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C0-CREATING WITH MOTHER EARTH
hosted by Pam Houston
8 - 13 SEPTEMBER, 2025 | SAN JUAN ISLANDS, WASHINGTON
An early autumn paddle through the San Juan Islands with Pam Houston, mining our own experience and imagination for story - and for hope
CO-CREATING WITH MOTHER EARTH
$3,250.00
WHO WAS THIS COURSE CREATED FOR?
- Emerging and established storytellers and writers of all genres, skill levels, and backgrounds
- People of all genders and identities
- Anyone who loves the Earth
CO-CREATING WITH MOTHER EARTH
From Pam: "Mother Earth is giving us so many signals that it is well past time to rethink our relationship to her. She is not here for us to extract and abuse and get rich off. She is here to teach us how to live in community, She is here to co-regulate with us, to fine tune our abilities to be present and alive. She is here to show us ourselves through metaphor, through all the manifestations of Her. We will be immersed in ocean and sky, in island, and, if we are very lucky, sea creatures and whales. Some of Her dearest treasures. We will write about ourselves in communion with Her, or with Her individual aspects. We will sing Her praises even as we face an uncertain climactic future together. We will allow the sea and the sky to open our hearts enough to give us access to our own stories. This is how we write into being a world where all creatures can thrive."
ABOUT PAM HOUSTON
Pam Houston
is the author of the memoir Deep Creek: Finding Hope In The High Country, as well as two novels, Contents May Have Shifted and Sight Hound, two collections of short stories, Cowboys Are My Weakness and Waltzing the Cat, and a collection of essays, A Little More About Me, as well as a book of essay between Pam and environmental activist Amy Irvine, called Air Mail: Letters of Politics, Pandemics and Place. Her stories have been selected for volumes of The O. Henry Awards, The Pushcart Prize, Best American Travel Writing, and Best American Short Stories of the Century among other anthologies. She is the winner of the Western States Book Award, the WILLA Award for contemporary fiction, the Evil Companions Literary Award and several teaching awards. She teaches in the Low Rez MFA program at the Institute of American Indian Arts, is Professor of English at UC Davis, and co-founder and creative director of the literary nonprofit Writing By Writers, which puts on between seven and ten writers gatherings per year in places as diverse as Boulder, Colorado, Tomales Bay, California and Chamonix, France.
Pam’s passions include Icelandic Horses (especially the ones who live in Iceland, where she goes as often as possible,) Irish Wolfhounds, travel, mentoring and teaching, particularly teaching writing about the more than the human world. She lives on a homestead at 9,000 feet near the headwaters of the Rio Grande in Colorado with her husband Mike and two dogs, a quarter horse, a miniature donkey, four Icelandic ewes, four hens and a rooster. Her new book is Without Exception: Reclaiming Abortion, Personhood and Freedom.
"Disconnected from the world of deadlines and internet distractions, we got to be fully present every day. We, a band of strangers, ate together, paddled together, and wrote together. We got to reveal little pieces of ourselves with new people, free of judgment. Huddling close together on the San Juan Islands’ rocky beaches or mossy park benches, we shared stories, blankets, and the occasional bottle of toothpaste...If I could live every day on a kayak with that crew, I would."
[ Bela G. | from Freeflow's 2022 San Juan Islands field course ]
WHAT TO EXPECT IN THIS FIELD COURSE
Starting on the east side of San Juan Island, we'll paddle tandem sea kayaks our first evening to Turn Island, where we'll learn some sea kayaking basics, enjoy our first dinner together, and settle into camp life. For the next four days, we'll paddle between islands. While our route and timing will be dictated by tides, winds, our degree of caffeination, and myriad other factors, you can plan to be in your boat between 2 and 5 hours, almost every day. There'll be optional hikes. Nutritious meals prepared by naturalist guides. Morning, evening, and sometimes lunchtime class sessions with Ana Maria and Freeflow faculty. Space to be alone. Or, if you prefer, space to spend quality time with seals, eagles, or sea stars. Space to create. And space to enjoy an emerging community of writers.
From Pam: "We will have at least two hours a day dedicated to working on elements of craft, allowing our experiences in the natural world turn into story. Participants will be given several writing exercises each day that are designed with two purposes in mind. First: to explore various areas of craft such as dialogue, point of view, form and structure. Second: to sneak around your analytical self's protective mind and invite you into your intuitive mind, where all real creative breakthroughs take place. We will engage nature fully, both as itself, and as metaphor. We will listen closely in this way for the lessons it has to teach us. By the end of the week, I expect you will have several good starts on pieces of writing to pursue into the future. You may even have pieces pop out fully formed, as sometimes happens when you let the actions of your body and your senses free your mind."
COURSE DETAILS
EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2024: $2895
After December 31, 2024, regular pricing applies: $3250
- daily discussions, workshop sessions, and generative exercises with Pam Houston + Freeflow faculty
- pre-course logistical support + substantive reading / media list
- professional kayak guides + fiberglass tandem sea kayaks + safety / paddling gear
- nutritious meals and snacks, plus wine and coffee, from dinner on September 8 through dinner on September 12
- all permitting + fees
- the full, university-accredited curriculum - whether you pursue the credits or not
- post-course community
The course serves as an introduction to the Freeflow galaxy of writers, leaders, and thinkers. Our alumni receive discounts on future Freeflow courses.
Because we believe teachers and students need regenerative outdoor experiences more than most, Freeflow always extends a small discount to contracted educators and enrolled students. We also offer a small discount to our alumni. Because we believe in paying our instructors, facilitators, support staff, and guides an equitable wage, we do not offer individual discounts that compromise the integrity of those wages. If you need financial support, please consider applying for our scholarships. We also encourage you to seek financial support from your organization or employer, as Freeflow courses may be taken for professional development or continuing education.
If you’d like to take the course for University of Montana credit, please let us know. There's a one-time credit processing fee of $155 (payable to the University of Montana). You'll have roughly one month after the field experience ends to finish your coursework and submit it for credit. No letter grades are assessed for this course; the offering is credit / no credit.
Guide gratuities are not included in the program cost. We strongly suggest giving your kayak guides some love, and we are happy to discuss norms for tipping - just ask.
You'll need quality camping gear (tent + sleeping bag + sleeping pad). Please tell us if you need any gear and we will help you track it down.
Space on this adventure is limited to 12 participants. We will close registration once the roster is full. Please apply early.
All deposits and payments are non-refundable. Payment plans are available. Payments can be made by mailing in a good old-fashioned check, or by credit card or bank transfer via our online payment system.
"The Freeflow experience was just what my mind and soul needed to breathe life into my writing practice. I spend time in the backcountry regularly, and I know that it nurtures me, but I had never taken a writing workshop of any kind, or blended nature activity with writing, or even written without the aid of a computer...I left the course a better listener, more patient with my practice and equipped with mental pathways to give me access to deeper wells within me."
[ Mardi F. | 2023 Freeflow participant]
CLAIM YOUR SPACE
Energize your creative work, immerse yourself in the Salish Sea, enjoy movement, and build community this spring. Send us your questions and we’ll get in touch right away. If you know you’re ready to apply, click the APPLY NOW button. Applications will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis. Read more about the registration process and payment options here.