My husband, Benjamin, leads a writing group where people share pieces of their wordsmithing works with others, and get feedback and encouragement to continue on. He recently told me about his “Five Rules For Writers” presentation to the group. After hearing his intriguing list, I told him those rules apply to more than writing. They also have great meaning for our spiritual growth.
Here’s the list:
DON’T TALK ABOUT IT, DO IT
Ben told me about someone who had come to one of the group’s sessions and when asked if he had anything he’d like to share, the fellow launched into a five-minute description of a nine-volume sci-fi opus he wanted to write.
“As I listened to him,” Ben told me, “I knew he wasn’t going to write a word. Sure, he seemed excited about his dream, but the way he kept saying, ‘I’m going to…’ and ‘I’m going to…’ made me think ‘He is never going to…’”
That made me remember all the people who contacted me because they wanted to explore their psychic or mediumistic abilities. They spoke with such promise… but I never heard from them again. Some I felt would have made really great students. Unfortunately, I think, they realized the work it would take to bring their gifts to fruition, and decided it was much easier to imagine what they could do, instead of doing what they could imagine.
GO PAST THE FIRST THREE PAGES
So many writers think they have to get the beginning of their story right before they proceed further, Ben explained. Unfortunately, they get stuck like a broken record, fixing and refixing their first pages for so long, they lose the desire to move onward.
“I think they stop after those first three pages because they realize how much effort it took to get something started, and it scares them to go onward,” he said. I nodded, thinking about how some students put so much energy into the first part of their journey, they lose their motivation. Instead, stay motivated by watching other mediums at Spiritualist services, or at Lily Dale, New York. And, of course one must practice, practice, practice to proceed.
And that leads directly to Rule #3:
FIX IT LATER
When writing, if you can’t find the exact word, or the sentence you’re working on doesn’t sound right, don’t get stuck on trying to fix it. Instead, keep going! You can always come back to it later.
How true, I thought. I’ve seen so many developing mediums hear the word “no” when delivering a message, then freeze up and want to quit. Instead, don’t give up! Work with your guides to be more clear next time. And remember: message recipients aren’t perfect either. You don’t know how many times I heard later, “Oh! Now I remember who you were talking about!”
WRITE AT LEAST ONE SENTENCE A DAY
If your brain is tired, and you don’t think you have it in you to be creative, sit down at your desk anyway and write one sentence anyway, Ben suggests. This is good for two reasons: 1) you can tell yourself you at least wrote something, and 2) you may find that one sentence unlocks your creativity and leads to another sentence, and before you know it, you’re in the zone.
In life, I say, try to be mindful at least once a day. Or, if you’ve never meditated, try to calm your mind for just one minute. Just one minute! Maybe you’ll find that minute of meditative serenity becomes two minutes, then five, and so on. Because the more serene you are, the better to sense, see, or hear your guides and loved ones in spirit. A busy mind blocks out the messages!
DON’T COMPARE YOURSELF TO ANYONE ELSE
Don’t get frustrated because you think another writer is better than you are, and you’ll never be as good as that person. Actually, that’s true. You’ll never write like that person because you are not that person! You are you, and everyone develops their skills in their own unique way. Besides, that other writer may have been writing for years. Are you just beginning your journey?
I tell my psychic development and mediumship students to never compare themselves to each other, because that only leads to frustration and stunts your personal growth. We are given different gifts (clairaudience, clairsentient, clairvoyance, etc.), and it takes practice to strengthen our gifts and learn new skills. I also gently remind students that excellent mediums like John Edward and John Holland studied for years to get to a point where they’re at the top of their level. They have never given up on their learning journey.
So, keep this list of five suggestions handy, and please refer to it often to find continuous enlightenment and accuracy with your spiritual (and writing) work.
If you have any questions about this subject or any other spiritual matters, feel free to write me. And please visit my site again!