For a long time, I saw meditation and writing as two separate parts of my life. Yes, I had read Natalie Goldberg and loved her approach. And I’d done “free writing,” where I paid quiet attention to my thoughts and allowed them to flow onto the page. But when I was actually engaged in writing a story or essay, I would find myself lost in my thoughts, caught up in my emotions, and as far from meditative as you could get.
I believed then, as I do now, that meditation isn’t just something you practice sitting on a cushion, but a way of life. That you can bring meditation to everything you do. Still, I had difficulty applying it to my writing process.
That was before I learned how simple it was to bring my awareness back to the present moment, even in the middle of writing something that is blaring in my head. The way I do it is this: Each time I complete a paragraph, I pause. I take a deep, slow breath. And I focus on that breath coming in and going out.
Yes, that’s all there is to it. An incredibly easy step, and yet one that yields remarkable results. When I pause to focus on the simple act of breathing, I step out of the flow of thoughts and emotions carrying me away and rest in the moment I am in.I become present and aware. My mind grows still.
This practice has had an effect not only on how I feel, but on the quality of my writing. When I resume writing after a pause, it is with renewed clarity. I feel less anxious and more centered. My writing is automatically more focused and precise.
The practice of pausing to focus on my breath has had a long-term effect as well. Gradually, it has helped me create a habit of mindfulness that I use throughout my day in all my activities.
There are many ways a writer can alter this practice to fit her or his own writing process. Instead of pausing after a paragraph, it could be after a page. Or you could pause at specific time intervals. However, you try it, bringing meditation into your writing in this ultra-simple way will have immediate benefits both for your writing and for your sense of well being.
I’d like to invite everyone to try this practice–and post a comment letting me know how it works for you!