The Way of the Fearless Writer: Mindful Wisdom for a Flourishing Writing Life
When we engage with our breath and our bodies before we write and as we write, the experience of writing is elevated. We can retreat from the chatter of busy mind and reach into the depths of wild mind, shifting our stuck energy and transmitting a sense of aliveness into our words.
Beth Kempton • The Way of the Fearless Writer: Mindful Wisdom for a Flourishing Writing Life
When embarking on a great project, start where you are with something small. JAPANESE PROVERB
Beth Kempton • The Way of the Fearless Writer: Mindful Wisdom for a Flourishing Writing Life
To write in service of the writing, not the ego, is a radical act. What if we gathered up all the energy we usually spend worrying about what other people think and poured it into our writing? What if we really lived our lives, moment to moment, and wrote about that?
Beth Kempton • The Way of the Fearless Writer: Mindful Wisdom for a Flourishing Writing Life
When I thought about why I write, I came up with many reasons. I do it because it is how I make sense of the world. I do it because it makes me feel connected in a profound way. I do it because it feels good. But perhaps most significantly, I am a better, more awake version of myself for having written. I feel recharged, and I have more patience, c
... See moreBeth Kempton • The Way of the Fearless Writer: Mindful Wisdom for a Flourishing Writing Life
Breath is a bridge between body and mind. KAZUAKI TANAHASHI1
Beth Kempton • The Way of the Fearless Writer: Mindful Wisdom for a Flourishing Writing Life
It was only when I was out walking one day that I realized the significance of all of this. Without realizing it I had metaphorically passed through three sacred gates collectively known in Buddhism as the Three Gates of Liberation: Muganmon (無願門) The Gate of Desirelessness, Musōmon (無相門) The Gate of Formlessness, and Kūmon (空門) The Gate of Emptine
... See moreBeth Kempton • The Way of the Fearless Writer: Mindful Wisdom for a Flourishing Writing Life
The more I tried, the harder it got. Until it all got too much, and I finally surrendered.
Beth Kempton • The Way of the Fearless Writer: Mindful Wisdom for a Flourishing Writing Life
I like writing at my desk, but I don’t make it a condition of writing. I like lighting a candle first, but I don’t make that a condition of writing. I like the rhythm of showing up early before the day begins, but I don’t make that a condition of writing either. While routine and a dedicated writing space can encourage you to write, there is value
... See moreBeth Kempton • The Way of the Fearless Writer: Mindful Wisdom for a Flourishing Writing Life
When you wake in the night and the world is still, pay attention. When the wind shows its presence by rustling leaves, pay attention. When you take a slow deep breath and feel the beating of your own heart, pay attention. These quiet moments are secret ways in.