Opening the Window:
A Fresh Breeze for Your Creative Soul
Monday, April 20 - Wednesday, April 22, 2026
With Janet Bauman and Catharine Mitchell
Jericho House Retreat Centre, Near Port Colborne, Ontario
“I have been a writer for as long as I can remember. My journal is an intimate companion to my days. Writing is often a doorway of discovery to what I didn’t know before. When I write with openness tso the unfolding journey, surprises await me on the page…”
Christine Valters Paintner: https://abbeyofthearts.com/blog/2024/08/18/writing-as-a-spiritual-practice-a-love-note-from-your-online-abbess/
Join us at the warm and welcoming Jericho House, near the shore of Lake Erie, for this writer’s retreat. Our spacious schedule will include time for reflection, rest, and plenty of opportunities to invite the fresh breezes of April to rejuvenate our creativity. As a community, we will be engaging with writing exercises and prompts, with plenty of time for self-directed writing. We will be supported in our inner exploration by creative resources, time for rest and reflection, gentle movement, and Jericho House’s beautiful environment, including its newly renovated outdoor labyrinth. Take this opportunity to follow the beckoning of the changing seasons and invite the fresh energy of spring to refresh your creative soul.
The retreat runs for three days and two nights: beginning April 20 at 4:00 pm and ending April 22 at 1:00 pm.
Whether you write a lot, a little, or can’t seem to find time for it at all, you are welcome here. This is a place for engaging our creative spirits; the focus will be upon lovingly noticing our inner promptings and responding to them gently. You are invited to join us as we build our community together, supporting and affirming each other as we respond to the urgings within. There will be opportunities to deepen and integrate our experiences through a variety of both guided and self-selected creative/writing activities. Our schedule is spacious, with room to follow your own inner promptings, including walking the labyrinth, wandering the woodlands of Jericho House, or observing the wildlife at the nearby Wainfleet Wetlands or the north shore of Lake Erie. Each day will begin and end with meditative moments.
Accommodation and Meals
Accommodation, all meals, and snacks are included. Jericho House uses local food sources wherever possible, and meals are made from scratch. (If you have special dietary needs, please let us know on the registration form.) Each person will have a private room and bathroom, with all linens and towels provided. Jericho House is all on one level and fully accessible.
Cost
All-inclusive cost of $555. ($150 deposit due at time of registration, by March 1, 2026. Balance of $405 due by March 20, 2026.)
Registration
For more information or to request a registration form, contact ontjubilee@gmail.com using the link below:
Janet is a spiritual director, pastor, and retreat facilitator, as well as being a loving partner to and explorer of the outdoors. She is dedicated to journalling, creative writing, and art as spiritual practices which refresh the soul.
Catharine is a spiritual director and teacher, as well as the Program Coordinator for Ontario Jubilee. She has a deep love of the earth, language, and imagery, and has been following the flow of poetry since childhood.