Archive for the 'cathartic writing' Category

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Boosting Your Creativity

Published on May 10, 2010 in Author Blog, cathartic writing, Creativity, General Information, inspiration, Journaling, Journals, Musings, Notebooks, Passions, writer blog, writing and Writing, journaling. Tags: , , , .

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Whether you’re  a writer, artist or businessperson, chances are creativity is vital to some part of your profession. Some of you may already have tricks on how to tap into your creativity, but what I suggest is to start with keeping a notebook or journal or daybook, whatever you choose to call it. These days many people, especially those in my son’s Generation X, take notes on a computer or iPhone—but what I’m suggesting is to use the old-fashioned method of a notebook.

There are many books with directive learning modalities and tools to hold your hand through the process, such as Julia Cameron’s, The Artist’s Way and Natalie Goldberg’s Writing Down the Bones, which provide a more in depth immersion into the process—both excellent resources.

However, here’s,  a free crash-course:

Buy a notebook or journal from a book store, pharmacy or grocery store. Choose your favorite pen. Put the date on top of the page. Do some longhand writing. Do some doodling or drawing. Whatever tickles your fancy. Stay in the moment. Write what is on your mind. You can start by writing, “Right now I am thinking about …” Let your words flow and if one thought leads to another or takes you in another direction, that’s fine too. There are no rules and spelling and grammar don’t matter.

It’s a good idea to make this a daily practice. You will see that your ritual will tap into your creativity. Writing is a great way to cultivate a constant flow of ideas. Feel free to include other people’s ideas in your writing. What you are doing is brainstorming on the page instead of in a conference room or sitting area.

Sometimes I journal in this way before beginning a new project thinking it might result in a new opening—but it often becomes what I call my ‘throat-clearing’ section which is typically discarded. It’s akin to piano scales, stretching before exercising or dashes before sports.

This free-writing gets rid of all the junk in your head—the neurosis, the deflating comments, the negativity. It’s difficult to be creative if this junk is kicking around your head creating all this unwanted noise. How can you create with noise, anyway?

Another bonus to writing is that it gives you some down time and quiets your mind—it can be meditative.

The page can also help you try out new ideas. It’s a place to write down the pros and cons. You can write, “What if …” to describe the various possible scenarios.  If you are not happy, write about what would bring a smile to your face and see if you can make that happen.

Most successful writers have ritual/s before they start their creative work, whether it’s getting rid of all the junk, getting a cup of coffee or answering emails. It’s your prep time. It’s a time for your muse to be invited into the wide open green pasture which has been cleared of its weeds.

The other great thing about having a notebook is convenience. How many times have you had ideas at the most unexpected times—walking the dog, working out, driving or at a dinner party. That’s the muse visiting you and even if you think you will remember the message, chances are you won’t. If you don’t have a notebook available, that thought will be a fleeting one.

Some other creative exercises:

1) Write about your most creative challenge. 2) Write about where you want to be in five years.

3) If you could be doing one thing now, what would it be? 4) Write a letter to someone who passed away.

The most important tip is to do is to write for at least 20 minutes. After you invite this routine into your life, you will see that it becomes sort of like an addiction – a healthy one. Imagine that!

Linking Creativity and Depression

Published on March 1, 2010 in Author Blog, cathartic writing, Creativity, Depression, Health, Health and Wellness, inspiration and Musings. Tags: , , , .

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It’s not a new theory that some of the brightest, most creative and influential individuals in history have been plagued by depression – including Charles Darwin, Vincent Van Gogh, Virginia Woolf, Sylvia Plath, William Syron, and more recently the novelist, David Foster Wallace. A feature article in this past weekend’s New York Times Magazine section entitled, “Depression’s Upside,” by Jonah Lehrer offered a fascinating new slant on the subject. A study by a Yale Psychologist, Susan Nolen-Hoeksema, showed that those with ruminative tendencies are more likely to become depressed. I found this to be an interesting factoid depicting those prone to this illness.

Supposedly, Darwin viewed his depression as a clarifying force, which helped him focus on essential problems. Apparently, in his writings, he claimed that sadness “leads an animal to pursue that course of action which is most beneficial.” In other words, for the creative individual, the darkness can be a sort of light.

The article certainly validated some of my own depressive moments. When everything is going extremely well in my personal life, I am more prone to writer’s block. As a journaling advocate and writing instructor who frequently lectures on the healing power of writing, I was thrilled that Lehrer referenced a recent study citing that ‘expressive writing’ leads to a significantly shorter depressive episode.  Many of us in the literary world are aware of this, but it’s refreshing to see it addressed in this reputable reference, for the masses to read.

In fact, in the journaling classes I teach, I see a major transformation in my students from the first to last class, particularly if they had signed up to find their way out of a crisis. I don’t really need any long-term case studies to convince me of the healing power of the written word. Just by examining my own life and those of my colleagues and students, I can see the pattern. I frequently make students laugh when I tell them that writing is certainly less expensive than therapy and often times, much more effective.

Depression is common in the general public and the article states that seven percent of the population will be affected by depression and this number tends to be higher amongst creative types.  So fellow writers, don’t worry so much about your depressive moments  or disregard your analytical ruminations, because you just never know what the outcome will be! Oh no, a literary drought!

To read the complete article, check out the following link:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/28/magazine/28depression-t.html?em

The Red Book by C.J. Jung

Published on December 14, 2009 in cathartic writing, Health and Wellness, inspiration, Journaling, Journals and The Red Book.

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Last week I had the special opportunity to visit Pacifica University for James Hillman’s Lecture, entitled “The Active Imagination,” which was prompted by the recent and controversial release of C. G.Jung’s The Red Book (Liber Novu) which last month was published by his heirs with the assistance of the translator Sonu Shamdasani. Hillman encountered Jung in Zurich in 1958 after obtaining his Ph.D. Jung began the journal in 1913 after a falling-out with Freud. Apparently he was afflicted by a psychotic episode which he viewed as a voluntary confrontation with his unconscious. At the time he was having strange dreams and frightening visions. Because of the personal and quirky nature of the manuscript, it was not published during his lifetime. The book’s theme is about how Jung regained his soul and overcame his imbalance and spiritual isolation.

In The Red Book, Jung described his dreams which reflected what was going on in the world—what was happening during the horror and crumbling of the 19th century. According to Hillman, Jung was thrown off by all the events of the time. Hillman described The Red Book as the theory of madness and the defending of madness. He continues, “Many have written that Jung was psychotic or had something called, ‘creative illness.’ This makes the point that in order to do something radical, one must leave the safe terrain. What held it together for Jung was his commitment to his own world, which had no acceptance and had no real authoritative background.” Apparently, Jung stayed committed to the journal for about 15 years and wrote in it at the end of the day, in spite of a busy practice, a wife and children. He was desperate. He was going crazy and had to do something. He was trying to survive with his demons, images and voices, which is why he wrote in the journal.

Jung believed that imagination is the reproductive activity of the mind in general. He believed that people often suffer from a lack of imagination. According to Hillman, many might have thought this book to be a book of instruction, but in fact it’s not – it is simply a book to learn from. The book retails for $195, but is available on Amazon for $ 114.07, although I noticed this morning that it is temporarily out of stock. I also understand the book is on display until January at The Rubin Museum of Art in NYC.

Celebrate Collaboration

Published on November 9, 2009 in cathartic writing, Dr. Errol Norwitz, Health and Wellness, High-Risk Pregnancy, Pregnancy, Writing for healing and Writing, journaling.

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I am always up for a good reason to celebrate and today is a special one for me as it marks the launching of my latest book, YOUR HIGH RISK PREGNANCY: A PRACTICAL AND SUPPORTIVE GUIDE. This book was originally published in 1988 under the title of, Getting Pregnant and Staying Pregnant: A Guide to Infertility and High-Risk Pregnancy. Since its initial publication and cover designed by my daughter, Rachel at the age of three, there have been two subsequent editions.

The first edition was written while I was on bed rest with Rachel. After she was born, my husband and I self-published the book in our basement on what was probably the first desktop publishing program, Ventura Publishing. From that basement I sold 10,000 copies and was then went on to sell the rights to Hunter House Publishers who released all the subsequent editions. This newly updated version could not have been completed without the generous assistance of Errol Norwitz, MD, Professor of Yale School of Medicine, Co-Director of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Yale-New Haven Hospital. When the publisher asked me to update the book, I knew I wanted to collaborate with a physician specializing in high-risk pregnancies. After a thorough Google search, Dr. Norwitz’s name was first on my list.. Our connection was truly serendipitous. I phoned him to ask if he would be interested in updating this book with me. When I mentioned the book’s title, he stopped and said with enthusiasm, “I would love to. You know, I am familiar with your book. It’s on my bookshelf. I’ve had it since I was a medical student in South Africa!”

That moment reignited my belief in the value of my book. After Dr. Norwitz graciously accepted my invitation, we spoke nearly every week for three months. During each conversation I would interview him about the latest developments in high-risk pregnancy management. He has been a sheer delight to work with: professional, knowledgeable and eager to craft a book which will continue to help many women. Because I’ve heard that not all collaborative efforts are successful, I certainly consider myself lucky. I want to celebrate this new edition, and perhaps more importantly, celebrate an effective collaborative effort. On the book’s new back cover, just before describing the book’s contents, “You are not alone,” is printed in bold letters. This not only applies to all pregnant women who will read my book, but to it also applies to me for having had such a great collaborative partner for the rebirth of this title. In addition to the many medical updates, one change that is close to my heart is the addition of a “Journaling Corner,” at the end of each chapter, which provides prompts for women to write about their own high-risk pregnancy experience. As a journaling advocate, I just could not help but to share my passion with others. I invite you and your loved ones in need of such a book, to purchase it on Amazon or from your local bookstores. Errol Norwitz and I both thank you, our readers!

http://www.amazon.com/Your-High-Risk-Pregnancy-Practical-Supportive/dp/0897935209/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257832398&sr=8-8

 

Pregnancy Book Cover

Writing for Wellness and Health

Published on October 26, 2009 in cathartic writing, Health, Health and Wellness, inspiration, Journaling, Journals, Notebooks, Wellness and Writing Connections, writing, Writing for healing and Writing, journaling.

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This past weekend I attended a conference in Atlanta — the Wellness and Writing Connections Conference. My dear friend and colleague, Julie Davey also the author of  Writing For Wellness (a fabulous book) was the keynote speaker. I conducted a workshop entitled, “The Healing Notebook.” It’s the second year I have taught this workshop and the crowd is always very enthusiastic and includes writers, therapists, and clinicians. The premise of my workshop is to discuss not only the healing power of words, but how regular notebook-writing can empower us. Recent studies have shown that writing down your feelings can help you  come to terms with difficult situations. The good thing is that there are no rules to the healing notebook. You can dictate your own method and do at your own pace. By doing this you will gain control of your life.

Quite a few writers have used their notebooks as a way to heal and they have also gone on to publish their work, including Walt Whitman, Andre Lorde, May Sarton, Hilda Raz, Donald Hall, Elizabeth Berg, Jane Kenyon, Isabel Allende and my favorite diarist, Anaïs Nin who began her first journal as a letter to her estranged father who left the family when she was ten years old. Writing that letter was her way of healing from the pain of losing him. Since that day, Nin became an avid diarist and today has numerous published volumes.

I am also a big advocate of letter writing in the notebook and novelist Isabel Allende began her writing career by writing a letter to her grandfather when he was nearly 100 years old. At the time he was dying in Chile where her novel House of Spirits was set. She admits that in many ways, writing that novel saved her life.

The Healing Notebook has numerous benefits including: it’s a place to capture and record memories, a place to clear the mind, a place to build self-confidence, a place to empower and a place to witness the healing process. I always suggest using proper tools—that is, a notebook and pen which inspires and resonates with you. You want to be motivated to use your journal. I suggest starting with free-writing first thing in the morning, with 15-20 minutes and increasing the time as needed. Basically, this is writing without lifting your pen off the page and seeing where your mind goes. Begin by writing about an experience which has deeply affected your life or which has obsessed you for quite some time.

In general, my only suggestion is that when you sit down to write, you should write as long as you like, but if the pain gets too great, it is probably a good idea to stop. This would be an appropriate time to take a break and do something different like walking or some other form of exercise. The best part about keeping a healing notebook is the ability to turn a negative into a positive and what can be so bad about that?