“Life is a balance of holding on and letting go” – Rumi
I am a writer.
To be clear, writing doesn’t pay all of my bills but I am a writer nonetheless. I think I always have been. I have also been good at ignoring the creative call burning inside. That has changed in the last decade. Writing now has a regular, and important, place in my days.
The longer I write, the more I realise how much clarity writing brings to my own life.
Writing is a way of sifting through clutter in my head, trying to turn it into some semblance of sense. Grappling with ideas on the page. Taking counter views, when accepted truths do not ring true for me. Challenging my own, long held beliefs. A place where I can change my mind or hold firm.
On the best days, writing is like a form of meditation for me. Life has more meaning, and makes more sense, with writing a part of it.
Natalie Goldberg talks about this in her book, Writing Down the Bones (thank you Tim Ferriss podcast for recommendation.)
Zen Practice and the Discipline of Focus
Natalie talks to the importance of practicing our writing. Turning up ready to do the work. Turning up ready to uncover. Turning up ready to be vulnerable. Turning up with no expectations or judgement, committed purely to the discipline of the practice itself.
There is a beautiful simplicity in this commitment to non-attachment.
As well as a love for writing, Natalie talks to her deep appreciation for Zen meditation (and of her own regular practice). For this reason, and many more, the book is a wonderful read whether you are a writer or not.
Many distractions sit around the periphery of writing. Trying to get eyes on our work, making connections, building an audience, trying to make money from our words and on it goes. However, without the simple act of writing there is nothing.
We need to fill the white page if we wish to consider ourselves writers.
Inspired by Natalie’s take, I have come back to the idea of treating my writing with a Zen like focus. Simply, I try to keep the following phrase in my minds eye,
When writing, write.
Simple, not always easy.
I have found this approach can lead to some of my most rewarding writing time. As biased as I am, I also think this mindset supports my best work. The challenge, it is easy to distract myself from this path.
It’s easy to get caught up in doing something that sits around my writing, rather than the actual writing itself.
So, as that happens, I try to notice and come back to my new mantra – when writing, write.
How this Applies to Life
You may not be a writer but the lessons here are applicable elsewhere. The method travels.
When we are involved in doing a task at work, we should be in that task.
When we are with a loved one, we should give them our focus and attention. We should be with them fully.
We can try our best to bring intention and presence to everything we do. Avoiding distractions and bringing awareness to what we are doing. Connecting with what we are doing, on a deeper level.
We can try to turn up ready to do our best, without expectation. We can give our best effort and then detach ourselves from the outcome.
We can seek to bring a sense of gratitude to everything we do.
We can try to bring a sense of Zen to everything we do.
If we can achieve this state, we will feel a lightness in spirit. Problems we had struggled with may dissipate as we see a way through them. An increased sense of clarity and purpose will creep into our days.
Is this an easy change to make? No.
Is it an overnight fix? Not even close. It’s a lifetime’s worth of work.
Is it a journey worth investing ourselves in? From my own limited experience, I can answer that with all of my heart by saying, absolutely.
Try to bring a little more Zen to your life. Start small, create positive momentum, and feel the changes manifest. Work from this momentum. Commit to your own path. Embrace your own journey.
Or, to put it in a Zen way.
When living, live.
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