Right Here, Write Now
Opportunity for contemplative practices are all around us. And one of my favorites is contemplative writing. It is a beautiful embodied practice that helps to align our minds with our bodies in the simplest of ways, yet also presents a good deal of challenge and capacity for growth. It also enables us to turn the crafting of a to-do list or a grocery list into an exercise in mindfulness—letting us integrate another aspect of mindful living into our daily routines.
As ever, start by setting an intention for your practice. Share with yourself that what you are about to begin a meditative practice, or that you are about to experiment with a new way of writing that will enable you to become more mindful over time, etc. —whatever helpful thought or wish that will help you be intentional in your practice.
Then take pen and paper and notice how everything feels and appears. How does the pen feel in your hand? Can you see the fibers in the paper you are about to write on? What other senses can you incorporate as you carefully investigate what is before you?
Next, very slowly and intensionally begin to write your name. Notice how the pen feels as it writes. Notice how the ink flows from it and the specific lines that it makes and how it makes them. Does the ink flow freely? Can you notice a bit of resistance as you write? How do the muscles of your hand feel and look as you begin to write your name.
Likewise, how are you writing? Are you making all the letters as you usually would? Could you change the style of your writing? If you know how to write in cursive, could you print? If you only print, what would it feel like to write in cursive? As you notice and consider these things try to observe your own thinking. Try not to attach value to what you notice or feel, and try not to let your mind stray or let yourself go down any thought-laden rabbit holes that might pull you off track. Your mind may indeed wander, and when it does, simply refocus on the task at hand (pun intended)—which your writing.
Once you’ve finished writing your name, spend a moment just looking at it. Which letters do you like? Which do you wish you had crafted differently? Writing one’s name is perhaps the most common thing that we write, but what about other things? What you write is not the focus of this exercise, but rather, the how is where we let our minds linger. Try practicing your writing. Single out a letter and try writing your most perfect “e” or “A.” And as you do so, just notice the very act of writing. Observe your thoughts as you do so.
After several minutes, set down the pen, put aside the paper, let your eyes close, and take a few deep cleansing breaths. Notice your body and review your writing experience. Thank yourself for your practice, and enjoy the rest of your day.
A couple pro tips…
You could certainly use a pencil or other writing utensil for this exercise—just make the sensible adjustments to what and how you notice the utensil and your use of it.
Once you acclimate to this practice (by writing your name, practicing letters, or other simple words) try writing something with more meaningful content—a thank you note, birthday card, shopping list, to-do list, etc. You could even write a message of kindness and compassion to yourself that you could come back to a particularly tough days.
A teacher of mine used to engage in this practice by copying (by hand) the most meaningful passages of her favorite books. She would store her writing in a small binder that has since become a treasured family keepsake. Another person, an artist, I once encountered while on vacation, crafted passages of sacred texts into pictures. Each shape and form of her landscapes were made of tiny letters and sentences. It was not only beautiful, but crafted entirely through the artist’s process of contemplative writing. I share this because with a bit of personalization and creativity, your own practice of contemplative writing can truly become something special.