Write On…
Stream of Consciousness Writing~
In literature, stream of consciousness is a method of narration that describes in words the flow of thoughts in the minds of the characters. Thisterm was was initially coined by a psychologist William James in his research “The Principles of Psychology”. He writes:

“… it is nothing joined; it flows. A ‘river’ or a ‘stream’ is the metaphors by which it is most naturally described. In talking of it hereafter, let’s call it the stream of thought, consciousness, or subjective life.

Stream of Consciousness writing is characterized by waves of thoughts and lack of punctuation, grammar, and spelling. In literature, Stream of Consciousness is the subject matter and interior monologue is the technique for presenting it. Modern novelists and short story writers of the 20th Century who were trail blazers of this style of writing include James Joycein his novel “Ulysses”, Virginia Woolf in her novel Mrs. Dalloway, and William Faulkner’s The Sound and the Fury.

In the Healing Arts we use this method to allow the flow of thoughts from one’s own mind to access our intuitionn, our higher self, our right brain, and/or our feelings with the overall effect of contributing to the healing process.  We tap into a place where our left brain goes on vacation.  There is no internal or external editingas thoughts, feelings, impressions, and pictures flow from the interior through pen to the page.  This serves to crack us open and give us an opportunity to put on paper at times what may seem daft, creepy, psychotic, and nonsensical.  It allows our light and our shadow material to be represented in truth without judgement and a burning off of thought.

Once this type of writing becomes a practice it gives voice to deep knowingness, secrets, tidbits, and musings. In literature it is used to give the impression of being in the mind of the writer. So too it is used in the Healing Arts though the writer and the reader are one in the same.

I don’t consider myself a writer, but I have spent a great deal of time in classes and small groups with writers. All writers, or perhaps I should say most writer’s, have a deep desire to be published. Many writer’s have an intense fear of being seen and heard. Ironically, their deepest desire and their greatest fear are at complete odds. One of my favorite writing teachers continuously reminded his students that indeed there is no audience but the writer.  And audience enough at times, with us often our greatest critics.

Step by step writers reveal their inner selves to the world in a raw and vulnerable way.  Burn your writings if you must, but let the stream flow, for it is essential for health.

Give it a whirl, with permission…
1. Keep your hand moving at all times.
2. Be specific, write down details
3. Lose Impulse control
4. Don’t think, left brain goes on vacation.
5. No editing of punctuation, spelling, or grammar.
6. You are free to write the worst crap you can imagine.
7. Hit below the belt.

Here are a few writing prompts to start with if you get stuck before you even begin:
~ His eyes looked like…
~ I repeatedly dreamed about…
~ I never used to think…
~ What I covet…
~ I lied about…
~ What I really meant to say …
~ Go!

Write on…let yourself be cracked open…let your inner light shine!
Peace In~Peace Out