Writing Ashram for PHDs and Post-Docs
During the Writing Ashram workshop you will practice a monastic lifestyle to write extensively and push forward your text project. The daily schedule consists of defined writing times, physical exercises out in the
nature, meditation sessions, inspirational breaks and counseling hours. This special work environment will allow you to deepen your concentration. Welcome to the flow.
Quite ironically, the time for concentration and intellectual contemplation seems to be eroding at universities. Therefore, Ingrid Scheruebl and Katja Guenther developed the Writing Ashram project – a monastery simulation for academics located in the countryside near Berlin.
Boost of productivity and new focusing abilities, which come through living in this monastery-like daily structure for a couple of days –away from all chores, together with other writers– is quite astonishing.
What is Writing Ashram?
Aschram (sanskrit) is a spiritual hermitage or a monastery in Indian religions and means "place of endeavor". The Writing Ashram is a retreat for academics and professional writers which uses the method of monastery life to push forward text projects. Through following a strict daily routine, experiencing the best concentration and devoted work you can get: defined writing times, inspirational breaks, physical exercise out in the nature, mediation, personal coaching and counselling. This special work routine allows you to deepen your writing process, improve your self regulation, and enforce your writing competence.
The Writing Development Residence will take place in the counstryside outside Berlin from 10 to 16 September 2018. It is designed for PhD-students, Post-Docs, senior scholars, researchers and other professional wirters, who are onto a big text project and want to push it forward.
Get an inspiration of the working atmosphere at Neu Schönau here.
Daily Schedule
| 7:00 | Wake Up Gong |
| 07:30 – 08:00 | Physical Activity |
| 08:00 – 09:00 | Morning Meal |
| 09:00 – 11:00 | Writing |
| 11:00 – 11:15 | Tea Break |
| 11:15 – 13:00 | Writing |
| 13:00 – 15:00 | Lunchbreak |
| 15:00 - 16:30 | Workshop |
| 16:30 - 17:00 | Afternoon Break |
| 17:00 - 19:00 | Writing |
| 19:00 - 20:30 | Evening Meal & Leisure Time |
| 21:30 | Meditation |
| 23:00 | Lights off! |
The Writing Ashram starts on the September 10 at 15:30 and ends on September 16 at 11:30.
Accomodation
The Workshops takes place at a special suited residence outside Berlin –Neu Schönau– which is located in the heart of the Waren-Müritz National Park. The distance to Berlin is 180 km, the closest train station is Waren. Please select your accommodation during the registration by typing one of the following options into the comments section:
- Triple room with private bathroom incl. board: 420 EUR
- Double room with private bathroom incl. board: 450 EUR
- Single room with private bathroom incl. board: 552 EUR
"When it comes to writing, there are no secrets. The best advice can be found all over the place: You better create a routine of daily writing, nourish the physical and mental balance, you better get rid of the Internet. Focus, recreate and stimulate! Fair enough to know what would work if you actually did it. But how can we actually establish all this? Changes in behaviour take usually more strength than we have alone and they need repetition. In the Writing Ashram you train yourself to be productive though a ritualistic schedule. We do it together and we do it again and again and again. This experience will not only allow you to push your writing project forward, but it will also stick with you and help to make effective changes in your everyday life." –Ingrid Scherübl
"Finding real concentration is difficult these days. We create a space in which structure, community and personal coaching unfold the maximum of your intellectual potential." –Katja Günther
Ingrid Scherübl, born in 1981, is a science-life-trainer. Ingrid has a background in Cultural Studies and is a former research associate of the Berlin University of the Arts. She is a licensed facilitator with a specialization in writing training. When traveling in India and staying in an actual ashram, she realized how the practiced serenity of a daily structure in a like-minded community unleashed immense productivity. This experience was the begin of designing this unique writing development program – the monastery simulation for writers. The course has been organized seven times in different universities. Her works were published academically and journalistically and is currently affiliated to the University of Augsburg.
Katja Günther, born in 1966, is a gestalt therapist and systemic coach for academics. Katja holds an M.A. in Romance and English Studies. As a systemic text-coach and gestalt-therapist with a focus on Acceptance-Commitment-Training (ACT), she has been counseling PhDs and Post-Docs on their career paths for over 15 years. The Writing Ashram is a training to practice what she considers "The good life and work" as an academic.
Run period:
10.09.2018 – 16.09.2018
Application Deadline:
10.08.2018
Course fee:
EUR 990
Min. number of participants:
15
Max. number of participants:
18
For further information please contact:
summer-courses[at]udk-berlin.de
