCRIPTION:Thursday\, November 13\, 2025\n1-2:30 p.m. EST\n$18\n \n\nLiving wills address the physical body. Financial wills protect property. But an ethical will is a gift of the heart and spirit—a way to pass along the stories\, values\, and wisdom that have shaped your life. \nIn this workshop with memoirist Ellen Blum Barish\, you’ll be invited to slow down\, reflect\, and give voice to the memories and teachings that matter most to you. Together\, we’ll explore how writing can help you express what sustains your hope\, the values that guide you\, and the ways you’ve experienced the presence of God or the sacred. Through thoughtful prompts\, journaling time\, and opportunities for gentle sharing\, you’ll begin shaping words that carry your love\, faith\, and spirit forward. \nYou’ll leave not only with the beginnings of an ethical will\, but also with a renewed sense of connection to your own life story—and with tools to continue this meaningful work at home. This is not about being a “writer\,” but about finding your voice and discovering how your words can become a legacy for the people you love and for generations yet to come. No prior writing experience is needed—just your willingness to show up with an open heart. \nThis event will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience. \n\nEllen Blum Barish is the author of the spiritual memoir Seven Springs (Shanti Arts\, 2021)\, the essay collection Views from the Home Office Window (Adams Street Publishing\, 2007)\, and a contributor to Chicago Storytellers From Stage to Page (Chicago Story Press\, 2020). You can find her personal essays in Tablet\, Lilith\, Brevity’s Blog\, Full Grown People\, Literary Mama\, and The Chicago Tribune and hear them on Chicago Public Radio. She founded the literary publication Thread\, which earned four notables in Best American Essays. Ellen has taught writing at Northwestern University\, Chicago-area synagogues\, and writer’s studios\, including Story Studio Chicago and Lighthouse Lit Fest. She works privately with writers on essay collections and memoir.
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/before-i-go-writing-the-ethical-will/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Event
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241023T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241023T133000
DTSTAMP:20260412T001817
CREATED:20240916T210731Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240930T165224Z
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SUMMARY:The Jewish Spirit of Hope
DESCRIPTION:October 23\, 2024\, \n12-1:30 p.m.\n$18\n \nRabbi Schneur Zalman wrote “A little bit of light dispels a lot of darkness.” Join the Ritualwell community to read and discuss examples of hope expressed in writing through song\, story\, humor and metaphor that will stir you to think about where hope lives within you. Memoirist Ellen Blum Barish will lead us in writing prompts designed to help you conjure these concepts of hope\, as they relate to yourself\, your loved ones\, your community\, the environment or world at large. Begin this new year by discovering and sharing your individual spirits of hope in community.\n \n\nThis event will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience.\n\n \nEllen Blum Barish is the author of the spiritual memoir Seven Springs (Shanti Arts\, 2021)\, the essay collection Views from the Home Office Window (Adams Street Publishing\, 2007)\, and a contributor to Chicago Storytellers From Stage to Page (Chicago Story Press\, 2020). You can find her personal essays in Tablet\, Lilith\, Brevity’s Blog\, Full Grown People\, Literary Mama\, and The Chicago Tribune and hear them on Chicago Public Radio. She founded the literary publication Thread\, which earned four notables in Best American Essays. Ellen has taught writing at Northwestern University\, Chicago-area synagogues\, and writer’s studios\, including Story Studio Chicago and Lighthouse Lit Fest. She works privately with writers on essay collections and memoir.\n \n 
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/the-jewish-spirit-of-hope-2/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Event
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240918T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240918T133000
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LAST-MODIFIED:20240904T173416Z
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SUMMARY:Writing Letters: Dispatches to the Divine
DESCRIPTION:Wednesday\, September 18\, 2024\n12-1:30 p.m. EDT\n$36\n \n\nThroughout history\, letters in the form of prayers have been a longstanding tradition: the act of direct prayer to God traces back to Abraham\, who pleaded for the righteous in Sodom. Join memoirist Ellen Blum Barish\, just weeks before Rosh Hashanah\, to discover how letter writing can enhance your spiritual life and strengthen your bond with the Divine. This practice is a timely opportunity to prepare for a meaningful transition into the High Holy Days.\n \nAs the Days of Awe draw near\, we are all reflecting on the past year – grateful for what we have and hopeful for what we aim to mend. Composing a letter\, whether to yourself\, a loved one\, or to the Divine\, is a way to articulate your thoughts. Similar to prayers\, letters can express gratitude\, admiration\, and devotion\, as well as make requests\, seek guidance\, confess\, and find comfort\, forgiveness\, or divine support.\n\n \n\nNow it your time to write the letter that’s in your heart.\n\n \nThis session will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience.\n \nEllen Blum Barish is the author of the spiritual memoir Seven Springs (Shanti Arts\, 2021)\, the essay collection Views from the Home Office Window (Adams Street Publishing\, 2007)\, and a contributor to Chicago Storytellers From Stage to Page (Chicago Story Press\, 2020). You can find her personal essays in Tablet\, Lilith\, Brevity’s Blog\, Full Grown People\, Literary Mama\, and The Chicago Tribune and hear them on Chicago Public Radio. She founded the literary publication Thread\, which earned four notables in Best American Essays. Ellen has taught writing at Northwestern University\, Chicago-area synagogues\, and writer’s studios\, including Story Studio Chicago and Lighthouse Lit Fest. She works privately with writers on essay collections and memoir. \n 
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/dispatches-to-the-divine-soliloquys-to-spirit/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/DispatchestotheDivine_EllenBlumBarish_Sept2024_raw.png
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230418T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230418T133000
DTSTAMP:20260412T001817
CREATED:20220817T221429Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20221121T135433Z
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SUMMARY:From Brokenness to Healing: Making Meaning through Memoir
DESCRIPTION:April 18\, 25\, May 2\, 9\, 16\, 23\, 2023\n12:00–1:30 p.m. EST \nHow can we make meaning from returning to a challenging or traumatic life experience on the page? What does it mean to write from the scar rather than the wound? And how can we find a spiritual lens in which to frame our trauma? In this six-week workshop\, we will focus on the definition of trauma\, how returning to it can help heal\, how writing structure and pacing can help contain it\, and how we can revision ourselves before and after. There will be opportunities to share work and receive feedback from the instructor on works in progress. \nEllen Blum Barish is the author of the spiritual memoir Seven Springs (Shanti Arts\, 2021)\, the essay collection Views from the Home Office Window (Adams Street Publishing\, 2007)\, and a contributor to Chicago Storytellers From Stage to Page (Chicago Story Press\, 2020). You can find her personal essays in Tablet\, Lilith\, Brevity’s Blog\, Full Grown People\, Literary Mama\, and The Chicago Tribune and hear them on Chicago Public Radio. She founded the literary publication Thread\, which earned four notables in Best American Essays. Ellen has taught writing at Northwestern University\, Chicago-area synagogues\, and writer’s studios\, including Story Studio Chicago and Lighthouse Lit Fest. She works privately with writers on essay collections and memoir. \nAll sessions will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience.
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/from-brokenness-to-healing-making-meaning-through-memoir/2023-04-18/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Immersions
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230328T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230328T120000
DTSTAMP:20260412T001817
CREATED:20220817T221429Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230316T152344Z
UID:11580-1680004800-1680004800@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:How to Write Trauma Without Retraumatizing Yourself
DESCRIPTION:Writing about trauma can help organize thoughts\, regulate emotions\, encourage us to reach out for support\, and enable us to discover meaning. But revisiting trauma on the page can be triggering. We will talk about how to write about traumatic experiences without retraumatizing ourselves or overwhelming our readers and what keeps writers grounded and writing. \nEllen Blum Barish is the author of the spiritual memoir Seven Springs (Shanti Arts\, 2021)\, the essay collection Views from the Home Office Window (Adams Street Publishing\, 2007)\, and a contributor to Chicago Storytellers From Stage to Page (Chicago Story Press\, 2020). You can find her personal essays in Tablet\, Lilith\, Brevity’s Blog\, Full Grown People\, Literary Mama\, and The Chicago Tribune and hear them on Chicago Public Radio. She founded the literary publication Thread\, which earned four notables in Best American Essays. Ellen has taught writing at Northwestern University\, Chicago-area synagogues\, and writer’s studios\, including Story Studio Chicago and Lighthouse Lit Fest. She works privately with writers on essay collections and memoir. \nThis session will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience. \nWe are happy to offer this session for free. A suggested $18 donation has been added to the ticket. If you are unable to donate\, you may remove that suggested amount from the ticket. Please consider donating if you’re able\, to help us continue to offer free programs like this one.
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/how-to-write-trauma-without-retraumatizing-yourself/
CATEGORIES:Free,Standalone session
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20221103T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20221103T133000
DTSTAMP:20260412T001817
CREATED:20220810T133358Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220830T162453Z
UID:11565-1667476800-1667482200@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:Writing the Spiritual Essay
DESCRIPTION:Your search for meaning. Describing the indescribable. Your life purpose. Honoring the sacred. Reframing a tragic moment from your life. Whether you are atheist\, agnostic\, spiritual\, mystical\, full of faith\, full of doubt or some of both – how can we write about the spiritual part of our lives? Finding the words for the spiritual side of your life – or lack thereof – offers the chance for powerful personal growth. In this immersion\, we’ll use sections of essays and memoirs to help us dig into elements that make a personal narrative spiritual. What separates this writing from personal\, confessional\, coming-of-age or quest pieces? We’ll discuss scene\, detail\, language\, pacing\, storyline\, structure\, voice and theme. Writing prompts will be offered each week\, and we’ll share work in progress. Writers of all levels and backgrounds are welcome. \nEllen Blum Barish is the author of the spiritual memoir Seven Springs (Shanti Arts\, 2021)\, the essay collection Views from the Home Office Window (Adams Street Publishing\, 2007)\, and a contributor to Chicago Storytellers From Stage to Page (Chicago Story Press\, 2020). You can find her personal essays in Tablet\, Lilith\, Brevity’s Blog\, Full Grown People\, Literary Mama\, and The Chicago Tribune and hear them on Chicago Public Radio. She founded the literary publication Thread\, which earned four notables in Best American Essays. Ellen has taught writing at Northwestern University\, Chicago-area synagogues\, and writer’s studios\, including Story Studio Chicago and Lighthouse Lit Fest. She works privately with writers on essay collections and memoir. \n  \nAll sessions will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience.
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/writing-the-spiritual-essay/2022-11-03/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Immersions
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/Writing-the-Spiritual-Essay-NovDec22-ForWeb.png
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