Morning pages or mourning pages? Only you can decide.
Morning pages are Julia Cameron's claim to fame. Her first book, The Artist's Way has been a bestseller for years and gradually she's added others, like The Writer's Diet to the mix.
Here is the basic premise to morning pages. Wake up. Make a quick coffee if you must. Write! Yes, hand write three 8.5 x 11 pages without thinking. Don't correct spelling or a thought. Just write. Don't think, edit, or correct. Just write.
For the first 45 minutes of awake time, the brain has no protective mode and what you write is what you are really thinking deep down in your being. Things you might not even dare to dream or think or realize or even act on, hit the page. During this time, your stream of consciousness explodes with brilliance across the page with thoughts you never knew that you had. Your ability to accomplish widens. For instance, I've written a book a year for the last 50 years or so, but last year I produced four new titles.
I began to use my time more wisely, think more clearly, edit more quickly. While struggling for a cover for my 366-page devotional Heart to Heart my morning pages produced the clear thought of a white background with single stem of a Bleeding Heart flower. I actually wrote this column one very early morning. It popped up on my morning pages.
I talk to God in my pages and am never disappointed. My struggles and solutions appear on the page. And all I do is wake up, pick up pen in my hand, and start to write till I fill those three pages.
I dare you to take this challenge. Let me know how it works for you. Like anything else, it will work for you if you work for it. The Artist's Way, including other books by Julia Cameron, are likely available in your local library, but I recommend that you buy it so that you can scribble in it and do the exercises in it.
For the first 45 minutes of awake time, the brain has no protective mode and what you write is what you are really thinking deep down in your being. Things you might not even dare to dream or think or realize or even act on, hit the page. During this time, your stream of consciousness explodes with brilliance across the page with thoughts you never knew that you had. Your ability to accomplish widens. For instance, I've written a book a year for the last 50 years or so, but last year I produced four new titles.
I began to use my time more wisely, think more clearly, edit more quickly. While struggling for a cover for my 366-page devotional Heart to Heart my morning pages produced the clear thought of a white background with single stem of a Bleeding Heart flower. I actually wrote this column one very early morning. It popped up on my morning pages.
I talk to God in my pages and am never disappointed. My struggles and solutions appear on the page. And all I do is wake up, pick up pen in my hand, and start to write till I fill those three pages.
I dare you to take this challenge. Let me know how it works for you. Like anything else, it will work for you if you work for it. The Artist's Way, including other books by Julia Cameron, are likely available in your local library, but I recommend that you buy it so that you can scribble in it and do the exercises in it.
Sincerely, Brenda J Wood, Morning Pages Convert!
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Brenda J Wood has authored more than fifty books. She is a seasoned motivational speaker, who declares the Word of God with wisdom, humour, and common sense.
Top Photo credit: Image by Engin_Akyurt from Pixabay
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Brenda J Wood has authored more than fifty books. She is a seasoned motivational speaker, who declares the Word of God with wisdom, humour, and common sense.
Thank you, Brenda. I am not a morning page person although I've read much about the practice. I'm glad to read of your experience with writing first thing in the morning.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your encouragement, Lori
DeleteThanks, Brenda. May have to try this challenge. Love this line - “ Like anything else, it will work for you if you work for it.” Very true in most circumstances. Thought provoking post. Thanks again.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for saying so many nice things
DeleteI'm a Morning Page Convert myself, Brenda, although I admit not being as diligent about it as you are. I tend to take them up in spurts of several weeks and then drop off but I eventually come back to them. Writing first thing in the morning and getting down all those first thoughts have been so helpful in sorting out things, being honest about what I really think and how I feel, and making room for creativity and God conversations. Thanks for your timely reminder!
ReplyDeleteI don't adhere strictly to the "Morning page" practice, although in many ways my daily habit of journalling is similar. (I usually journal early in the morning) so I suppose its a form of MP... I don't use a scribbler and do three pages, though. Sometimes its more and sometimes less. I do think the practice of allowing yourself to spill your thoughts is very powerful, though. Thank you for this post and encouragement.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this post on the "Morning page" practice, Brenda. This is all new to me. The morning page approach sounds similar to James Pennebaker's, Expressive Writing, and you have me intrigued. I'll have to look up Julia Cameron's book. Blessings to you, Brenda.
ReplyDeleteI love this idea. Thank you for sharing it, Brenda
ReplyDeleteBrenda, I like what you said here: So true: “…the brain has no protective mode and what you write is what you are really thinking deep down in your being. Things you might not even dare to dream or think or realize or even act on, hit the page.”
ReplyDelete