Verses of Peace: Writing Our Way to Inner Peace, A Disarming Our Hearts Series Workshop

What is poetry? How does it differ from prose or journaling? And how can writing poems help us discover strength in our own words and move toward a more peaceful mindset?

As part of our Disarming Our Hearts: Becoming Peace series, this ninety-minute Zoom program is not an academic class focused on crafting “good” writing, but rather a contemplative experience that explores how great poets use their craft to create simple, uplifting, and spiritually healing poems. Through guided reflection and inspiration from selected works, participants will discover how poetry can become a tool for emotional healing and a way to disarm our hearts and cultivate inner peace as we navigate life’s challenges.

The session will include periods of writing and sharing insights—no critiques! Whether you are new to writing or a seasoned poet, or even if you have never written before, this workshop invites you to express yourself without judgment and find comfort in the creative process.

Our speaker, Peter W. Yaremko, is a published author and poet. In conjunction with the American Cancer Society in Manhattan, he teaches emotional healing through poetry for cancer patients and caregivers. He also conducts workshops at Mercy by the Sea Retreat Center in Connecticut, guiding participants to write poems as a path to peace in the face of grief, terminal illness, the challenges of caregiving, the rupture of a relationship, or the loss of purpose and hope. His focus is not on teaching better writing, but on writing that makes us feel better—using words as a way to soothe the spirit and foster inner calm.

Disarming Our Hearts: Becoming Peace is an ongoing series that explores how we cultivate peace within ourselves and bring it into the world. Through diverse perspectives—spirituality, science, dialogue, and action—these sessions invite us to engage deeply with the principles of nonviolence, healing, and justice. Each workshop, presentation, or retreat will feature speakers from different backgrounds who offer unique insights into what it means to “be peace” in a way that transforms not only our own hearts but also our communities.

This program is offered at no cost, as are all our programs, thanks to the generosity of those who support our ministry. Donations are greatly appreciated to help us continue offering meaningful experiences to the community.