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'La familia Bellelli' Edgar Degas |
The six day retreat will feature a curated and integrated creative writing program with writer and memoir author Angela Paolantonio, THE GHOSTS OF ITALY (2016) and STILL LIFE WITH SAINTS (2020), plus select guest writers announced for each retreat. Daily workshop explorations will create a space where participants can connect to their own inner worlds to deepen their sense of presence and self-expression. We’ll be Calling in the Muse as we immerse ourselves in the area’s ancient energies, focusing on individual creativity and writing from a place where mind, body, and the enchanting Southern Italian landscape all converge.
Invoking the muse practice is grounded in ancient history. It refers to the act of seeking inspiration and blessing from a specific goddess or deity. It became an essential part of writing a narrative or work of literature in ancient Greece and has been passed down for millenia. Building relationships with the spirit world and the invisible and immortal aspects of our own nature is the root of all creativity.
There’ll be daily meals of authentic Campanian or Apulian recipes prepared by local women, experiences such as olive oil and wine tastings, plus relaxing beach or pool time, aperitivi and local exploration. A deposit of $750 holds your spot.
Tenuta Seliano
Join us in JUNE from 15 - 21, 2026 at Tenuta Seliano, Paestum, Italy. Tenuta Seliano is located in the Sele plain, specifically in Paestum, an ancient city of Magna Graecia founded by the Greeks in the sixth century BC. The land belongs to the Bellelli family, whose history spans mainly from the last quarter of the eighteenth century to the present day. Their historic agriturismo has raised buffalo for mozzarella since the mid-1800s. The ancient Greek Temples of Paestum Archeological Park are just a short drive away.
CALLING IN THE MUSE, Creative Writing Retreat will use these beautiful venues to inform, to inspire, and to tap lines of power, creativity and connection. Join us this summer as we engage daily in the natural surroundings of the siren shores of both the Tyrrhenian and Ionian Seas setting the stage for something truly transformative.
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| Greek Temples of Paestum |
