From Mabel Dodge Luhan to Rosh Hashanah: An Unexpected Connection

by Corinne Joy Brown

Creatives of every kind seem drawn to New Mexico, in part for the stimulation of the scenery and varied culture, and often, to connect with artistic communities that abound there. It’s well known that the “Land of Enchantment” is home to writers and visual artists of every kind. I have vacationed in Santa Fe, Taos and Las Alamos and like so many others, can count on the spiritual recharge that seems to come with every visit. I’ve even gone so far as to pen a novel which, by the story’s end, encompassed the entire state. The research I did over the years to tell that story formed the basis of a special kinship to New Mexico that continues to grow, nurturing a uniquely special place in my heart. No two trips there have ever been exactly the same, but one stands out with unusual clarity:  a weekend retreat over two decades ago at the Mabel Dodge Luhan House in Taos.

The facility, dating back to 1922 and now a National Historic Landmark, functions today as a hotel and conference center, imbued with a palpable vibe that speaks of the many artistic legends who have gone before. Famous artists and writers like Willa Cather, D.H. Lawrence, Georgia O’Keeffe, and so many others found inspiration here while contemplating the lavender peaks of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains that rise above the valley. 

The retreat was created by author Jill Cameron and her co-writer Mark Bryan, collaborators on The Artists’ Way, a bestselling book from the 1990s that serves as a 12-week guide for any creative in need of a jump-start. As a former advisor to Hollywood screen writers, Ms. Cameron built her reputation on finding innovative ways around writer’s block and artistic inhibition. I loved her book and followed its exercises willingly.  The application for admission to the “Artist Way” retreat, however, involved a lengthy statement of intention, as in:  Why do you want to come, what are you working on, what are your artistic goals, and what might be holding you back? It was an unexpected accounting. I was unprepared. 

This interview of sorts was further followed by a request to bring a grab-bag full of scraps, found objects, or miscellany for a group crafts project on the final day.  Fair enough.  I filled out the admission form with deep reflection, trying to find mature answers to the questions that I hoped would ensure my place, and then proceeded to search for random fabric scraps from my (then) interior design practice, along with an abundance of natural found objects. Full of anticipation and curiosity, I felt certain that whatever we were about to do in New Mexico for the next two-and-a half days could only help advance my newly budding writing career. At least that was the goal.  I was ready for anything. Teaming up with a friend from my Denver critique group for the drive, we headed south.

*****

To be a successful writer, my eventual full-time career, requires a great deal of observation and reflection.  Every experience written about is interpreted through our own subjective lens.  This means many of us might occasionally be guilty of unconscious bias, directing our work in unfavorable ways. One of the reasons that shared experiences like critique groups, retreats and workshops are so important is to help an individual develop a keen awareness of the hidden editor behind our work and its often-negative influence.

But self-reflection, even analysis, was already a big part of my world. Wrapped in self-doubt, my early forays into print were the result of innumerable starts and stops; manuscript pages hurled into the trash like so many spoiled eggs, rotten with cliches and redundancies, and a case of self-doubt that dogged every paragraph.  I had no greater critic than myself, a burden I carried around dutifully, as if yoked to its weight.

That yoke became unhitched the very night of arrival in Taos. As the sunset gave way to a star-filled New Mexico night, the far-off sound of Native American drumming rose into the air. Whether a festival, or a tribal ceremony, I’ll never know, but the constant, rhythmic pulse felt like someone knocking on my spiritual door, and by midnight, lying in a strange bed in a wing of the retreat house and still listening, I was transported into the sound itself. It filled and fortified me.

For the next two days, socializing among a motley group of writers, actors and artists, one might substitute the words ‘self-conscious” for self-aware. Initially, I kept asking myself what I was doing there. But the uncomfortable feeling began to erode, thanks to the creative poetry classes, outdoor yoga on the green, wonderful free-writes with evocative prompts, readings, improv acting sessions, and storytelling rounds shared by all. Finally, the big finish arrived. Sunday morning, all manner of crafts materials were piled on a long work table with the precise instructions to create a self-portrait, using whatever.  We had four hours to construct an effigy, one that reflected our best self. 

*****

Take a step back 5000 years. 

For anyone who has ever celebrated Rosh Hashanah, one of the holiest of Jewish holidays, you are aware that Jewish tradition knows all about the power of sound to call forth the soul. And, on this very same holiday that brings the recurring blast of the shofar to the faithful, it also asks us to account for what has passed and assess what we have accomplished. Even more, to address what might lie ahead, all the while hoping for a new and sweet year and a better self. Yom Kippur, a week later, is a day of atonement observed by fasting, requiring that we take stock of who we are, forgive our enemies, and figuratively, clear the slate.  For many, it’s a day of spiritual renewal. 

 Self-reflection is a required Jewish practice, one also taken to the next level by many artists and writers in order to understand their creative work. I am one of those and, trust me – it’s an ongoing process. But it’s also why, on every approach to the High Holy days, I am taken back to that special weekend in the Taos Valley where self-doubt gave way to acceptance and left me imbued with new confidence and the belief that I could begin anew and trust my inner voice. The experience was a turning point in a long career, not just as a writer, but in my over-all artistic journey which encompasses many kinds of self-expression. Over time, I’ve learned that personal assessment is a tool that requires a repeat performance, since, like life itself, we continuously evolve and grow.

  So, I give you my handmade effigy, humbly dubbed “The Queen of Words.” She was a hopeful vision of the future.  I occasionally reposition her on a new shelf in a different room since I want to make sure that her vantage point, like mine, never grows stale. On this coming season of renewal, self-appraisal, and forgiveness of any whom we may have wronged, and of ourselves most importantly, I wish you all a happy new year.                               

 Corinne Joy Brown is an award-winning author of historical fiction and non-fiction inspired by the American West with ten books in print. She also writes memoirs, plus freelances for a variety of print publications focused on design, architecture, fine art, and popular culture. Corinne writes middle-grade fiction as well, and has published a series of art books for young readers who love horses. A past-president of the Denver Woman’s Press Club, a founding member of Women Writing the West, and the editor/publisher of HaLapid, an academic journal serving the Society for Crypto-Judaic Studies, she is a Fellow of the University of Colorado History Dept at CU/Colorado Springs. She and her husband live in Colorado and enjoy their German Shepherd, Ziggy. Stav Appel has inspired her next novel.  Visit her at https://corinnejoybrown.com/

Corinne also co-chaired the Society for Crypto-Judaic Studies 35^th annual conference Aug 10-12, 2025 in Los Angeles. Go to http://cryptojews.com for more info. 

Read also: "The Torah in the Tarot by Stav Appel, coming from Ayin Press" by Corinne Joy Brown in the NMJJ.

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