Spiritual practice and writing share so much in common. When we are in touch with the deepest place within us, we may be surprised by the words that soon arise.

Let the Words Arise

Commonalities between spiritual practice and writing

Writing to a spiritual perspective or to answer a spiritual question, can help us cultivate freedom in the journey of practice. In both, we celebrate the joy of expression and we bow to the limitation of language. There are many qualities in common between these two forms of practice: confusion, humility, curiosity, intuition. We bring all of these to both spiritual work and creative work. They both need courage, trust. They both benefit from mentoring and from solitude. In both forms of expression, we do a lot of repetition, and we use our memory. We seek simplicity, discipline. We practice acceptance. We need hope. We feel pain and joy. We cultivate that sense of the invisible, and, of course, a sense of the absurd. 

A Song Dynasty nun called Zhenru describes her own religious joy, citing the inability to find the words. Yet with her few words, she conveys it. This translation is from Daughters of Emptiness by Beata Grant.

Notice what you bring to this course

Try to bring these qualities, especially simplicity, here. That means coming without expectations or goals. Notice what you're bringing into the room and try not to impose boundaries on what you express. We will discuss this more detail in the next unit. Practice of any kind requires time. It requires mistakes. We learn to welcome mistakes because they are opportunities. And it all requires perseverance. 

Vulnerability is inevitable and necessary, both in spiritual practice and creative work. You are likely to find unexpected material here. Allow yourself to be touched in the deepest place.

We learn in spiritual practice that this place, tender and soft, is also very strong and very enduring. Trust it. Allow it to speak. Listen to it. 

Celebrate spiritual expression

We have no choice but to use language to express that which language cannot express. It is our great paradox: we can only use language to express what language cannot express. So recognize that language is both necessary and limited. And celebrate it. Cultivate a relationship to rhythm, repetition, and sound. We are creating an incantation of experience. Discover and follow your deepest intention wherever it leads. 

Writing assignment: free writing

We have come to the end of this introductory unit. So for your homework before the next unit, I suggest free writing.

How do you do a free write? It's very simple: you keep writing. Start writing and keep writing until the end of the timed period. If you don't know what to say, that's what you write: "I don't know what to say." Allow a new thought whenever it arises, no matter what the subject. Don't censor yourself. Don't judge what you've written or edit it in any way. That's all for later. Today, we want you to just let the words arise.

Take a few moments of silence before you begin. And then answer these questions.

• What do you seek here? 
• What do you need here? 
• What do you fear here? 
• For what are you grateful?
• For what do you atone? 
• What is it that you cannot say?