Both writing and meditation nurture us to let go of past stories as we strengthen ourselves, our awareness, and our writing. Dear Friends,
Thank you for joining me in our sacred space. Today I offer you an interview with Lissa M. Cowan about her course, 21 Day Writing Meditation. So much can be accomplished through writing and meditation and when combined they are a powerful force. I hope you enjoy this conversation with Lissa.
Madisyn Taylor: What exactly is writing meditation, and how can it help us?
Lissa Cowan: Writing meditation connects the practice of writing to the practice of meditation. It helps to unite our egoic "doing" selves with our conscious "being" selves. Writing meditation draws on mindfulness and being present, uniting that with writing down thoughts, creativity, and witnessing what arises. We stay in our heads when we write and work from the part of us that is wholly intellectual, examining and judging each thought and idea that arises. This cuts us off from our body and our senses, leaving us adrift in our thoughts. Writing meditation can bring us back to living and experiencing ourselves as part of the world. Sitting for a long time and trying to quiet the mind can sometimes produce anxiety if we're not used to it. So while writing engages the mind, meditation keeps us grounded. When we write freely, as students do in many of these exercises, our anxious, judging selves may show up in our writing. Seeing these thoughts written down can help us release old patterns and beliefs and allow us to feel more energized. Also, holding a pen rather than writing on a computer can make us calmer, tap into our creativity, and unite the right and left sides of the brain. When we write by hand, writing can take the form of meditation; we feel our hand holding the pen, notice the paper's softness as we write. Both writing and meditation nurture each other and allow us to let go of past stories as we strengthen ourselves, our awareness, and our writing.
MT: What do you tell people who don't consider themselves writers?
LC: Many students who aren't writers take my course. They tell me that the exercises fuel other creative work they do or help them get what's in their head and holding them back onto the page. Those who take the course and don't consider themselves writers may find the gentle approach to creativity and awareness of one's surroundings freeing as it connects them to a creative part of themselves. Whether a student is a writer or not, the experience of writing meditation can lead to a journey of self-discovery that may at times be painful. But it's also freeing as one lets go of what no longer serves. Writing down thoughts as they arise helps make them more concrete as we see them for what they are. Becoming more conscious of our patterns helps us breath easier and not be so caught up in our surroundings. This helps us avoid overstimulation and busyness. Listening deeply to ourselves also helps us develop compassion for others and ourselves. Writers talk about the course helping to reset them creatively or connect them to a different part of their storytelling. The course can also provide a harmonious start to their day before doing other writing as it helps them to see their work with less judging eyes.
MT: In the first 14 lessons you include an audio meditation first and then ask students to start the writing exercise you provide. (In lessons 15 through 21, the meditation and the writing exercise are combined.) Talk to me about why the course is set up this way.
LC: Beginning with a short meditation before writing allows us to develop our attention and create a space for writing. The meditation grounds us and helps to declutter the mind, clear away the cobwebs, and set the stage for deep creative work. Doing a meditation before writing helps calm the critic or perfectionist in us, especially for those of us who are writers and think every word must be a masterpiece. Often we write in an automatic way and are not fully present. Our inner voices may try to sabotage the process, or we may start daydreaming--just like we sometimes do in meditation--and forget what it is we're writing. Meditation allows us to come back to the present and to make every moment--every word--count. The mind of meditation helps the mind of writing become more open and less critical or guarded, while our writing mind creates magical worlds from the open, free space that meditation allows. The meditations increase awareness and flow during the writing process. Gradually we become aware of our stories and have a clearer idea of negative thoughts as they arise. The purpose of learning the two side-by-side is to associate both activities with each other and to eventually approach writing as a meditation. Beginning in Lesson 15, the student integrates both writing and meditation so that they're no longer presented as separate.
MT: You teach about self-doubt, which we all have. Take me through this process.
LC: As students go through the lessons, voices may come up telling them that their writing is rough and uninteresting or that they have no business taking time for themselves. Some students tell me that the course has helped them let go of perfection, something they hadn't previously been able to do when writing. When not approaching our writing as a meditation practice, we may second-guess ourselves, questioning why we write or thinking that our words are not good enough. Yet when we introduce the act of meditation to the act of writing, we invite our writing mind to know our complete selves and to accept that these judgments and feelings of inadequacy are part of the creative process and of being human. This experience creates a feeling of wholeness and a quality of presence that we may have missed if we simply sat down to write. It's an approach that also allows us to deepen our writing practice and become consistent with showing up creatively with fewer roadblocks than the previous day. Through this course, we learn that writing and, in fact, all creative practices are actually meditations on finding our place in the world.
MT: Tell me about the feedback you have received from students who have taken this course.
LC: Students of the course have said that these exercises take their writing to a place they hadn't foreseen. Combining meditation and writing creates spaciousness and helps us be more accepting of the creative process and of ourselves. We create an opening for us to write from a place of spontaneous presence, which can add richness and depth to our creative practice.
MT: I think the hardest part for people is to just get started. How do you motivate students to get started in this course?
LC: I tell students to approach the meditations and exercises as experiments or play. Reserve judgment about whether your writing is any good or whether you were able to focus during meditation. Try to be present with the exercises and see where they lead. As with any mindful practice, the results are cumulative. Notice how you feel after each meditation and writing exercise. Are you less afraid? Were you able to stay with the exercise and not judge what you were writing? Congratulate yourself on doing the meditation and writing exercise. It's not easy to show up for yourself and see where a new thing will take you, so good on you for committing to it!
We all struggle with difficult emotions such as fear, sadness, and anger. Each day we show up to do the lessons, we may notice a mirror being held up to show us where we're blocked. Just noticing these emotions and the potential blockages can help us move forward with the lessons and feel more confident and clear. As we begin to relax and take in the sounds and sights around us--the hummingbird outside the window, a kettle whistling in the kitchen, a lawnmower buzzing in a neighbor's garden--we allow the channels to open a little more. So explore, have fun, and let your creative spirit shine!
MT: What can a student expect to feel during these 21 lessons and when they are finished?
LC: As students do the exercises, they may feel stuck or notice themselves feeling judgment. Gradually they may sense a letting go of old preconceptions they've held about themselves and a willingness to let the creative process speak freely through them. Coming to the end of the lessons, some students find that they connect to their bodies more deeply and to their senses and the world around them. As they become more aware and more present with each lesson, the channels begin to open, bringing gifts of liveliness and immediacy to their writing. Some students comment that their writing is more descriptive after the course and has more depth because they've developed a greater sense of being in their body and living as a whole being in the world.
After completing the 21 lessons, students will have spent several exercises listening deeply and embracing the sounds, smells, and sights around them. As a result they may find it easier to come to a more relaxed and peaceful state after the course is over. They feel more confident and trusting of themselves and also notice a greater sense of loving kindness and compassion for all beings. These feelings come with an acceptance of self, our imperfections, and the imperfect yet much beloved world we live in.
Course OverviewThrough daily sitting, writing, and listening, you will learn how to deepen your attention and create a space for your writing. Writing meditation can be a powerful way to bring the active mind in closer alignment with the mind of meditation. This course will help you develop tools and insights for overcoming habitual mind states, self-sabotaging thoughts and behaviors. After about one week you will feel yourself opening up to others and to your creativity and imagination. Each day you of this course will teach you one concept or theme that will allow you to confront any doubts or judgements about yourself, and to overcome obstacles in the way of your happiness and self-awareness. You will be amazed at how a daily writing meditation practice helps you to know and trust yourself more and to become more compassionate toward others. Through the meditations and writing exercises in this course, you will be guided to deepen your creativity, compassion and self-confidence. All you need is a quiet space, a notebook and a pen.
How Does It Work?Starting today, you will receive a new lesson every day for 3 weeks (total of 21 lessons). Each lesson is yours to keep and you'll be able to refer back to it whenever you want. And if you miss a lesson or are too busy to get to it that day, each lesson will conveniently remain in your account so you won't have to search for it when you're ready to get back to it.
Get Started NowWe are offering this course with the option of selecting how much you want to pay. No matter how much you pay, you'll be getting the same course as everybody else. We simply trust that people are honest and will support the author of the course with whatever they can afford. And if you are not 100% satisfied, we will refund your money.
How much do you want to pay?$15$35$50
This is the total amount for all 21 lessons
Thank you so much, Lissa. I find that Lissa's gentle guidance helps take everything at a nice, slow pace. If you are the type of person who loves creativity in any way or likes to do healing work in a supportive and nurturing way, you will enjoy this course. Until next time.
Be well,
Madisyn Taylor
Cofounder, Editor-in-Chief
DailyOM
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