Rituals help us evoke a mood. As a writer, I have a ritual to get the pen moving. Some writers refer to this as an entrance meditation. Our creativity endeavors thrive with ritual. It is a training of the mind to associate the writing practice with the behavior and actions leading into a writing session.
My entry to writing is to don a favorite sweater. It used to be this ugly brown one that I would never leave the house in! But I have collected numerous Mr. Rogers sweaters; all are equally effective in creating a cozy feeling where I reach to center. Once I have my sweater, I sit and reach to turn on my desk lamp. I clear any clutter that is around me and sit with either a cup of coffee or glass of water. Usually, this is all it takes and I can write, generally longhand.
Others make tea, as pictured from one of my clients here. Some have a favorite pen. Listen to a curated playlist. Light a candle. Stretch. Yoga poses. The repetition of the ritual places our mind in a place of memory. We settle into the activity that follows the entrance ritual.
I encourage beginning writers to think about creating a ritual that is personally meaningful to begin writing. Maybe it is turning on the bedside lamp first thing in the morning? Maybe it is putting on a pair of fuzzy socks. Maybe you have a favorite journal or type of paper you like to use. Perhaps you keep your notebook or laptop tucked in a drawer or basket or bag. When you go to retrieve it, your brain is trained to associate something creative is about to happen.
Rituals in practicing our faith is much the same. We repeat patterns of behavior to cue our mind that something special is about to happen. We fold our hands to pray. We bow our heads. We dress a certain way. We greet one another a certain way. Rituals are important because they clear chaos and mark predictability.
It makes sense to me that so many writers have a pattern or entrance meditation to get the pen moving. Creative writing is indeed a spiritual practice. When we face a blank page, we can be calm and confident as we prepare for the session with a familiar pattern.
In my coaching business, people ask me what is “authentic writing.” To me, creative authenticity is when you chase your assumptions of truth through your writing, trying to capture a moment in time for others to maybe read. It is an act of giving testimony to your interpretation and imagination. ...
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