Writing and Spirituality Archives - Page 2 of 3 - Madhu Bazaz Wangu
76
archive,paged,tag,tag-writing-and-spirituality,tag-76,paged-2,tag-paged-2,ajax_fade,page_not_loaded,,select-theme-ver-2.1,vertical_menu_enabled, vertical_menu_width_290,side_menu_slide_from_right,wpb-js-composer js-comp-ver-6.9.0,vc_responsive
 

Writing and Spirituality Tag

Thursday, February 6, 2025

Posted on February 5, 2025
in Meditation, Meditation & Journaling at Ashby Ponds
6 Comments

The word “meditation” is often confused with “mindfulness.” Meditation is the discipline of sitting still in a particular posture in silence and solitude with focus on the breath. (You will learn more about it in Month 3.) Mindfulness is a state of total awareness of the mind that results from the daily practice of meditation. Mindfulness Meditation is also name of a meditation and is one of many meditations people practice such as Body Scan, Loving Kindness, Guided meditations and so on.   You have practiced focusing your attention on your breath. In so doing, you watch your own mind in the present moment. You witness yourself from a short distance. This is similar to looking at your own reflection in a life-size mirror. The way you study your face, your torso, the...

Read More

Wednesday, January 30, 2025

Posted on January 29, 2025
in Journaling, Meditation & Journaling at Ashby Ponds, Spirituality
4 Comments

The starting point of discovering who you are,Your gifts your talents, your dreams, is being comfortable with yourself.Spend time alone. Write in a journal.                              (Robin Sharma) It has been a month since we started this practice. When you sit at your Spiritual Power Spot does a calm come over you?  At times when I’m faced with a “shitty” emotional problem I let go of the brick wall of expectations that my inner critic builds. If that doesn’t work (and here’s where my journal comes to my rescue), at the top of the page of my notebook I write, “What should I do? How can I solve this problem?” Instead of carrying  my grievances and complaints around I vent them in my journal as no one else seems to be as intimate as my journal. Journaling requires...

Read More

Tuesday, 28 January, 2025

Posted on January 27, 2025
in Journaling, Meditation & Journaling at Ashby Ponds
4 Comments

Self-doubt is one of the major emotions we go through. There are days when we feel overwhelmed and sluggish without any tangible reason. What can you do? Let a rainstorm of words from the heavy dark clouds of emotions and passing thoughts fall on the pages of your notebook. Trust that by the end of two to three pages it will shed light on things you were only partly aware of and it will present possible solutions to your listlessness. I started doing serious journaling in my early fifties after I changed my professions from teaching to becoming a freelance writer. It felt so good, I wondered why I had not started journaling sooner. Not only was I able to free my mind of distress but my heart also felt lightened.  Writing...

Read More

Thursday, January 23, 2025

Posted on January 22, 2025
in Journaling, Meditation & Journaling at Ashby Ponds, Writing
4 Comments

What you pour on the blank pages of your journal can be compared with autumn leaves. The mountain of dried leaves of your mental trash is all biodegradable. It decomposes into mulch. You sow few seeds and they sprout in fresh green saplings. It often happens, that upon rereading your journal after some time, you gain greater insight into the things that happened. Personal events gather universal significance. You realize such exchanges and events, good or bad, are human. You’re pleasantly surprised at where one year’s journaling has led you.  When I don’t journal for a while a restlessness gnaws at me. My mind feels muddled and overwhelmed with mosaic of petty thoughts and feelings. And when I do journal, it helps me heal my wounds, clear my mind. It affects the...

Read More

Tuesday, January 21, 2025

Posted on January 20, 2025
in Journaling, Meditation & Journaling at Ashby Ponds
4 Comments

INSPIRATIONThe eminent social psychologist, James Pennebaker in his book, Opening Up by Writing Down, writes that not fully expressing negative emotions, suffering in silence and keeping secrets—swallowing or pushing them down—affects your heart, mind and body for the rest of your life. By hiding your fears, anger, and hurt from the world, you hide from yourself. In order to replace the mask of social “goodness” and “niceness” with authenticity you must first recognize the anger, hurt or fear buried deep inside you. The recognition must be followed by acceptance of your negative emotions. Some of us may require therapy or hypnosis to cleanse the system but most of us can do this by writing them down. If you like, write a letter to the one who emotionally hurt you or pushed you to...

Read More

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Posted on January 13, 2025
in Journaling, Meditation & Journaling at Ashby Ponds
4 Comments

The eminent social psychologist, James Pennebaker in his book, Opening Up by Writing Down, writes that not fully expressing negative emotions, suffering in silence and keeping secrets—swallowing or pushing them down—affects your heart, mind and body for the rest of your life. By hiding your fears, anger, and hurt from the world, you hide from yourself. In order to replace the mask of social “goodness” and “niceness” with authenticity you must first recognize the anger, hurt or fear buried deep inside you. The recognition must be followed by acceptance of the negative emotions. Some of us may require therapy or hypnosis to cleanse the system but most of us can do this by writing in various forms. If you like, write a letter to the one who emotionally hurt you or pushed you...

Read More

Thursday, January 9, 2025

Posted on January 8, 2025
in Journaling, Meditation & Journaling at Ashby Ponds
5 Comments

The way we observe physical hygiene for cleanliness, we must cultivate emotional hygiene for mental clarity. What practices do you follow to cleanse your mind? Journaling is one. It clears your mind of the mess that is created every day. Writing it down lends an ear when you need it but can’t share what you have to say with others. It reveals possible solutions to your problems and heals emotional wounds. So if there is a problem on your mind or something is hurting or knotting your belly, why not jot it down on as many pages as it takes? Your honest outpouring in words carries an energy, it has power. Dump all that down and, depending upon the problem, watch how you come up with doable intentions and make resolutions...

Read More

Day 361, Tuesday, December 31, 2024

Posted on December 30, 2024
in Journaling, Meditation
6 Comments

Three cheers for completing your year-long journey of mindful writing meditation practice! Today is a good day to journal! Here are a few prompts to get you started. How do you feel? Overwhelmed? Content? Proud?  How is your focus on daily tasks now compared to before you began this journey?  Do you find yourself going deeper into meditating, journaling, creating, and reading than ever before?  How has your writing/journaling skill honed?  How has your sense of awe and wonder over nature and the simple things in daily life changed?  Have you started to travel or have you become more mindful during your regular travels?  Do you spend time in solitude?  What small daily goals have you added?  What do you now view as your life’s purpose?  The year has passed by too fast but you have cultivated good daily habits. You...

Read More

Are You Mindful of Your Life?

Posted on July 3, 2023
in Journaling
0 Comments

You do what you do but have you begun work on the most important project of you life? Your own life--the project without which none of the other projects would matter. The second half of your life is one of the greatest projects you will ever complete. Look at the photo in which you were half the age you are now. What has changed for the better, what has remained the same, what would you like to change? Photos: Pittsburgh's International Folk Festival (The booth constructed by my husband, Manoj and mural painted by me) ...

Read More

Your Hero/Heroine’s Journey

Posted on November 13, 2022
in Journaling
0 Comments

By writing 250-500 words each morning, in a public forum, you can experience a hero’s journey.Here’s how it works:1. You, as a writer are merrily going on your daily routine. (Ordinary World)2. An invitation arrives to be a guest host at Online Mindful Writers Group (OMWG). (Call for adventure)3. You don’t want to do it. It makes you feel nervous and uncomfortable. You don’t trust you have time to do it or are worthy of the task. (Refusal of the call)4. An inner voice (or an outer mentor) tugs, you can do it!5. Hesitatingly you agree. (Crossing the threshold)6. Thoughts race in your mind, which topic would I choose. As you write a rough draft your hand trembles. (Tests)7. The golden thread of the Writing Meditation Practice guides you. (Allies)...

Read More