RETURN 2024

Return 2024 is closed for registration. I am leaving information here so you can see what Return is like, in case you want to join in 2025!

RETURN TO YOUR INHERENT WISDOM

Return is an annual coaching community, where we practice together to reflect on intention, wisdom, and action.

We operate under these foundations:

• Humans are basically good, intrinsically sane, and fundamentally wise.

• None of us need advice or someone to fix us, but we do community to mirror our wisdom and clarify our confusion.

• Creativity and contemplative practice help us heal.

What does Return include?

Return is an annual program, which in 2024 runs from January 6- December 14.

Return combines: monthly live meetings, weekly live guided practice, forums, prompts, and community to help establish and follow through on our intentions.

1.     We begin the year by finding an intention or intentions – single words or simple phrases – to guide your year. We also explore desired feeling states and actions to shape our year.

2.     Through weekly prompts and weekly live practice sessions, as well as group forums, and monthly live meetings, we explore a major themes throughout the year. In 2023, we will begin with Intention in January, Throughout the year, elemental teachings, emotional states, psychological qualities, and justice issues.

3.     Throughout the year, I guide you through practices, including compassion, guided meditation, writing, collage, community reflection, movement and more. I offer supportive forms and forums to continue checking in.

4.     Frank discussions of our confusion and polishing the jewel of each others’ wisdom - on personal and societal levels - are the bedrock of Return.

5.     You can choose your level of involvement – see pricing below.

How do I know Return is for me?

• I want to discover or deepen my relationship to meditation, maitri/metta (loving kindness), compassion, and social justice

• Issues of social justice are important to me, but I need to approach them contemplatively

• I want to incorporate more creativity into my life

• I need structures to remind me what is vital and essential

• I do well with exploring bigger themes (versus immediate objective goals)

• I am willing to be vulnerable to myself and to others

• I crave introverted/quiet time, and also introspective group time

• I do well with honest, direct conversations in a safe-enough community

• I create better with prompts

• I am curious about my own wisdom and confusion

• I am not interested in giving or receiving advice

• I crave a daring but brave container

• I prefer to learn and explore in small groups

• I consider myself a contemplative (from any tradition)

• I am either Buddhist or appreciate Buddhist teachings

• I am more process than product-oriented

• I identify as highly sensitive, introverted, empathic, or intuitive

I already know Return is for me! How do I sign up?

Please read the rest of the page so you have the basic questions answered, then reach out to me to schedule a discovery call. Priority positions are held for People of the Global Majority.

What have participants said about Return?

“At each and every Return meeting I've felt fully understood, like, really, I could show up in whatever state I was in, and I felt okay being there, not embarrassed, not "forced" to pretend anything. And that's exactly what I need. Writing freely always surprises me (although I know, rationally, that it does work) - every time I do it, following Miriam's prompts, I get some new insights, both from my own writing and from the others' gentle reflections. The Return gathering feel like coming home, resting, breathing out, relaxing, being held. Return is a wonderful community, even it is entirely online for me. Everyone is respectful and compassionate.”

- Stefanie

“I really had no idea how the program would go. I was hesitant, (wondering if) I would feel supported, having never participated in such a group before, but the feeling now (towards the end of the year) is one of support. Return is probably the most important habit I’ve practiced all year. In name, a reminder to breath, to give.  Return has been a safe space where I feel heard and I hear others. Because of this practice, I feel more comfortable opening up in spaces previously I felt uncomfortable. I will be returning this next year to continue to practice what feels more essential now.”

-Corrina Pariyar

“I joined Return because I was attracted to the idea of being part of a community over the longer period that 12 months provides. The first log in to a virtual group and meeting "strangers on a screen" is always a bit daunting. The questions of "who are they," "who am I," and "what are we doing here," were present, as always. But Miriam did a fantastic job of creating a safe virtual meeting place each month. It's a rare and precious gift to experience a group characterized by the type of acceptance and encouragement that she builds through her group leadership and facilitation. Each month Miriam arrived ready to guide us. We wrote, we listened, we shared, we learned from each other. We spent time on "Miriam's magic carpet" of contemplative practice and left feeling inspired, hopeful, and better able to handle the challenges in our lives.”

-Jennifer

“I initially came to Return out of curiosity, and keep returning (this is my fifth year) because of the power of the practice. My intention words have arisen out of the contemplative practice that Miriam guided us through. They are not words I've consciously chosen and in fact, twice I've tried to resist or reject the words, but they stubbornly insisted on remaining, so I accepted them. The intention words have been powerful guides, teachers, and reminders. The community aspect of Return is also important, because we create a shared space of safety, witnessing, and support. I always look forward to the monthly check-ins and the opportunity both to reflect on where I am and to hear how others are doing. I have benefited greatly from participating in Return and overall feel as if I have more clarity and more purpose because of being in it. I really appreciate having monthly meetings to check in with the group and both share where I am, as well as to hear about how others are doing. It's really helpful to do the art at the end of these meetings because it helps to visually summarize what I want to take away from the live meeting and what I want to keep in focus. I tape the art on my walls at home so each morning I am reminded to Return.”

-Janet S.

"What stands out for me among the ongoing experiential learnings of Return is a few primary life-sustaining things: the way that Miriam shares and invites us to the practices with an abundance of heart, care and thought, for the people she brings together and in respect to the teachings she draws upon with simultaneous depth and lightness of touch. Return has been a practice of feeling as much as learning, of getting to know myself among others, and that's been vital - being witnessed, witnessing others' journeys, simply being there with each other, navigating our way through the rollercoaster of living. The community that Miriam has created and held space for, has been a real balm for the mind, heart and spirit. On an individual level, the weekly practices have been an anchor for me, a reminder in my calendar to pause and contemplate. Even if I haven't made each session, and especially when I've wobbled in life and work, the commitment has been affirming."

- Aliya Mughal

“I started the Return program after I had taken a few Contemplative Writing classes from Miriam. She is a wise, compassionate, skillful and fun teacher. She has an extraordinary ability to be very present with each person in the class and gently guide the experience for the group as a whole. She provides this guidance while letting the interactions in the class flow organically, which often has led to a profound, insightful and fun experience for me. My experience with Return has been equally rewarding. While we write on different prompts each week in the Contemplative Writing classes, in Return we thoughtfully choose a focus that we revisit throughout the year. With our writing, we take a deep dive into our lives by using the focus we have chosen as an anchor. For me it’s gently created self awareness, appreciation for my life experiences and insights on how to handle them. While it can be a bit hard to explain, I can say unequivocally that my experience in Return, and in every program I’ve taken with Miriam, has been extremely positive, soul nourishing and delightful. And being able to do this in community with others has been amazing!

- Sue

"Return helped me navigate (my word for the year) a very difficult year. I don't know if I would have stayed sane without it. The combination of writing, crafting, and verbal processing is well-balanced (I'm not keen on too much verbal processing). The in-person time is key to me - I didn't do much in the forums, but having a deep check in with my intention each month, and with the others in the group, was amazing."

-Eileen

"Miriam creates a safe, warm, welcoming space to practice and grow and share. I always love working with her and really appreciate her depth of understanding and nuance, and the gentle way she allows us all to be honest and true to the hard stuff and appreciate the good stuff."

-Loretta

And others:

“Miriam is wise, supportive and kind.” 

“(In Return, I value most of all h)aving the opportunity to express myself in writing in a safe space. The weekly prompts (were) very helpful and I wrote a lot more than I actually shared, which felt like a lot.”

“I didn't know what to expect as I'd only done in-person workshops in the past. Zoom is a very close approximation for being in the room with someone (with the great option of more comfortable seating).” 

“Return gave me a space to reflect on my state of mind. Through the writing prompts and sharing with other people I was able to better process and identify my own mental obstacles.”

FAQ’s

-I don’t live in Madison, Wisconsin. Can I still participate?

Yes! The Return community includes folks from all over the world. However, as far as time zones go, the best way to be able to participate live is if you live in the Americas or Europe/Africa.

-When are the live meetings?

Specific dates and times will be shared when you sign up, but generally the weekly practice call is offered at 9 am Central US Time on Saturdays, and for the monthly meetings, you have a choice of joining Saturday 0r Sunday afternoons Central US time.

-What If I can’t make some of the live meetings?

They are recorded and made available to you within a day.

-What is Mighty Networks?

Mighty Networks is Herspiral’s new safe online home! We have a private community for Return on Mighty Networks, where you can share as freely as you feel safe doing on the internet, without the psychic static of social media.

-What is the size of Return?

The number of people who can access the prompts and practice recordings via email is open, but the live participants won’t top 16.

-What is the commitment?

Return is a twelve-month commitment. This gives you a full year to explore your intentions, watch your words and desires change, and grow together as a community. 

-How late can I join?

Doors close for Return 2024 on January 6, 2024, but sign up as soon as you can, as it fills quickly.

-Why such a wide range of prices?

I believe in a mutual aid approach to pricing: you pay what you can, and someone else pays more so someone else can pay less. There is a very wide range of what people charge for this kind of thing, and I have followed my intuition as well as the market. If you need help meeting the price, please simply ask. If you can pay more, please do, as that helps those who need to pay less.

-What if my financial situation changes mid-year?

Payment options include month-to-month, but with the understanding that you are committed to the whole year.

If your financial situation changes during the year, please talk to me and we will figure it out.

-What if it turns out Return isn’t for me after I have signed up and paid?

Let’s talk enough ahead of time to make sure it is right for you. Read the information here and people’s reviews, and if you have questions after that, let’s schedule a call.

-What results can I expect?

Return is less about results than process and practice. However, participants repeatedly report feeling more grounded, spacious, and curious about their lives. They also experience a quieting of their inner critic and a strengthening of their compassion/meditation/contemplative practices.

-What is Return based on/in?

Miriam’s training comes from many different lineage sources: Karuna Training (a contemplative psychology program), Shambhala, Buddhism, Maitri/Metta (Loving Kindness) practice, and recovery teachings (Adult Children of Alcoholics in particular). Teachers referenced and quoted include people like bell hooks, Kristin Neff, Sebene Selassie, Lama Rod Owens, and Leesa Renee Hall. See below for Miriam’s qualifications.

- Sounds great! How can I sign up?

I have conversations with all new folks interested in joining Return. This is because I am working on building a year-long community, and I want to make sure group dynamics feel good, and finances are in balance. Please reach out to me via phone or email and we can have our discovery call, and I will let you know as soon as I know. Priority positions are held for People of the Global Majority.

-What are Miriam’s qualifications?

o   Nineteen+ years of teaching Contemplative Writing as a weekly program, as well as residential retreats multiple times a year

o   Eighteen years of teaching Miksang Contemplative Photography

o   Eleven years of being a Meditation Instructor with Shambhala

o   Twelve years of teaching Shambhala Art curriculum

o   Eight years of private Creative Coaching practice

o   Numerous years studying with Natalie Goldberg in New Mexico and France

o   Seven years of leading Return

o   Six years teaching Karuna Training (graduate from the three-year program)

o   Five years of mentor/coaching Inner Field Trip with Leesa Renee Hall

o   Co-author of two books on Miksang: Looking and Seeing and Heart of Photography (Drala Publications)

o   Author of two chapbooks of poetry: At Home Here and Dreams of Movement (Finishing Line Press)

o   Naropa University certified Maitri Space Awareness teacher

o   Has taught in-person all over the United States and Canada, as well as in the UK and France

o   Has students online from many continents – North and South America, Africa, Europe, Australia, Asia

o   Last, but not least, Miriam practices what she preaches – she meditates, writes, creates, moves, and studies every day

Pricing is here; please email me in order to set up a discovery call to see if Return is right for you. Priority positions are held for People of the Global Majority.

All prices are in US dollars. Payment can be made up front, in parts, or monthly.

Once we establish your participation, we will set up the payment mode and plan best for you.

$50-100 a month for Basic Return, which includes static emails and recordings (no live gatherings) ($600-$1200/year)

$150-250 a month for Regular Return, which includes the above static emails and recordings, plus all live gatherings ($1800-3000/year)

$300-500 a month for Premium Return, which includes all of the above plus one solo meeting a month for one hour with Miriam ($3600-6000/year)

The pricing for Regular Return is what is a sustainable pricing range for Miriam and Herspiral Arts. If you are able to pay more, you can support those who need to pay less. If you need to pay less, please let me know and we can see if we can find a way to make it work. You can also make a donation to the Ourspiral Scholarship Fund to help participants who need to pay less.

Return 2024 meeting dates

The weekly live practice calls are 9-10 am CT every Saturday (some will have to be recorded because of Miriam teaching, and she will let the group know ahead of time).

Return monthly two hour calls have two options. The calls are the same, just offered at different times/days

One Saturday OR Sunday a month, 1-3pm CT, usually first Saturday and Sunday of the month (with some exceptions)

Dates for Return Monthly gatherings for 2024 first quarter below, always 1-3:30 pm Central US Time.

Jan 6 or 7 (beginning of program)

Feb 3 or 4

March 2 or 3

April 6 or 7

May 4 or 5

June 1 or 2

July 6 or 7

August 3 or 4

September 7 or 8

October 5 or 6

November 2 or 3

December 14 or 15 (end of program)