Writing Practice: A Simple Tool To Develop Awareness

Journaling practice is an excellent tool to identify influences that undermine inner harmony. Once you have this information, you start to recognize what upsets your equilibrium so you know where your work lies. To be clear, we are talking about handwriting practice: writing by hand.

Here's how writing practice works:

Using specific prompts, you do what is called "free writing" which is essentially stream of consciousness writing with a specific intention.

There are 3 rules to free-writing practice:

1. Write by hand, with pen and paper, NOT on the computer.

2. Write without stopping or lifting your pen from the page - either for a fixed period of time, or a pre-determined number of pages.

3. Don't censor or edit while you write. Let anything come out, even if it is gibberish. If you lose your train of thought or don't know what to write next, then write, "I don't know what to write and anyway this exercise is silly and I bla bla bla....." Eventually something will come and you will get back into the flow. The thinking mind will try to sabotage your subconscious, which is where all your juicy ideas are. Let it all out, knowing that this is FOR YOUR EYES ONLY.

You can use free-writing practice in different ways.

• Use writing practice to "clear the decks" of your mind, wiping the slate clean after you've had an argument, for example, or when you need some inspiration to keep going.

• Target different patterns and habits, all with the intent to release blockages to creativity. Ask open ended questions like, "How am I getting in my own way?" and see what comes out.

• Incorporate this practice into your daily routine to encourage a more balanced and conscious approach to life.

• Ask specific questions when you have choices to make and need clarity.

Here is your first prompt.

Finish this sentence:

If I knew I would not fail, I would... Write for 10 minutes without stopping and see what you get. You might surprise yourself.

Click here for 20 writing prompts to help you work with difficult situations.