Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Absorption and Play

In the "Legend of Bagger Vance," Bagger Vance claims that life is a game that can't be won, only played.  The writing life becomes similiar. In the initial stages of creativity, it's not about winning or a goal.

We play with words, become immersed in our writing action and discover what we never expected. Play becomes serious and disciplined as well as liberating. An absorption takes over that removes us from structure and our surroundingss.  If we free ourselves to write just what arrives, the writing serves itself.  It may not win prizes or become publishable but that's not the purpose.  The writing sets us free to move to another level of possibility.

Writing is a solitary practice.  Like meditation, no one can do it but the writer. 

Rabbi Rami who believes in writing as spiritual practice, conducts workshops on writing alone and with others has three rules:

l.   Don't write what you know.
2. You can't write what you don't know.
3.  You must write.

Creative Write: Set aside a block of time and permit yourself the stillness, and freedom to write with a pen across pages for at least an hour. If you can spend two or three, you will amaze yourself.

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