HOLD IT LOOSELY
By Sarah Elovich
Forcing, pushing, contracting - these are great ways to ensure that I’ll lose.
I’ll crush a delicate relationship if I try to make another bend to my will. I’ll suffocate a sprouting idea that just started to take root in the soil of my creativity if I force it into the light before it’s ready. I’ll hurt myself by clenching or pushing my body, or inanimate objects, in ways they are simply not made to go.
I have to practice holding it loosely. This is something I do every time I sit down for a writing meditation.
Sometimes called 'mindful writing', writing meditation is the phrase I use to describe taking a meditative stance into my writing session.
I love experimenting with how my meditation and writing practices support each other. The practice seems to be getting more popular recently.
Unlike some descriptions of writing meditation, I do not equate this practice with a 'freewrite' or 'stream of consciousness' writing.
Rather, a writing meditation is just like a sitting meditation, in that it is a practice of returning to focus and awareness. I enjoy choosing a different theme for each Mindful Mondays circle that I lead. Some themes we have explored in the past include:
Here's how I structure my weekly Mindful Mondays circles:
So what exactly do I hold loosely during a writing meditation?
My body in the chair. It has to be upright, but relaxed. Held and secure, but not too tight.
My breath, moving in and out. Notice it without changing it. Allow it without criticism. Be aware without controlling or constricting. Keep it moving, keep it loose.
The pen. Hold it just enough so that it doesn’t fall out of my hand, but loosely, so that there is lots of play.
Holding it loosely gives you space to do wild, surprising things on the page.
Thoughts and feelings. Let them drift in, let them flow the ink around if it feels accessible, and then let it flow out again, and on to the next idea, the next word, the next breath, the next moment.
Let the next moment be revealed as you write, as you breathe.
Holding it loosely.
And do the sacred work of recording the process of waking up to this moment, and this moment, and this moment… in real time, with real words, in your real life.
Register here to reserve your spot in the next Mindful Mondays circle!
I’ll crush a delicate relationship if I try to make another bend to my will. I’ll suffocate a sprouting idea that just started to take root in the soil of my creativity if I force it into the light before it’s ready. I’ll hurt myself by clenching or pushing my body, or inanimate objects, in ways they are simply not made to go.
I have to practice holding it loosely. This is something I do every time I sit down for a writing meditation.
Sometimes called 'mindful writing', writing meditation is the phrase I use to describe taking a meditative stance into my writing session.
I love experimenting with how my meditation and writing practices support each other. The practice seems to be getting more popular recently.
Unlike some descriptions of writing meditation, I do not equate this practice with a 'freewrite' or 'stream of consciousness' writing.
Rather, a writing meditation is just like a sitting meditation, in that it is a practice of returning to focus and awareness. I enjoy choosing a different theme for each Mindful Mondays circle that I lead. Some themes we have explored in the past include:
- Surrender
- Aliveness
- Acceptance
- Effortless
- Permission
- Listen
Here's how I structure my weekly Mindful Mondays circles:
- Prepare the environment for a period of quiet meditation and writing
- Explore the topic briefly in a guided meditation
- A short 5-minute silent meditation
- 20 minutes of uninterrupted sustained silent writing
- Optional sharing
So what exactly do I hold loosely during a writing meditation?
My body in the chair. It has to be upright, but relaxed. Held and secure, but not too tight.
My breath, moving in and out. Notice it without changing it. Allow it without criticism. Be aware without controlling or constricting. Keep it moving, keep it loose.
The pen. Hold it just enough so that it doesn’t fall out of my hand, but loosely, so that there is lots of play.
Holding it loosely gives you space to do wild, surprising things on the page.
Thoughts and feelings. Let them drift in, let them flow the ink around if it feels accessible, and then let it flow out again, and on to the next idea, the next word, the next breath, the next moment.
Let the next moment be revealed as you write, as you breathe.
Holding it loosely.
And do the sacred work of recording the process of waking up to this moment, and this moment, and this moment… in real time, with real words, in your real life.
Register here to reserve your spot in the next Mindful Mondays circle!