Have you ever wanted to start (or re-start) a writing practice and just can’t seem to make it happen? Maybe you think you don’t have the time or you don’t think it’s productive or that there is no benefit unless you publish. Those roadblocks along with many other myths are just some of the excuses we tell ourselves to keep us from creating and reaping the benefits that come from a creative practice.
Writing for no other purpose but ‘to write’ can be a helpful thing to do during times of uncertainty. It is a simple practice where writing for as short a time as three minutes can be beneficial after one session. While there are no guarantees, writing often helps people make sense of things going on in their lives. Writing can also help with processing and coping.
No matter what ‘purpose’ we have for writing, many people know that writing can be settling and comforting. Franz Kafka, a writer of the 20th century, wrote that “a non-writing writer is a monster courting insanity”. Has anyone else felt like a non-writing writer even a little bit over the last year and half?
You don’t need to be a professional writer, want to publish or write anything with a cohesive narrative to experience the benefits of writing. Many studies show that even a short daily writing practice can be beneficial. Expressive writing, writing what’s on your mind and in your heart, can have the following benefits:
- Stronger immune health
- Better sleep habits
- Regulated blood pressure
- Improved mental health
Writing to express ourselves can be a transformative act. You can do it anywhere, for any amount of time and it’s free. The practice of putting pencil to paper is a way to shift perspectives, how we feel and what we notice. It is a way to change our story loops that no longer serve us, but that won’t seem to leave us alone.
If you have practiced yoga, you may have already come across a story in your body that you have. Maybe it is a story of your feet. Or perhaps it is about your right knee. Or maybe you have a story about your whole body that needs to be written. Putting it down on the page can be a way of understanding what is going on in the body or perhaps even letting go of what we don’t need. We can even build new stories that are less harmful and more helpful. That isn’t to say that some of our stories aren’t fine just the way they are, but maybe they still want to be written.
In our Embodied Expression 4-week workshop series, we will write together and, if you choose, have the opportunity to share what you write. Saying our stories out loud is another way to transform our stories. So is listening to others read their writing. The main premise of the workshop is that anyone can write and everyone’s writing is valuable.
The workshop takes place at the PranaShanti Education Centre on:
Tuesday, October 19th and 26th – 7-9pm
Tuesday, November 2nd and 9th – 7-9pm
Sign up HERE! See you soon!