The writers in our programs who complete their books or other writing projects have one thing in common.
They commit to The Writer’s Breath.
The Writer’s Breath is a practice I introduced a decade ago in all workshops and events, from media training to wellbeing-through-writing. I used it to research and write my PhD.
The Writer’s Breath is not meditation and it’s not mindfulness. It’s a way of breathing/being that opens a vital channel that can steer the writer through hours of innovation, originality and attention.
The Writer’s Breath leads the writer in cyclical turn through four of the five identified brain waves: gamma – concentration, beta – active/relaxed, alpha – passive/relaxed and theta – inward focus/deeply relaxed. I would allow the reality that is also leads me through delta – sleep, which is how I wake each morning with the next idea top of mind.
The Writer’s Breath begins with grounding – spine straight, eyes closed, feet on the earth, breathing through the centre of the chest.
It is the body that does the writing. Come into your body. Breathe your way into the underside of your skin. Take up residency on the inside, all your attention below the neck.
And now breathe your way through your writing session in gentle flow. Sustain your breathing-being attention inside your body and your body will take care of the brain waves – and the writing.
And when the process is exhausted, walk away (literally, walk). It is time to renew the well.
It’s a practice. It takes practice. So does your writing. If you’d like guidance, join us for the next Ultreia book writing support program – there are 2 places left and a $155 discount on all bookings before Christmas.
Ultreia, we keep going.
Stephanie Dale is an award-winning journalist, author, researcher and founder of the International Wellbeing-through-writing Institute. In 2014 she launched The Write Road, a wellbeing-through-writing initiative for rural and remote Australians. She is passionate about pilgrimage, and in 2017 initiated Walk & Write Camino for pilgrim writers.