Shhhh
By Marcia Thornton Jones
“Let’s quiet our minds so that writing works, so that the stories inside us can be heard.”
(Laraine Herring, WRITING BEGINS WITH THE BREATH)
The other day I attended a Writing-and-Yoga workshop at the Carnegie Center
One of the first writing prompts dealt with personal obstacles. My journal dump focused on a familiar theme. Fear. I’m afraid of failure. I’m afraid I’m not good enough. I’m afraid I can’t tell the story I want to tell. Blah-blah-blah. No new territory there. But then something caught my eye. I had intended to write, “I’m afraid I’m not creative enough.” Instead I wrote, “I’m afraid I’m not quiet enough.”
Whoa.
All my life I’ve believed I was lazy. That I lacked energy. Didn’t do enough. That I needed to go-go-go and do-do-do. Maybe, just maybe, I had it wrong. An abundance of expectations, goals, task lists, and busy-ness backs my muse into corners and muffles her voice. Maybe what I need to do is stop. Sit still. Be quiet. Because it’s the quiet that provides the space and freedom within which creativity—and my voice—can flourish and be heard.
WRITING AND YOGA???? Ohmygosh. (I'm a big, big, big believer in the power of yoga. Wish I'd been there.)
ReplyDeleteThen you might like Davis's book Journey From The Center To The Page. It's full of writing insights connected to yoga.
DeleteI'm with you, Marcia. Being creative means having time to be quiet. Many of the famous writers, artists, and composers had mentors to allow them time to be quiet. I'm still looking for mine.
ReplyDeleteI guess the trick is to become our own mentors and to seek and/or schedule quiet opportunities.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great insight, Marcia. I'm inspired.
ReplyDeleteI love how your subconscious itself, craving quiet, finally spoke. Beautiful post.
ReplyDelete