Class Title: Journaling Through the Chakras Instructor: Amber Starfire Class Term: January 9-March 5, 2012 We are not accepting any more enrollments for Amber's class; the class has started. Synopsis In this eight-week course, we approach self-discovery and personal growth by journaling a path through the seven chakras. Beginning with the root chakra (related to instinct, security, survival, and human potential) and ending with the crown chakra (related to consciousness and connection with the divine), we use visualization, meditation, and journaling to reveal the various ways we experience our lives—a process that can be both enlightening and healing. Class Description Lessons and prompts are provided by the teacher via our Google Groups site. You will be asked to read weekly lessons, and to practice daily pre-writing meditation/visualization techniques and journal writing. You are encouraged to post your written work (posting is always voluntary) through our Google Groups list, allowing other students to comment. You may also email writing to the teacher for personal comments. Every participant must commit to full confidentiality when reading the writing of other students, in order to create a safe emotional space in which to share our writing. The purpose of feedback will be to encourage and deepen understanding and insight. Outline Unit 1: Overview of class format, importance of confidentiality; overview of chakras and their significances; Introduction to pre-writing meditation & visualization techniques. Unit 2: Root Chakra Unit 3: Sacral Chakra Unit 4: Solar Plexus Chakra Unit 5: Heart Chakra Unit 6: Throat Chakra Unit 7: "Third Eye" Chakra Unit 8: Crown Chakra; Putting it All Together; Assessing insights, growth, purpose; Where to go from here. Student Skills, Equipment, and Time Required Basic knowledge of Internet: web surfing, how to post and comment, email, including how to attach and download documents, word processing, and ability to copy/paste. Students must commit to spending 20-30 minutes per day for reading, journaling exercises, and posting. Tuition/Fees for this course SCN members: $256. Non-SCN members: $320. Instructor Bio Amber Starfire is a teacher, freelance editor, writer, and Program Coordinator for SCN's Online Classes program. Her passion is to help others tell their stories, make meaning of their lives, and access their inner wisdom and creativity through the act of writing. Amber has taught online, as well as at community colleges and businesses for more than twenty years. Author of Week by Week: A Year's Worth of Journaling Prompts & Meditations, she was a previous editor for SCN's True Words Anthology, and her work has appeared in Wisdom Has a Voice: Every Daughter's Memories of Mother, Enchanted Spirit, the Conscious Mind Journal, Inner Sanctum, and Voice of Adoptees. She is a member of the California Writers Club in Santa Rosa (Redwood Writers), the National Association of Independent Writers and Editors (NAIWE), the Story Circle Network, and the International Association of Journal Writers (IAJW). Visit Amber's website. Praise for Amber's Classes Amber Starfire is an organized and thoughtful teacher who took us through the course with great feedback—substantive and thorough—and with humor, support and patience. She structured the course for each week to build upon the last, and gave plenty of homework to stretch our description abilities and grow our writing skills. Classmate exchanges and feedback were encouraged so that we could learn from one another as well. —Karen D., Columbia MO The opportunity to improve my ability to paint with words was exactly what I was looking for and Amber Starfire provided the perfect palette. Her material is well-organized and focused, she is precise in her feedback, and always willing to explain and clarify. Our group was lively and engaged, and I believe we all grew as writers. I hope to take another course from Amber! —Janet L., Santa Barbara CA I thought Amber Starfire's comments were thoughtful and concise. They were supportive, encouraging and also corrective. —Teri H., Chelmsford MA Amber Starfire's passion for teaching shined through the course. She pushed the writer, gentle but with firm hands. What I appreciated is that I didn't accept her comments/suggested changes, she would ask me to justify why I didn't. This process allowed me to grow as a writer and forced me to think about why I thought my word choice was important. —Kira H., Wimberley TX Amber Starfire is talented and very demanding. She is also supportive and professional at the same time. I felt challenged in her class and yet sensed her very real interest in making my writing better. —Carol W., Bellevue NE This class more than met my expectations. I was challenged and stretched in ways that made me more committed and confident with the writing process. I valued the comments/critiques which helped me hone my skills and brought my stories to life. I would definitely take another class with Amber Starfire. —Bonnie D., Alexandria VA Journaling through the Chakras online with Amber Starfire provided a much richer experience than I expected. I wanted a personal experience, identifying these energy centers within my body. I got that and much more. The meditations, writing prompts and class interaction provided a much fuller picture, one that touched my mind, body and soul with healing energy. I highly recommend this course. —Deborah B., Wimberley TX I actually had no expectations, I just hoped Amber Starfire's class would be beneficial to me. I wanted to learn to clean up my writing, and make my efforts more worthwhile. I know I learned a lot and will certainly take more classes from SCN. —Charline H., Valrico FL Amber Starfire was responsive and responsible in getting out materials and giving helpful feedback. —Linda W., Steeles Tavern VA Amber Starfire was a very good instructor. She was clear and I think right on with her comments and suggestions. I feel like I learned a lot. I would definitely take another class with her as the instructor. —Charline H., Valrico FL This was a great class. Amber Starfire's exercises were interesting and engaging. I feel like my writing was greatly improved under her instruction. She also created a lovely container for us to engage with other participants. Thank you, Amber. —Lauren R., Austin TX Amber Starfire was gentle in her feedback, very supportive, and very specific. —Ardine M., Tacoma WA Amber Starfire very gently but firmly suggested/ pushed/ encouraged/ inspired me to try different things and learn new things. Most importantly, Amber provided tools and taught me how to edit my own work in the future. I learned much more than I ever expected. Highly recommended course for any writer. —Nancy M., Bellevue WA Amber Starfire again was gentle but pushed me constantly to improve my work and gave me the tools to do it myself. One of the best tools (part of Word) allowed me to look at phrases, sentences, words to edit a sentence at a time without constantly reading the whole piece over and over again—allowed me to keep working without getting sick of my own story. Her comments were supportive while at the same time pushed me to constantly improve. Some tools gave me a lot of insight into my own bad writing habits—which may help me write better in the future, or at least know what to look for. Strongly recommend this course to any writer, even if you have someone else doing your editing. —Nancy M., Bellevue WA I have learned from Amber Starfire's class that there are many folks who have good ideas and get them on paper. Revisions, editing, and formatting take the writing to a level that makes it appealing to a reader. These skills separate the amateur from the professional writer. If you want to share your writing with others, take this class! —Karen C., Northglenn CO This is my second course with Amber Starfire. I will be taking a third course and possibly more. She is clear in her critiques of student work. She keeps us on task. And she manages all of this with a congenial, encouraging, and joyful attitude. Another skill is that she keeps course members connected, and I believe, supportive and willing to give, as well as receive input. The experiences of both courses that I have taken are that everyone learns, improves, and feels good about the journey. Can't beat that in my opinion. —Linda S., Arcata CA Amber Starfire is a clear, knowledgeable, and empathic teacher. I could not recommend a class with her more highly. I am delighted and amazed by how much i learned in such a short time. —Jacqueline H., Sebastopol CA Amber Starfire is wonderful. She has a direct approach to her critiques. She gets at what each writer needs to address in a clear, yet supportive way. She is encouraging, and managed to help us all connect with each other as helpful members of a writing group. I found this amazing given that we only communicated via email. —Linda S., Arcata CA Amber Starfire is a lovely instructor, ready to work with each person individually as well as the group as a whole. —Katherine D., Richardson TX I recommend this course for anyone wanting a better understanding of how to find their authentic voice. Amber Starfire helped me find my strengths which I plan to build upon in my pursuit of becoming a writer. —Shelly T., Edmonton AB CANADA It was great to connect with other writers and to give and receive feedback. I found it challenging and encouraging...so much so that I signed up for Amber Starfire's 2nd session. —Naomi S., Albuquerque NM Amber Starfire's course is well organized and clear, and she is friendly and supportive. —Florrie C., Oroville CA Amber Starfire was a sensitive an encouraging, insightful instructor!!! —Nancilynn S., Austin TX A great course inspiring me to finally start writing! I have taken two other writing courses on line but Amber Starfire's is the first that I can honestly say was worth the (more than worth) the registration fee! —K. Ann W., Nanaimo BC CANADA Heretofore I knew little about the chakras. I came out of this course feeling quite knowledgeable and experienced and with greater insights. I feel that each of the course members are my new friends. Amber Starfire's guidance was excellent and her responses to my/our journaling and conversation was insightful, explanatory and thoughtful. I felt that we were in really good hands. Amber is full of wisdom and understanding, as are the other members of the group. We were able to counsel each other and to share our knowledge about related subjects as time went on, and I learned much from other course members. I highly recommend this course. —PJ P., Austin TX