Discover the practice of mindfulness through writing. Then engage in writing exercises that explore awareness and peacefulness. Bring your favorite writing tools: journals, notebooks or laptops.
Writing as Mindfulness Practice
What is meditation or mindfulness practice? Any practice that slows the thinking processes and helps us learn how to follow our thoughts with attention and awareness is a mindfulness practice. These types of practices teach the mind how to think without chaos, hurry, and fragmentation. One of the reasons that mindfulness and meditation are gaining so much popularity is because these skills are especially crucial to counterbalance the way we interact with connectivity and the draw of multitasking. When we practice scattered and frenetic forms of thinking, reading, researching, socializing, and even relaxation, our brains—due to their plasticity—get trained to increasingly dart about wildly in many directions. This type of thinking leads to anxiety, meaninglessness, confusion, and an inability to fully enjoy the moment. Meditation and mindfulness help retrain the brain toward a more orderly action and a deep sense of contentment, even while we grow more efficacious. This workshop begins with an introduction to the practice of mindfulness through writing. After the introduction, we will engage in writing exercises that explore this mode of bringing ourselves to awareness and peacefulness. No writing experience or skill is necessary. This kind of writing is not about performance: it is about finding our inner calm. The only risk is that you might fall in love with writing too. We will also have time for discussion. Please bring your favorite tools for writing: beautiful journals, utilitarian spiral notebooks, laptops, and paper napkins are all welcome.
