Write for Happiness: Shift Your Perspective and Build Your Future

Write for Happiness is a creative writing workshop and weekend retreat at Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, led by faculty member Maria Sirois. It is for writers, poets, journalers, seekers, and anyone who loves story or scribbling in any form, whether expert or novice, who wants to see what shifts when attention turns toward the good, the light, and the warmth of the sun.

What to Expect

The weekend begins from a simple premise: in the grayest part of winter we still have choices. We can tell a new story, write toward a slightly better next moment, and use language, metaphor, and imagination to arrive somewhere happier. Together you will write from an appreciative lens, drawing on the wisdom of esteemed authors while listening for the words that are uniquely your own.

Participants leave with:

- Writing prompts that encourage a more optimistic lens on any moment
- Ways to stabilize a writing practice
- A clearer understanding of the habits of mind that lock us in and those that free us
- A deeper sense of what is ready to bloom within
- A rekindled commitment to one's capacity to build forward

The rhythm is that of a Kripalu residential weekend. Opening day starts with check-in at 2:00 pm, a Kripalu Yoga class from 4:45 to 6:00, dinner, and a first program session from 7:30 to 9:00 in the evening. The full middle day has yoga from 6:30 to 7:45 am, silent breakfast, a program session from 9:00 to 11:30, lunch, and a second session from 1:30 to 4:00, followed by another yoga class and dinner. On the closing morning there is yoga, silent breakfast, and a final session from 9:00 to 11:00, ending with lunch and departure. Actual times may vary, and the schedule given at check-in has room locations.

About Maria Sirois

Maria Sirois is a member of the Kripalu faculty and the presenter of this program. She brings an introspective, heart-centered approach to writing as a way of reorienting toward possibility.

The Setting

Kripalu is a yoga and health center in Stockbridge, in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts. Accommodations are intentionally simple, meant to help you unplug and feel grounded. You can choose a private room for solitude or a community-style dorm that fosters connection with other participants. Rooms are ready by 4:00 pm, and there is a luggage room if you arrive earlier. Three nutritious meals are served daily, with breakfast taken in silence.

Before You Go

No prior writing experience is necessary, and the workshop is offered in English. Your stay includes writing instruction and guidance from Maria Sirois, three daily meals, more than ten yoga classes over the weekend, access to the Kripalu grounds and facilities, and your accommodation. Healing Arts sessions, purchases from the Kripalu Shop and Cafe, and travel to Kripalu are not included.

On the day of departure, room check-out is at 10:00 am, and you are welcome to stay on campus and take part in workshops until 2:00 pm. Online booking is available for one or two guests, and if the program is full, a waitlist is available.