A Wednesday happening in which I dissolve posting flummoxia by posting a a jambalaya, a comfort basket, a wiry fankle (a Scottish word that means a tangle or a state of confusion), a bit of this and tad of that.
Wiry Fankle One
Talk about being comforted! I spent 45 minutes being inspired by Janice Lynn Lundy this week. She is the Wisdom Expert at the Comfort Cafe for March and an author, spiritual director and retreat creator.
But mostly, she’s love.
I excerpted a gem from our conversation to share with you – it may change how you think of your breath forever.
Enjoy!
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Wiry Fankle Two
One of the things I talk about with my writer’s coaching group and at the Writer’s Retreat (and certainly practice myself) is the art of lovingly noticing your creative habits.
What inspires you?
When do you work best?
Where?
Does it change depending on what kind of project you are working or what stage of a project?
By being lovingly curious about our own process, we can so much better support ourselves to create – in writing, in art, in life – with so much more ease and joy.
And truth!
So I’ve been watching my own process
I’ve learned that creating a monthly workshop, almost daily dollops, audios, and talking on the forums for the Comfort Cafe is utterly wildly feeding my creativity.
I’m sparked, I’m inspirited, I’m enthused.
I’m on fire.
Can’t wait to lead my retreats at Kripalu – they are going to rock!
I share my fire for two reasons:
- One, I’ve gotten feedback that I’m over-delivering at the Cafe. May be true, I may need to back off so I don’t burn out or overwhelm people and I do need to raise the price so people value what I’m giving (that’s a different fankle) but the truth is: creating this much is better for me than creating less.
which brings me to point
- Two, don’t let anybody tell you what your process should be.
- Be a student of it, and trust it.
And know it is subject to change at any moment.
Wiry Fankle Three
One aspect of comfort:
allowing yourself be taken care of by what’s around you, by life itself, to be held and
1 response so far ↓
1 Rachel Mar 18, 2009
Jennifer,
Loving this blog post today… Two things to share…
1. I like that idea of thinking about what conditions inspire writing… There are certainly some things that bring on more inspiration than others for me… a walk outside, spring and fall weather (both seasons inspire me, perhaps it’s the change and creation going on outside), reading great poetry or short stories. Thinking about how the writing and creativity blooms may lead to more blooming, or even using that information sometime when nothing seems to be rising to the surface to be written.
2. “not believing you have to do it alone”… this has special meaning for me, as I’ve finally accepted that I do not need to answer every single question out there for my readers, I do not need to solve the world’s problems, I do not need to be everything for everyone. I have a tendency to over-deliver in my writing, to want my readers to have NO questions when I’m finished, and feel like I’m failing people if I *don’t* have all the info available on every aspect of my topic(s). I have a little voice inside that says, “If you don’t tell them, how will they know?”
But you know — I’m not the only one out there, they can get more information from others. I can only be myself, and give and provide what I have. And I feel SO much lighter after coming to this realization.
I’m going to post more about this in the cafe, but your blog post reminded me.
You are right, though… knowing we are not the source for everything *is* a wonderfully comforting thought.
Much love,
~ Rachel