Hello,
Welcome,
I'm Helen and I'm here to guide you in a taster of the practice of Insight Writing.
So Insight Writing is a therapeutic writing practice and it's born out of the understanding that creativity rises from a deep,
Still space.
There are three stages in Insight Writing.
The first is what we call circling,
Which when we're in a group together we will empty out what's in the heart and mind and give each other space to hear and listen.
So for you in a personal practice,
This is a time when you will set a timer,
Just one minute,
And empty out everything that's currently in the space with you,
Something that's bothering you,
Any lists,
Anything that is touching your heart today.
Just give yourself time to empty out onto the page and it might be words or it might be a sketch or you might want to use some colour.
And after that I'm going to guide you in a meditation to bring you deeper into your body-mind space.
And then I'm going to ask you to set a timer for yourself so that you can go into a practice of writing from your body,
From your deep body-mind.
It's a practice where we don't edit what comes up,
We just let it flow onto the page.
There is a fourth step when we're in group together we usually share and you might want to share or it might just be for you.
So for this first part of the practice I'm going to give you a minute.
I'll play a little background music so it's not too weird and you can use that minute to download,
Empty out,
Circle with yourself,
Listening carefully and kindly to yourself.
We're going to do that now.
So now that we've completed the circling we're going to put that aside and we're going to drop and we're going to drop together a little deeper into the body-mind space.
So first becoming aware of the body as it is,
The way you're sitting,
What is supporting you.
Notice if there are any parts of the body that are asking for attention.
Often these are the parts that hurt or where there's a little bit of constriction.
It could be an emotional pain,
So bringing that to the awareness and holding it gently in your mind.
Giving everything permission to be here,
Permission to have a voice and be heard.
We can also pay attention to the breath,
Again noticing how the breath is in this moment.
Again noticing how the breath is in this moment.
And we might follow the out-breath as it goes down.
We might allow the out-breath to take us down deeper,
Maybe into the belly,
Into the pelvis.
Maybe even with an awareness of legs and feet.
And we're going to settle and pull the mind and therefore the energy in this deeper space.
And if the mind starts to rise up again or wander outside of the body space,
We're going to gently call it back.
Calling in the pieces of ourselves that are being drawn away.
Pieces that we might have left somewhere.
Calling them in so that we have as much of ourselves present.
It's a bit like going fishing.
So when we start writing,
When we take our pen and put it on the paper,
We're going to be writing from this quieter,
Deeper space.
And we're going to allow the words to rise.
We're not going to question.
We're going to welcome each word as it comes.
And if there's a space,
We can welcome the space.
And if there's a space,
We can welcome the space.
We're going to welcome each word as it comes.
And if there's a space,
We can welcome the space.
Breathe,
Be patient,
Stay deep in the body until something else arises.
So we're following this flow without editing,
Without going back to the beginning and reading back,
Or without wanting it to be any different than what it is.
We're curious.
What is it that wants to be heard today?
What is it that my being wants me to know?
So this is just a small taster.
And now it's time for you to set your timer.
Set your timer right from this deep space in the body.
And then,
If you want to,
Share it.
Share it with someone.
Share it on your social media.
Share it with a friend or a family member.
Or just keep it for yourself.
Just for you.
