Each of us carry wounds deep within and seek help through various practices. Searching for understanding through the Enneagram starts a journey to self-discovery that can begin the healing process. The therapeutic process also leads to a better understanding of oneself.
The practice of mindfulness writing engages the writer in taking a longer, deeper look at an issue. What is going on in any given situation? Why can’t it be released from the writer’s psyche. Something happens in the act of writing. From the mind to the heart, through the shoulder, down the arm, through the pen, (I recommend that mindfulness writing be done with a pad of paper and pen.) a writer has the ability to form a new understanding. The physiology of embodiment of a thought, tracing it through to the page transforms and allows.
This quote from Rainer Maria Rilke sums it up best: “Find out the reason that commands you to write; see whether it has spread its roots into the very depth of your heart; confess to yourself you would have to die if you were forbidden to write.” Creating a disciplined practice of writing to become more mindful, establishes a rhythm with the writing practices. Perhaps you have found a time that works or a place that makes you feel good about delving into the pages of your journal/notebook/legal pad, (you get what I mean). Provoking feelings and thoughts on the pages help us to better see the world around us which then leads to a sense of empowerment within.
Meditation is a form of practice that can help you achieve this sense of empowerment. And yet, coupling a practice of meditation with the many tools of writing to form a better understanding of what is percolating within can add to the practice.
It can be difficult to stick with the practice in the beginning, but hopefully these few steps will foster a transition to becoming a mindful writer and allowing for the release, letting go of what no longer serves you. And yet, there are times when the pen seems unusually heavy, the page too long, the ideas too stuck somewhere between the head, the heart, the arm, the hand, and the page. Be kind to yourself.
Then consider the prompt that follows:
- What is the story I’m telling myself right now?
- What is one thing I can do today that my future self will thank me for?
- I am my most authentic self when…
- What is one event that I previously perceived as a failure and now perceive as a gift?
Tina Neyer is a writer, coach, educator, and faculty member for the Conscious Living Center.