Announcements: —The Pauses, Prompts, and Practices for this week are from Amy Hoppock. Learn more about Amy and her writing and work here. —SDW Members: I hope you saw last night’s SDW for Members Only email and recent A Writer’s Diary for Members Only post. We have a lot of updates! —Interested in becoming a SDW Member? Learn more here. —Fall Cohorts for Group Spiritual Direction for Writers are forming now. Register by 8/7!
Pour boiling water Through tea leaves: grown, picked, crushed Taste, aroma, peace
- Amy V. Hoppock
Pause.
Sit still for a minute, and let your soul arrive. Counting down from five using your senses is often a suggestion to help manage anxiety. It's called the 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Technique.
It can also be a way to find everyday, ordinary inspiration for writing.
Looking around, jot down a list of five things you can see, four things you can feel, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste.
Prompt.
Set a timer for eight minutes. Looking at your list of what your senses are experiencing right now, begin writing a haiku, short poem, or prayer inspired by your list.
Practice.
Can you pair two sense noticings in a single haiku?
Practice noticing the information from your five senses at different times and places throughout your day.
Amy Hoppock is a spiritual director who works with people who used to be sure but now aren't so sure. She lives in Boise, Idaho, and writes a weekly newsletter, Smaller & Deeper, to remind herself and others about the extraordinary value of small moments and deeper reflection.
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