Autumn Rhythms & Rituals: A Retreat for Creative Souls
Participants will explore rhythms for the season of autumn that sustain rather than deplete, rituals that cultivate meaning rather than mere habit, and retreat practices that make space for the creative work you long to do.
Autumn Rhythms & Rituals: A Retreat for Creative Souls with Charlotte Donlon
The contemplative writer Thomas Merton reminds us that “there is in all things an inexhaustible sweetness and purity, a silence that is a fount of action and joy.” What if autumn itself became our instructor? How might falling leaves, cooling afternoons, and lengthening evenings form and inform our creativity?.
What to expect in a program session:
Each hour includes 20–30 minutes of contemplative practices, brief teaching, and group discussion
We’ll behold poems, art, and music made by Birmingham writers, artists, and musicians as we explore what it means to live a sustainable, soulful creative life.
The remaining 30–40 minutes are open for your own retreat rhythms
Optional journaling and creative prompts provided
Dates and registration details:
Two options: Thu, Nov 5 (4:30–7:30pm) or Fri, Nov 6 (9:00am–noon)
Registration is required. The fee is $75 per person. Full and partial Scholarships are available.
For details and to register, click here.
What to Bring:
Please bring a journal or notebook and a pencil or pen.
Bring any creative work you may want to give time and attention to that can be done easily at a table.
Bring headphones or airpods since some of the prompts might include listening to music.
Wear comfortable clothing and bring whatever you need for an outdoor walk if you'd like to take one during the individual time.
Snacks and beverages will be provided.
(Optional)Bring your dinner or lunch--depending on which retreat you're attending--if you'd like something more filling and satisfying.
Location: The beautiful and newly renovated Threshold Center at 3794 Crosshaven Drive, Vestavia Hills/ Cahaba Heights, AL 35223. Parking is free. Accessible parking is available at the door.
Charlotte Donlon will facilitate this series.
Meet Charlotte
Charlotte Donlon is a writer, spiritual director, creativity coach, and faculty member for Alma College MFA’s spiritual writing pathway. Her writing and work have woven together themes of belonging, art, and soul exploration for more than 25 years. With a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing (2015-2018), a certificate in spiritual direction (2018-2020), and a life coach certification (2026), Charlotte guides writers and other creative souls in developing sustainable and nourishing practices so they can make their art, do their work, and love their people.
A Christian in the Episcopal church who believes the tenets of the Nicene Creed, Charlotte employs a universal framework of belonging and connection in her spiritual direction work. She fosters meaningful, soulful conversations and gatherings that are welcoming to all—regardless of faith tradition or spiritual inclinations.
In 2020, Broadleaf Books published Charlotte’s first book, The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other. Here Below Books published Spiritual Direction for Writers: Everyday Rituals for Your Writing Life in 2026. Some volumes of Charlotte’s “Guidebooks for the Soul”—Take More Retreats, The Great Belonging Project, and Belonging Through Art —will also be published in the coming months.
As the founder of several initiatives—including Spiritual Direction for Writers®, Parenting with Art®, Belonging Through Art™, and Spiritual Direction for Creative Souls™—Charlotte has established herself as a thought leader and an authentic presence at the intersection of creativity and spirituality. Her essays have been featured in publications such as The Washington Post, The Christian Century, Christianity Today, Literary Hub, Writer's Digest, and The Millions, among others. A new essay about art conservation, Joan Mitchell, and mystery is forthcoming with Image journal. Learn more at charlottedonlon.com and spiritualdirectionforcreativesouls.com.
