Liturgy of the Mundane Week 7
Dear Writer,
I know that life is full of appointments, lines at the bank, and digital bottomless wells. I know that there is so much tugging at your attention. I even know that, sometimes, writing feels pointless. Where do all of these scribbles go when you are done with them? Do they do anything other than commit ink to paper or bytes to data storage clouds?
Last Monday I went to hear a woman play a two hour concert on piano. My favorite piece on her program is below. Sitting there listening to her, I wondered about us, scribbling furiously in our notebooks or computers or voice recorders. As the strings vibrated from the countless strikings and restrikings of the hammers, I saw the architecture of the room we were in afresh, I thought about my time at the piano, I held a wiggly six year old and snuggled a fascinated ten year old. She had created a space for me to share with my family wherein I was free to let my mind wander around a feel things.
But there were hours and hours and hours before Monday night that she spent on a single phrase, picking, spinning, practicing. Sound familiar?
Perhaps you will not write a tome of soaring theopoetics or a gothic novel, but someday you give a speech or write a letter or sit with a sick friend, and all of this writing work will help you connect deeply to who you are. A beautiful, furiously creative, human who scatters the seeds of love in words throughout the world.
Monday: The sounds turned like smoke in the…
Tuesday: Morning sounds like…
Wednesday: If you find my…
Thursday: I sang when…
Friday: I can’t…
Writing Practice Rules:
Grab a pen and paper or dictation device or computer
Write/record the prompt at the top of your page
Set a timer (you can adjust the time to suit your needs…I keep the practices short so they don’t seem overwhelming)
Take a few moments to visualize what the prompt is bringing up
Write or speak or type!! Try not to edit or criticize. Just write.
Write the details of what is coming up. I call this catching what rises.
If you get stuck, make loops with your pen or nonsense syllables with your voice or tap the keyboard
Write the details of what you are seeing until the timer goes off