BRW Live on the Beach in Brooklyn - Sunday, May 24 - Almost Summer!

Join us on Sunday, May 24, from 2:00 pm until ..... whenever you like! Here's how the day will flow:

• start to gather at 2:00 pm
• mingle and enjoy potluck snacks and delicious sips
• our Breathe/Read/Write circle guided by Lisa with meditation, poetry, freewriting, and gentle musical accompaniment by Oscar goes from about 3:00 to 4:00 pm
• then we enjoy some more the potluck snacks and sips
• NYC Lifeguards are on duty until 6 pm
• with a little luck, we will have a good sunset
• feel free to linger for as long as you like
• Lisa and her beach crew guide all the activities. You can kick back and let your creativity flow.
• NOTE: It can get chilly on the beach, so please bring layers.
• If the weather is bad, text me (Lisa) to confirm that we're gathering.

If you want to join us after 2 pm or so, just call me (917 319 4100) or text my cohost Tricia (917 796 0721), and we will tell you where to find us.

What's this about a potluck?

Bring your favorite yummy treat to share OR pick up some exotic food to share from shops on Brighton Beach Avenue, such as Tashkent Supermarket at 713 Brighton Beach Avenue near the B/Q train exit.

Everyone who wants to enjoy the potluck should bring their own plate, fork, knife, spoon, and glass to minimize our impact on the environment.

Your favorite poem or song or freewrite or story (ocean themes encouraged) are also welcome at the potluck.

BRW at the Beach will take place in the sand of Brighton Beach close to the water. To find us, go to the east end of the Brighton Beach/Coney Island Riegelman Boardwalk. (To orient yourself, Brighton Beach is east of Coney Island, and the east end of the boardwalk is at Brighton 15th Street.)

When you can see where the boardwalk ends, look to your right at the plantings between the boardwalk and the beach. You will see a sign with a bright yellow Emergency Call Box on it. When you see that, exit the boardwalk and walk down to the beach until you see BRW's turquoise sun tarp. That's where we are. If you don't see us, call me at 917 319 4100.

You will receive instructions for travel via the B/Q subway line after you register.

What to bring besides your potluck food, utensils, plate, and glass?

• plenty of water - stay hydrated!
• your favorite pen or pencil to write with
• your favorite notebook to write in
• some nice warm layers, a coat & hat
• if you have your own beach chair, please bring it ~ if you need a beach chair, let us know in the registration survey, and we will provide one

What is BRW?

In Breathe/Read/Write circles, we gather, and Lisa guides us into a few minutes of meditation. Then Lisa offers a poem or short piece of prose as a starting point for a timed freewrite. Sharing is optional, and we listen closely to let the writer know what we like the sound of. We don't critique or workshop the freewrites.

Come enjoy this chance to tune into the outdoors, cultivate stillness, and express what arises.

What are people saying about BRW?

Lisa brings together a lovely group of perceptive and mindful writers in her Breathe/Read/Write circles. These experiences are exceptionally valuable for the person as well as the writer, in strong part because of the care, both formational and emotional, that Lisa shares in guiding us through her unique process. Cate D.

In BRW, there is no limit set on your imagination. The bonds developed between students and teacher and self are the richness of these free-writing circles. Rochelle S.

Your method of teaching -- as well as your encouragement -- has inspired me to start writing poetry again, which I used to do years ago. Alma C.

Today’s round of BRW was wonderful. I wish I could do it all the time. Incredibly healing and fruitful. Laura R.

To sit with Lisa and quiet down, then write, is a great feeling....no one knows what will surface, and the sharing is such a relief from the noise of daily nothings. Highly recommended for poets and for all those who feel. Pamela B.

You and the marvelous people of BRW not only inspire and support my writing, but also give me a contaminating sense of joy. Such magic you midwife. Veronica P.

What if I have questions or I get lost? You can reach Lisa at (917) 319-4100 or at [email protected].

Lisa Freedman is an author, writing coach, and professor at The New School. She founded and directs Breathe/Read/Write, an online community that weaves mindfulness, writing, and staying open to and responding to world events. She has taught and presented extensively, including for the International Women’s Writing Guild, New York Zen Center, United Nations, Extinction Rebellion, and many others. 

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