Tell me all about your prison, in detail.
Tell me about the stench, the awful colors, the dampness that never goes away.
Tell me about how you are tortured, morning and night, and the way that your captors leer at you.
I know the story well. It is my own.
How did you get there? How were you coerced? And how are you held inside?
How many men does it take to seal those walls in tight, to close the gap between you and your fears? And how do they hold you down and keep you in place?
I want to know, every detail.
What would it mean to be free? Does the thought excite you, or terrify you beyond words? Does that bring up images too? Of victoriously throwing off your captors? Of growing larger, finally, than the world?
What does freedom taste like? What does it smell like?
How does it embrace you at night?
And how was it ripped away from you?
Why did you ever let go?
How can find it again, and keep it this time? Bottle it and carry it with you?
Hmmmmm. . .
Freedom is a state of being–the state which is beyond change and condition. Can you rest there? Can you sense it? Yes. Breathe. You are perfect now, even in the midst of everything. You are enough.
First off I want to say awesome blog! I had a quick question which I’d like to ask if you don’t mind. I was interested to know how you center yourself and clear your thoughts before writing. I’ve had trouble clearing my mind in getting my ideas out there. I do enjoy writing but it just seems like the first 10 to 15 minutes are wasted just trying to figure out how to begin. Any recommendations or tips? Thank you!
My apologies for the delayed reply! And glad to hear that you’re enjoying my blog. 🙂
In terms of centering yourself and writing, that’s a good question…And I feel like the answer, first and foremost, has to do with contacting your own inner “gps” and following it’s lead. (The inner “gps” has a distinctly different feeling tone to it than the habitual, repetitive/racing mind). Meditation can help with centering and finding the inner feeling of “home”, as can (for me) being in nature. Or, a ritual–such as lighting a candle, deep breathing (especially useful for calming racing thoughts) and/or setting an intention for your writing can be very useful. Above all, strive to be authentic and to trust your inner voice as it makes itself known.
Hope that’s helpful! This is barely scratching the surface, with a topic that is near and dear to my heart. . . Email me at jennifer.parde@gmail.com if you want to discuss more. And, happy writing! 🙂