For the last four weeks, I did Morning Pages first thing in the morning. Morning Pages was created by bestselling author Julia Cameron, as a writing tool to help free and train the mind.
My mind runs like a ticker tape in the early morning hours when it's inundated with thoughts. Some of the thoughts range from what I need to do to finish the blog post and new writing ideas to what I'm going to eat for lunch and whether the car will get a bath today. Although I have a To Do List, it's not enough to silence the noise in my head or stop the thoughts from invading my mind during writing time. Morning Pages stops the ticker tape madness, alleviates the noise, and disciplines my mind.
Here is Cameron's writing exercise that I use to free my mind and even prep it for writing:
1. First thing in the morning, take out three blank sheets of 8 1/2 x 11 paper. Be sure to use no fewer than three sheets of paper and use paper no smaller than 8 1/2 x 11. This is to allow for ample writing space.
Cameron highly suggests that you do this exercise first thing in the morning and make it a daily routine. The exercise is more rewarding when done at a certain time.
2. Write in longhand; don't use the keyboard.
As Cameron explains, "There is energy to the hand that leads our thoughts to a deeper and more connected place." I talk about this profound connection in my earlier entry titled "It's a Pen-Paper Writing Process."
3. Sit down and get comfortable because this writing exercise can take approximately 30 minutes. Put pen to paper and let her rip! Write down everything -- I mean EVERYTHING -- that comes to mind. Don't worry about the mechanics of writing and don't censor a word. This exercise is for your eyes only.
Cameron points out that it's important to get the words down on paper and write from the gut. Writing from the gut is that "deeper and more connected place" she talks about above.
I don't believe Cameron mentions whether to keep the Morning Pages or discard them. I don't feel the need to keep them, so I discard them the next day.
Doing Morning Pages has been extremely beneficial to me. Writing all of my thoughts down on paper without censoring not only gets everything off my chest, but also teaches me to write more freely. And doing the pages first thing in the morning has its advantages. Acknowledging the thoughts and giving them priority first thing in the morning silence the thoughts and calm the mind. I've noticed that when I write my thoughts down early in the morning, they tend to not resurface during the day or continually vie for my attention. Morning Pages is a simple yet powerful writing tool that helps me concentrate better and write more effectively.
I should have done Morning Pages a long time ago. Thank you, Julia!
Image Credit: jypsygen via photopin cc
Bibliography:
Cameron, Julia. The Right to Write. New York: Jeremy P. Tarcher/Putman, 1998.
