This year is definitely my year of writing! I've started a year long writing course with Angela Deutschmann called 'Writing as a Spiritual Practice ' and the scholar in me is just so excited. We received our first set of notes along with our reading and writing assignment on the same day that my kids went back to school for the new year and so I feel like I too am embarking on a new school year myself. Only this time I'm learning about something that excites and thrills me and is purely my choice. How divine! My daughters are green with envy!
English
was never my strong subject at school, having Dutch parents who never formally
learn't English grammar and who didn't read a lot of English literature.
We also had a very stern and critical English teacher and so I always
felt that I was not particularly good at English, especially grammar.
Poetry also used to make me really nervous as I didn't always 'get' what
the poem was about and what message the poet was trying to convey, but looking
back now, I see that a lot of it also had to do with maturity and life
experience. I was rather sheltered growing up as an only child and very
involved in competitive swimming and so my world was just so different from
what I was reading about and I battled to relate to it, the language used and the message conveyed.
Today,
some twenty to thirty years later, with a lot more life experience, I read poems
through very different eyes and am pleased to say I no longer find poetry so
daunting. Even putting across my opinion about a book or essay certainly
feels comfortable because again I'm not trying to sound intellectual or pretend that I
really know what's going on. Thank God! That I also think comes from being more
comfortable in your own skin and just loving who you are!
So
here I am, a week into my writing course and I am just loving it! I have written a bit, watched a very interesting talk on writing and have read up excerpts from a
recommended book, and my heart is singing, as my friend Anne says. Where
it will take me, I don't know; I just know that I'm feeling happy and joyful!
I came across this quote and loved it ...
"I have never thought of writing for reputation and honor. What I have in my heart must come out; that is the reason why I compose." — Ludwig van Beethoven
I came across this quote and loved it ...
"I have never thought of writing for reputation and honor. What I have in my heart must come out; that is the reason why I compose." — Ludwig van Beethoven
Oh Pasci how wonderful!! You are so in your JOY!! Wonderful to witness! Happy for you my friend.......ps what do you think of my grammar?? haha
ReplyDeleteHi Pascale,
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your thoughts and view points during your journey. You know what fascinates me? That 10 years ago we were less in our inner house, than we are now. We have learned a great deal about life, ourselves, about motherhood, about losing your loved ones. And once you are at a certain age, our mind and soul are exactly in the right constellation to try to unravel and explore life layer by layer.
And I fully agree and understand your joy Pascale! Writing and reading is just awesome. The most interesting is that once you start writing, something happens. Some people call it flow and I have experienced it myself too. Time seems to dissolve. Your environment unhappens to exist. Words carry you. Words your never thought of. Words you would never have imagened you had them inside you. Suddenly words take over. It is almost hypnotical. And then - all at once - your are back to reality. Your essay, your story has written itself and all those words have become an essay, may be a story, mirroring your inner proces, may be even your deepest thougths and feelings.
Writing has given me wonderful insights, about myself and the world around me Pascale. It is therapeutical, it is magical and from time to time it just carries you away...and may that is the spirituality of writing.
Please keep sharing what you write Pascale! It is a pleasure being witness of the processes you are going through.
Love,
Patricia
SO excited for you Pasci! Well done for taking the leap and committing, that is a huge step already! xxxx
ReplyDeletethat's so cool. I've bought the book "writing down your soul: how to activate & listen to the extraordinary voice within" ... haven't started. Want to get into it, as I remember how good the morning pages were for me. A year-long course, that sounds so good, well done! Let us know more about it at a later stage..
ReplyDelete