What a day I picked to host the first mindbody writing event.
I woke up under the weather and with a headache. Trump crashed markets. People were operating diesel-powered cutters down in the yard. And yet . . . and yet: we sat down to write. We slowed down. We allowed ourselves to be curious, to connect with our truth and inner wisdom.
Thank you to all who joined! I learned a ton. Here’s to many more of these experiments. Join me if you dare!
I’ve attached the recording of my introduction. I also share these on youtube.
NEXT EVENT
Next week Thursday, April 10, at 6pm Eastern Time. → Register here.
I will alternate times and weekdays to give people in different time zones a chance to join.
Journaling prompts to try.
If you didn’t get a chance to attend, why not try one of these prompts this weekend?
Pen and paper. 15+ minute timer. Make a conscious decision to step into radical honesty with yourself. Close your eyes, take a few deep breaths, like voo-humm. Get centered in your body. (I recommend 5 minutes of relaxing HRV breathing.)
If I truly and deeply loved myself, would I . . . let myself do this, hold myself back from doing this . . . let this be done to me . . . carry this weight . . .
Everything would change if I could forgive this person:
If money could speak, this is what it would tell me:
What important inner wisdom am I not acting on? Why?
If I had the time, skill, courage . . . I would tell [the world / someone] this: ___ (“Or: “these are the words stuck in my throat”)
Some things I learned:
Regular journaling is a story we tell ourselves at the end of the day.
Mindbody writing is about movement, connection, and energy
Movement on the page → movement through life
Shift from thinking to feeling, from mind to body and beyond — to the unconscious, to intuition
What is stuck? What do I carry? Can I release that energy? Can I let myself the energy of the shadow words and find the gold that lies behind?
I forgot how foreign pen and paper have become to many. Took me a while to get used to it, too. In the beginning my hands cramped. It gets better and easier over time. Think of it as an investment.
That’s one big advantage of the page over the screen: the hand can reflect the emotion. You can go really BIG and tiny, fast and slow, ALL CAPS or cursive . . . make circles and lines and big loops or boxy letters, . . . the screen is very limited compared to what can flow through your fingers.
It’s a chance to step away from all screens, to disengage from the land of fomo and stress and be present and curious with yourself.
“Pages must be done longhand. The computer is fast—too fast for our purposes. Writing by computer gets you speed but not depth. Writing by computer is like driving a car at 85 mph. Everything is a blur. “Oh, my God, was that my exit?” Writing by hand is like going 35 mph. “Oh, look, here comes my exit. And look, it has a Sonoco station and a convenience store.” — Julia Cameron
My writing is still often messy, sometimes illegible. Messy is okay! It’s not supposed to be neat or pretty. It’s about giving shape to “what is”, about meeting yourself with as much honesty as possible, about getting out of the way of what could flow through you.
If creative sparks fly, you’ll just type them up after. It’s not a big deal compared to not being able to tap into all your inner wisdom and energy. I keep a second little journal for highlights and nuggets.
I have tons of prompts and a toolkit of different practices. I tried to jam too much into one session. Next time will be more focused.
Also: I like hearing myself talk. Will set a timer for my introduction.
Setting, process, rituals and cues are important. I want to explore more what tools help us enter the right “mind body space.” Also the tools to integrate what we find. I’ll have to put together a basic workbook. And watch me try to screenshare youtube or spotify next time🙈
One hour is pretty short. We’ll skip the offering next time.
If you plan to join, take some time to reflect on the questions below (journal about them :) ). See where they can lead you. Things can shift long before we sit down to do the work.
Event format
I will talk for ~15 minutes about the practice
~15 minutes of solo writing time
Time for discussion, questions, sharing, and feedback
This is a private space. No AI bots. I record the introduction but not the discussion. Everything you write is for your eyes and benefit only. There is time to share and discuss if you feel called to do so
What to bring
A pen that flows well (I use basic ones like these sharpies and pilots)
I recommend a dedicated journal for these exercises
Reflect on things you want to explore
Think of something you want to move in your life. A project, a goal, a decision, a relationship, a project, or an area in your life in which you feel stuck.
And/or: make a list of sources of stress and anxiety
Questions to reflect on
Rate each area of your life: how satisfied are you? (1 lowest, 10 highest)
Career & Work:
Money & Finances:
Partner & Love:
Family & Friends:
Creativity:
Spirituality:
Personal Growth & Learning:
Health & Fitness:
Fun & Enjoyment:
In which area(s) are you settling for less than you deserve? Why?
What are the top 2-3 things currently causing anxiety or unease?
How clear are you about compass? How connected do you feel to your purpose?
What important moment(s) of your life cannot be found on your CV but explain(s) where you are today? Which of these do you . . . share, celebrate, hide?
If you had the time and skill, what story would you tell / what idea would you share?
What important inner truth are you not acting on? Why?
If journaling could lead to 1-2 outcomes or changes in your life, what’s the best you would hope for?
If you had a magic wand, what major change would you make in your life? What is your highest and best hope? What is getting in the way?
What are you unusually passionate about? How do you share or express it with others?
What would you love to tell the world, but it feels impossible? What words are stuck in your throat?
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