Spiritual memoir is the practice of listening deeply to our life experiences through the creation of artful, true stories. We come more alive when we accept how our experiences have formed us and when we form something of what we’ve experienced. By writing memories with intention, we can find holiness in the details, patterns that unify our sense of self, and deep personal healing. By crafting our stories to engage the inner life of readers, we can participate in transforming our world.

Join Elizabeth Jarrett Andrew for an introduction to the art and spiritual practice of writing memoir. What is memoir, and how is it different from autobiography? What makes memoir spiritual? How can the practice of writing memoir, whether for an audience or no audience, support spiritual growth? We will start with the basics, using writing exercises, readings from master writers, and conversation. We will also discuss how to sustain the practice with writing partners or small groups.

During this self-paced, two-and-a-half-week online independent study, writers can view Elizabeth’s video lectures, respond to writing prompts, and immerse themselves in the genre and practice of spiritual memoir through readings and a community forum. Elizabeth will meet with the class via Zoom once as well as comment in the course forum.