Preparing for the Days of Awe
I begin with gratitude and a prayer that true words will flow, that I can help you as I have in the past, to find your own words.
A few suggestions –
Though many of you will prefer writing on your laptop or other devices, consider writing by hand. Computers go quickly, quickly; this writing is all about slowly, slowly, and writing by hand may help to slow you down and be more reflective. Both modes have worked for me.
When you are sitting with the prompt, listen carefully. This writing is all about listening – listening to yourself.
Often the first response that comes to mind is the most fruitful. Just relax and go with it even if you think it is odd.
Through long experience leading others in writing, I’d say 10 minutes is more or less the most fruitful amount of time to sit with a prompt and write. If you sit for less time, you probably haven’t mined as deeply as you can; more time is always an option if you’ve come upon a rich vein.
As you write, capture as clearly and precisely as you can what is true for you – no artifice, no disguises.
Be specific, concrete; better to tell one story and go deep with it than to generalize or to skim over multiple examples.
Be on the lookout for strong images that come up, meaningful details. Be curious; follow the image and explore it even if you don’t quite understand why it’s important or where it is going.
Write in your first language; that is the best way to make a heart-connection through words.
Once you are done writing, take a breath, read what you have written. Do not criticize or judge – these are words from your heart that need to be valued, cherished and respected.
You may want to write down any questions that the writing has sparked for you. You can return to those questions at another time for reflection and/or for continued writing.
In some way, acknowledge to yourself the courage and openness you have brought to this work.
Prompts for Week 1
This first week centers on the self – when do I feel most alive? How have I been challenged and grown this year? How do I cultivate my inner life? engage in self-care?
~ Recall a situation, conjure an image of a time this past year when your best, fullest self was being expressed. Maybe it was a public moment, an achievement, a story of risk or leadership, or maybe it was something small, subtle, a private moment only you were aware of, something shifting deep inside… Tell the story, describe the situation, letting the details return to you in all their fullness….
follow-up – Now reflect on why/how the best part of you came out in that situation. What did you do to make that happen? Were there other people or conditions that supported that flowering?
follow-up – Given that we all have many sides to who we are, what are other “best selves” of yours you’d like to see more often? In the coming year, how might you call forth more fully realized, enlivened aspects of “you”?
[Note: It can be fruitful to repeat this prompt, exploring a different moment, a different situation.]
~ Begin a conversation with yourself – “What are some of the questions I need to be asking myself in this season of turning in order to move toward a healthier, holier, happier life?”
~ What has been one particular challenge this year? (I know how hard it is to choose, but please, choose and focus on just one; again, remember, you can respond to this prompt more than once.) What was hard about it for you? How have you changed because of it? Has it offered an opportunity for you to grow? What new aspects or potentiality has it called forth from you?
~ How did you live in your body this year? Are there ways in which your body has been a source of delight? disappointment? strength? pain? Tell the story. What do you need moving forward?
~ How have you cared for yourself this year? What kinds of activities have you been able to savor? Think expansively: it might be a time when you went walking on a nature trail, called together a circle of close friends to create a ritual for some liminal life event, did a good job of saying “no.” How did you manage it? How did it feel? Or, describe how you allowed yourself a special afternoon or day or days to relish some longed-for place or time or experience.
follow-up – Make a list of all the ways you nourish yourself – things you do every day, things you do sometimes, rarely. Read your list over, notice what you’d like to increase. What is your attitude toward self-care and what kinds of self-care are you hungry for?
[Note - My intention for this program is to offer you a wide menu from which to choose, so if one of these prompts feels like “a full-course meal” all by itself, give yourself permission to spend the week delving into that particular prompt, each time encountering it anew and writing about a different experience. In other words, make yourself at home and use these materials as is best for you!]
Blessings to you on your journey!