I recently went to an official launch of a friend`s webpage called Sharing Seeds. Together with a friend of hers they started this project: “Life is a series of interwoven stories, not a set of concepts. Sharing seeds collects contributions from all over the world because any kind of story can become a seed of inspiration, peace, knowledge, comforting. Sharing seed’s goal is to gather, connect and spread multicultural ways of looking at this confusing and complex reality around us, always from a positive perspective.”
It goes in line with my ‘at ease’, reaching out, helping and inspiring others – and as well to make them laugh, smile and simply just be. And while the idea itself was already interesting another part of this launch got my attention, too. We received a brief introduction about writing and writing Haiku poems! I suddenly remembered again that I used to write poems back when I was a teenager and heartbroken – no one ever read them and I will definitely spare you with those!
Coming back to the writing part. We received some basic writing rules based on Nathalie Goldberg and her book “Writing down the Bones”. Just listening to them I was already intrigued but trying them first hand there and then and seeing, respectively listening, to the poems all the other participants wrote was a powerful experience. And who knows, some of us may continue to really sit and write now and then.
Here a short overview of the rules – using pen and paper, not the computer!
- Keep your hand moving, do not stop.
If you stop you will start to analyse, correct, and restrict yourself.
You will not write your initial thoughts.
We set the time for 10minutes to just let it flow. - Lose control
Don’t worry if it is correct, appropriate or polite at this stage, in this moment.
You do not publish this version. - Be specific
If you write about a tree, name the tree, tell how it looks. - Don’t think
Let your first thought speak it has the most energy. - Don’t worry about spelling or grammar
At this moment just let it flow. - You are free to write the worst junk
At this stage you are allowed to do anything. - Go for the extreme/awkward
Face the fear even if (or I may add especially when) the heart beats hard.
It is ok to be different, be aggressive, let it out.
Those are only the first initial steps. The steps before you start the correction, tweaking, adjustments, etc. This is the part that gets the creativity flowing!
Nathalie Goldberg talks about one hand being the “creator” the other the “editor”. So allow the creator to speak loud and clear before the editor sets in to analyse and correct it all!
For me, this experience left me with some ideas not only on how to tackle my own writing but as well on what a powerful way this can be to sort ideas, feeling and thoughts.
Just for myself. Not all that is written down needs to be seen!
But this ‘letting it flow’ without analysing what you write for 10min – so simple! Yet you can dig deep, and even open up some creative channels. A truly interesting experience!
Go and have a try!
Before I finish up with my own first Sharing Seeds poem I want share something I recently heard at a seminar with Divya Marie Kato (When in doubt draw) that goes in line with all this.
“Pencil and paper –
not just pencil and paper but an invitation.
An invitation to reflect, inspire and express.”
As for our own 10-minutes writing on the day we could chose one of the the two subjects “I think of” or “Where is your home”. Here is mine:
“Where is your home” by Ann-Katrin van Schie
I do not want to be defined by my passport.
Home is so much more!
Home – is where I feel at ease.
Home is where I feel my heart beat.
Home is where I can be me.
Home is where I can be free.
Home is where I feel loved,
Home is where I can just be.
Home – is not defined by my passport
Home is within me!
Have a lovely day,
AK