The thing about poetry is its fluidity, its flow, it’s beauty to adapt to feeling and sound. To external and internal environments, occurrences, places, beings. I stepped away from the mic for awhile, forgotten what it felt like to be in my poetry.
But I’m back! Check it out, my newest poem, “Whatchya know ’bout that?” I explore my identity as a a first generation and Cali transplant and how freedom of expression is meant to join not divide.
I love journaling. For as long as I can remember, I have kept a journal. It was the meditation I practiced before I knew what meditation was. You don’t have to be an amazing writer to keep a journal. Journaling is for everyone. And it’s been proven to help increase clarity, improve perspective and reduce stress.
The ancients also tell stories of journaling and its healing effects. The ancient Hindu ritual of “maha vasana daha tantra” describes writing down problems and bringing them from the subconscious into the external mind and then during the ritual, releasing the suppressed emotions.
“The more light you allow within you, the brighter the world you live in will be.”
~ Shakti Gawain
And then there’s the science. According to The American Psychological Association, regular journaling strengthens immune cells, called T-lymphocytes.
The research also shows that the act of writing accesses your left brain, which is analytical and rational. While your left brain is occupied, your right brain is free to create, intuit and feel. In sum, writing removes mental blocks and allows you to use all of your brainpower to better understand yourself, others and the world around you.
1. Draw or paint. Sometimes we don’t have words for what we are feeling and can begin to let the emotion out in the form of artwork.
2. For five to ten minutes just start writing as a “stream of consciousness.” Remember, don’t edit your thoughts or feelings and don’t bother to correct your grammar. Don’t censor your thoughts. Just go.
3. Talk to your inner child by writing his/her thoughts with your subdominant hand. Then respond back with your dominant hand. Notice what you find and what comes up.
4. Ask yourself key questions and then answer them from an open space, perhaps after a meditation. Are you right where you want to be? With work, your relationships, where you live?
5. Gratitude. Make a list of a few things you appreciate every day. Use positive quotes you find that uplift you and put them in your journal.
6. Just write about presence. Write about the present moment and where you are, what you feel, do, see, think… TODAY.
7. Snap a picture of a place/person/nature object that makes you feel something. Put it in your journal and write about it. Connect to your surroundings, especially the environment.
8. Write about when you succeed every week. Think of each success and log it in your journal for future inspiration.
9. Write as you play music that inspires you or moves you deeply. Songs may even trigger memories, let the stream of feelings and thought flow through you.
10. Write in third person if there is something that is hard to get out, that you struggle with, or that you find difficult to share even with yourself.
11. Write letters to people you cannot express what you feel to. This could be deceased relatives, your partner, your children, a co-worker. Keep them in your journal as you reflect on what you learned from your thoughts on the situation with them, so when you approach this person to talk, you feel more clarity or you just have a much needed emotional release in your journal.
12. We all have dark days, black moods, and anxious feelings. Use your journal to explore this darkness. You will actually find your inner light when you do.
13. Lastly, pause and breathe. Write down questions you have about life or concerns you feel then take a deep breath and listen for a response from your Higher Self. Let yourself write automatically. If you don’t get an answer right away, look for signs during the day and record them. This is your intuition speaking.
Back in December, I took a trip out to the desert to welcome in my birthday, a celebration of my fourth decade.
2020 was the year I spent finishing my novel and 2021 was the year I spent editing and refining it to query agents and publishers. While awaiting a contract from a publisher, I went off to give myself a much needed retreat.
I had come across Two Bunch Palms years ago, in search of a quiet place to unwind, immerse in healing water and have healthy food options. As a busy mom, I didn’t get to go back then, but always knew I would. And even with a rainy day, some brisk winter mornings and evenings, I was so glad I made the time to go.
Writers often want to get away to get creative, it’s where the idea of the secluded writing cabin in the forest comes from, (I am working on manifesting that one). Once secluded in nature, we remove ourselves from all stimulation and distraction to be able to create. Create worlds of words and write from our heart. These are the things that happen when we give ourselves the time and space to do so. As a mother of young ones, this can be especially tricky to listen to even when I know I need it the most.
I set an intention before leaving. After such intense editing and querying all year, I wanted to write and relax, and write without an outcome. Poetry, affirmations, journaling, writing about nature. All those things sounded perfect. When I arrived to Two Bunch, I learned that the best place for me to do so was in the hot spring pools. The water felt magical each morning and invited me to open up.
My evening dinners were cozy by the fire in the restaurant, where I had brought some clean wine my girlfriend gifted me to enjoy one night with their amazing menu options, (the eggplant is my favorite and they also have organic-no headache the next day wine on their beverage menu if you desire). Eating solo can be really relaxing and I was not used to such a luxury. At home, my meals consisted of getting dinner on the table right after activities so HW and bedtime routine can be completed on time. Here, I was able to eat slowly, enjoy each bite and sip and watch the fire, people around me and even listen to the music playing in the background with interest.
The property itself has cute areas to retreat to from your room. My favorite was the small labyrinth. If the weather was warmer when I went, I would have also spent time by the small lake where there were plenty of hammocks. The yoga dome was across my room and housed evening yoga that I went to on a rainy day.
I also loved the other classes in the glass house such as angel cards, tarot, intuitive painting and even a sage cleanse. On the morning after my angel card reading, I went into the water and closed my eyes to soak in what was said. Then I opened my eyes, looked up and saw this happen in the sky…just a minute apart.
In the desert, there are messages everywhere, we just have to look and listen. I can’t wait to go back!