On Writing Mindfully

The Power of Presence and Paper

There are myriad reasons for writer’s block, and I have experienced them all (at least, I’m pretty sure I have - if you think you have a terminally unique form, please let me know!). Regardless of what gets me into that rut, the thing that always gets me out of it is mindfulness.

Sometimes, that means sitting in meditation for an hour before I put pen to paper.

Other times, it means sitting in a busy coffee shop and being fully present to what’s going on around me, writing down snippets of conversation and descriptions of the other patrons.

And yet other times, it means getting away from the writing and out into nature. A long walk, mindful of the trees, the sky, the breath, gets everything moving, not just the body.

In all cases, releasing attachment to intrusive thoughts is necessary for the mental spaciousness that creativity requires.

You can also use mindfulness practices to enhance your writing experience proactively. There’s no need to wait for writer’s block to strike!

Here are a few exercises to try:

• 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Grounding Technique - Tune in to your environment. Name five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste. Now use one of those things as a jumping-off point for your writing.

• Set a timer for 3 minutes - Grab a pen and paper and start writing as soon as the timer begins. Don’t stop until it goes off. Don’t try to write something good. Blah-blah-blah-fuuuuck-I can’t write-what is that awful smell?-I wonder what Chris is doing right now-I need to pay my parking ticket is a perfectly acceptable way to get going!

• Write the mundane - Think of something you’ve done today that is utterly ordinary. Something so boring and rote and usual that you can’t imagine why anyone would want to read about it. Write a about it in as much detail as you can muster for at least one full paragraph.

If you use one or more of these methods, please let me know. I’d love to hear about it.

If you’d like to write mindfully with a group and guided instruction, join me on July 20 on Zoom for Sit, Breathe, Write: A Mindfulness Workshop. We’ll breathe, write, and meditate for 90 minutes. The cost is $38. Click here for more information and to sign up.