by Emma Harding
We make a path, and on this path, we carry poetry. Although we never know what we pass on, our spirit keeps count of what’s collected. Count of memories found and forged, faded and forgotten. Count of stories welded and wilted. Count of spirits connected and concealed. Our spirit is our guide, and without it, we’re lost.
Whether it’s graduating from college, finding a job, or finding a McDonald’s that has a working ice cream machine, we tend to get lost a lot. Sometimes we find our way, and other times we make do until a path clears—but there’s a better way. According to Joy Harjo, 23rd poet laureate of the United States, we need to connect to our individual spirits. While religious leaders may say prayer and worship leads the way, Harjo suggests that writing what you’re thinking is just as, if not more, effective in connecting with your spirit.
In a world where distractions are aplenty and our minds are often clouded with noise, writing offers clarity. It grants us the opportunity to listen to our inner voices, those whispers of truth that can be easily drowned out by the hustle and bustle of daily life. By giving ourselves the space to write, we open ourselves up to a dialogue with our own souls, nurturing a relationship with our spirit that can guide us through the complexities of life.
Additionally, by immersing ourselves in the act of writing, we transcend the tangible and allow our minds to explore the intangible. This journey inward can reveal truths we may not even know we carry. As we write, we carve our own paths and, in turn, create a dialogue with our own spirits. This conversation can become a guide through life’s uncertainties, helping us navigate the winding roads we inevitably encounter.
Let us embrace the power of writing as a path to spiritual connection. As we continue to carry poetry on our journey, we may find that the stories we tell become the stories that guide us, illuminating our way through life's labyrinthine paths.
Exercise - Continual Writing
Set a timer for 1 min. (or more) and type the entire time. That means no backspace, no hesitating, and no auto correct. Turn off the inner editor and let the creative impulses out on the paper, regardless of whether or not they make sense. At the end of exercise, analyze what you wrote and see if there are any common threads or something you can build on. This exercise promotes creativity in the brainstorming process and can act as a stress reliever.