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contemplative writing 4

  What is Contemplative Writing? Poetry, prose, journaling, fiction, haiku writing. Any form of creative writing can be seen as a type of contemplative writing, and I have heard it said that even technical writing or scientific research can be contemplative writing. But what makes one form of writing more contemplative? When I am lying in bed just before I sleep at night, that is a time that I find is vastly more contemplative in terms of my thoughts, though contemplations and original thoughts can occur throughout the day. Really any thoughts that bubble up can be seen as Contemplative and when they are written down that is inherently what contemplative writing becomes. There is no certain subject or guidelines. No perimeters that constitute contemplative as separate from other forms of writing. But if you tune into your mind, and listen deeply to what you are thinking, you will be closer to these contemplative thoughts, and if you then write down ...
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Contemplative Writing, part 3

  In my college class on Contemplative Writing, several of my peers were writing on a masters level. It probably was the college writing class that stretched us the most. The name of the style of writing, and the course, was Contemplative Writing, and though it accurately represents what is being done in that style, usually when I use the term with my friends, they don’t really understand what I mean by the name. It also takes a lot more words to explain what it is to someone than makes sense for using such a term. My 2 friends who make up my Peer Support Writing Group, along with me, are vastly familiar with Creative Writing, on a level I would say is equal to mine. I think they are on a Graduate level in Creative Writing, and I have sat down with them many times to lead them in workshops of Contemplative Writing, but it never felt as familiar to them. Everything was new to them. Which makes me think when I talk about Contemplative Writing to other friends ...
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Contemplative Writing part 2

  A year ago I went to my therapist. “I feel like there is something just around the corner that I am trying to think that I haven’t thought yet. It feels like it would be important to discover if I can.” “I understand.” Replied my therapist. “What do you think you are about to discover?” I wasn’t sure. I knew I was sure I was on the verge of a personal discovery, as she said, but I wasn’t sure what it was. A few times it would come up in therapy, always feeling like something important was on the tip of my tongue, but never knowing for certain what it was. This morning I think I realized something though. The feeling that I am on the verge of thinking something important actually doesn’t seem to just be one thing but any number of ideas and discoveries just around the bend, if I contemplate. The question changes from I wonder what my important self discovery may be to I have a limitless number of ideas and thoughts that always are accessible and r...
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contemplative writing part 1

  One of the interview questions had asked what writing project I would want to work on if I was to start one this semester. I am already working at least 3 projects. They are not explicitly contemplative, but there are contemplative elements to them, and I think they could be a lot more contemplative in nature if I wanted them to be. The first thing that occurred to me that would make my writing contemplative is if I had some focused time for silence in my process. Silence is what really made my writing contemplative, as I remember. Libby had said she lets what float up, float up. That is a good way to describe what contemplative writing is for me. Most of the time my mind is either filled with daily thoughts or I have something on like a podcast or some media that inadvertently fills my mind and makes contemplative thoughts hard to come by. When I lie in bed at night before I sleep or sometimes in the middle of the night, original thoughts come to me. Im...
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Good morning

 Writing from my phone.    Was part time research assistant for 10 years very few hours but did good work and lots of deep matter. Yesterday interviewed professor.   Was lacking in sleep but she said I did really good as interviewer.  Said my listening was active.   She'll be interviewing me soon with same questions I wrote.  Will spur on deep future thinking for us both. Excited for exploration. 
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routine intermission

The important thing is I pick back up mid September when pool reopens and proceed with routine!!!!!!!!!
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Poem

  Before the Ocean Makes her Cry My friend took her baby to a crowded shore Her tot dove in and wanted more I remember the world before the ocean made me cry before I nose dove into the sand beneath trying to body surf Salt water dries swifter and the shore breeze helps I learned the water is scary and mighty I learned to fear the under toe But even after I was caught in a rip tide alone I made my way out and got up early the next morning because the tide had calmed overnight I wanted nothing more Than to swim those waves again
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