Each day this week I’m going to post a quote from a book on writing and then a few questions. If you have any thoughts regarding the quote or the questions, leave them in the comments. On Saturday I’ll highlight some of my favorite responses made throughout the week.
“Whenever I went to see him and asked him a question about Buddhism, I had trouble understanding the answer until he said, “You know, like in writing when you…” When he referred to writing, I understood. About three years ago he said to me, “Why do you come to sit meditation? Why don’t you make writing your practice? If you go deep enough in writing, it will take you every place.”
“There is freedom in being a writer and writing. It is fulfilling your function. I used to think freedom meant doing whatever you want. It means knowing who you are, what you are supposed to be doing on this earth, and then simply doing it.” (Natalie Goldberg’s “Writing Down the Bones”)
Why do you write? Why do you create? What is it about the things you love to do that keeps you going back to them?
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I’ve asked a lot of questions this week – if this kind of thing interests you, take a look at the others we’ve examined:
“Are artists generally melancholy people, or is that a stereotype?”
“Imitation: The Sincerest Form of…Art?”
“Does the Bible Have a Monopoly on Truth?”
In one of my recent posts, I wrote, “In our nation, we usually emphasize what we are free to do. Yet, it is at least as important to know what we are free from and what we are free for.”
In writing specifically (and with freedom generally), it starts with knowing who you are, and culminates serving and connecting with others.
Writing’s very fine, but I suspect the quote — like much Buddhist dialogue — isn’t meant to mean what it says. I can see how writing might complement a meditation practice but not interchange with it.
I know it sounds very cliche but when I finally overcame my fear of putting words down…I finally felt completely alive. So that’s what drives me now to continue writing. There was once something lacking and writing has fulfilled it.
Great quote. was just thinking about this theme recently prepping for a messager. thanks.