Lent 2022 - The Woman and the Cave - Meditative Writing

 

Meditative Writing. What is it? And why do it?

I've tried the traditional kind of meditation - sitting still, repeating a sacred word, or trying to find the space between thoughts. All of these are successful strategies, and few people come to them easily. Meditation, like any new skill, takes practice. We need to exercise our meditation muscles. It's like Jon Kabat-Zinn said, "Don't just do something, sit there".  

Perhaps I could get better at it, but none of these methods seem to be something I can practice with any constancy. I need something to 'do', something to keep my active side busy enough, so my contemplative side can contemplate.  I'm much better when I meditate while doing something. I can walk and meditate, knit and meditate, and as it turns out, write and meditate. That's the focus of this week's exercise from The Woman and the Cave, written by Kristen Wheeler. 

Meditative writing is just what it sounds like - writing while meditating, or meditating while writing. To meditate, get comfortable, stay present, acknowledge wandering or intrusive thoughts then let them go. 

For me, writing keeps me focused on the present. I light a candle, and write. My prompts are normally scripture I've read, although when life gets harder, sometimes I write about more personal matters, like my sick loved one. 

So this week, you are invited to find 5-20 minutes, make yourself comfortable, breath deeply, find a prompt, and write. Your prompt could be scripture, nature, an icon, Lent, something happening in your life. Give it a try. It could be by hand, or on a computer. But just write. 

We'll check in on Friday, and see how it went.