Mindful Writing

 About a week ago, I participated in a 5 day mindfulness and journaling challenge where I would receive a daily audio recording and a journaling prompt.  I haven't done one of these in a while, so it was the perfect opportunity to start.  Keeping a practice of writing takes effort and I have over the years gone back and forth on it - usually the prompts are self-guided -either by reading something or just free form of writing. This challenge was different because the facilitator provided us with breathing prompts, mindfulness prompts and poetry prompts.  It was timed for no more than 15-20 minutes and I made a deliberate effort to carve time in for the day.  Something I don't do regularly - as much as I would like to.  We all know the importance of connecting with our breath, of setting intentions and just being in the moment.  But actively making the decision to quiet the mind, to do some breathing exercises before journaling made the experience all the more enjoyable.  I found myself more playful with my words, the writing was lighter at times, sometimes the prompts led to a poetry type journal entry format , and really enjoying the process.  And for 20 minutes I found myself coming out of a retreat setting rejuvenated.  

How do I keep it going?  Unless I pay into the program and have unlimited access to the journaling recordings- I don't know if it is sustainable for me.  But for what its worth - it has helped me tap into another form of journaling which I find extremely therapeutic.  At least once a week, I can try to carve time out for a mindful journaling experience so that I am allowing myself to experiment with different writing forms, and also to quieten the mind and ground myself.  Over the last couple of years with remote work, I have found that because I have been multi-tasking more than ever working virtually- the mind is never at rest - I may think it is- but it is constantly going.  I notice it when I am meditating and paying attention to the ways of the mind -it never ceases to amaze me to see how I am constantly thinking.  I am supposed to just be silent - why is that not happening? The need for silence is there -yet when I have it my mind is a mile a minute.  I think it has gotten worse over the last two years - which is all the more reason to focus on mindfulness.  To pay attention to my breath -what comes in and what goes out - and allow that to be my anchor.  Even when writing to let the breath be the anchor so as not to let my mind wander - so focusing on the process of writing rather than letting the mind divert into different things while writing.  And there you see the true connection between body and mind.  

Thich Nhat Han focused on walking meditation as a mindfulness practice. Each step is a way of connecting with the earth.  Breathing in you connect with the earth, breathing out you connect with the earth.  Walking in mindfulness is a process of connecting us with the earth.  We like to think of walks as brisk and cardio oriented - but these walks are for the soul - so that this suffering can stop.  It is another form of mindfulness.  I leave you with this poem By Thich Nhat Han as a writing prompt. Say the poem out loud,  I urge you to focus on your breath before beginning and then allow the writing to flow:

Take my hand.
We will walk.
We will only walk.
We will enjoy our walk
without thinking of arriving anywhere.
Walk peacefully.
Walk happily.
Our walk is a peace walk.
Our walk is a happiness walk.
Then we learn
that there is no peace walk;
that peace is the walk;
that there is no happiness walk;
that happiness is the walk.
We walk for ourselves.
We walk for everyone
always hand in hand.
Walk and touch peace every moment.
Walk and touch happiness every moment.
Each step brings a fresh breeze.
Each step makes a flower bloom under our feet.
Kiss the Earth with your feet.
Print on Earth your love and happiness.
Earth will be safe
when we feel in us enough safety. 

Writing Prompt:  Think about walking - and write about waking - where do you walk to? with whom? 

Some words to help you:  Happiness, Walk, Earth, Safety, Learn, Peace

Happy Journaling!