Loving Kindness Meditation for Writers
Carleen Brice on Mar 27 2012 | Filed under: Inspirations
News! Because the idea was sparked by a blog post on WU, I wanted to announce here that I just inked a deal to write a book on writing and coping with doubt with Agate Publishing! Don’t have a title yet (stay tuned), but it’ll be out next year. Many thanks to Therese and to WU contributors and readers! Now on to today’s post….
I’m an anxious person by nature. My instinct is to worry first and ask questions later. In the spirit of accepting myself, I have to acknowledge there’s a lot of good that comes with that, especially for a working writer. A worrier stays on top of things—we don’t miss many deadlines. But it takes a toll too. How much more could I accomplish if I freed up some of that anxious energy? What if striving to meet a deadline could feel more like free-writing? How much more creative might I be then?
A few years ago I came across Buddhist metta (loving kindness) meditation, a way to build compassion for one’s self and others. Anxiety makes my chest feel tight and makes my whole body close up. Metta is about opening your heart and allowing that open feeling to radiate to other people. There are various takes on this meditation, but in general you prepare yourself by getting comfortable and quiet and taking a few deep breaths or allowing your breath to get even. One of the “tricks” I’ve learned to instill a loving feeling before you begin is to imagine singing a lullaby to a baby or to picture a beloved pet. Then recite to yourself a few simple statements such as:
May I be filled with loving kindness.
May I be healthy.
May I be free from fear.
May I be free from suffering.
Then you move on to someone close to you. A mentor, a friend. Then to relatives and more friends. Then to someone “neutral” (a stranger or someone you have no strong feelings about). Then to someone you don’t like or someone who has hurt you. Finally, everybody—all creatures.
In a hard place with my current novel (It sucks. I suck. Everything sucks.), I decided to try a little loving kindness for my writer self. The following is a metta meditation for writers I created.
Metta meditation helps me. Maybe it’ll help you too. Try this practice before you sit down to write.
Metta Meditation for Writers
May I be filled with loving kindness.
May I be creative. May I be open.
May I be well. May I be happy.
May my work be filled with loving kindness.*
May my work be creative. May my work be open.
May my work be well. May my work be happy.
May my agent be filled with loving kindness.
May he/she be creative. May he/she be open.
May he/she be well. May he/she be happy.
May my editor be filled with loving kindness
May he/she be creative. May he/she be open.
May he/she be well. May he/she be happy.
May my readers be filled with loving kindness.
May they be creative. May they be open.
May they be well. May they be happy.
May my critics be filled with loving kindness.
May they be creative. May they be open.
May they be well. May they be happy.
May all writers be filled with loving kindness.
May we be creative. May we be open.
May we be well. May we be happy.
*Note: This doesn’t mean your work won’t be filled with conflict, pain, violence and people doing bad things. Even a happy story needs conflict. But having compassion for the people in the story (villains included) is guaranteed to make your story stronger.
Feel free to substitute phrases that resonate more for you. For example, May I filled with truth. May my work be filled with truth. If you don’t yet have an agent or editor, you could say this for your future agent and your future editor. You could also include your writing instructor, workshop members, writing group, etc.
If you try this, let me know what you think! What else do you guys do to quell writer angst? Wine, chocolate and watching bad TV count too, so let’s hear it.
Kathleen Bolton
Therese Walsh
Porter Anderson
Dan Blank
Carleen Brice
Sarah Callender
Lisa Cron
Keith Cronin
Bill Ferris
Dave King
Robin LaFevers
Donald Maass
Sophie Masson
Jael McHenry
Jan O'Hara
Debbie Ohi
Barbara O'Neal
Ray Rhamey
Chuck Sambuchino
John Vorhaus
Julianna Baggott
Brunonia Barry
Tom Bentley
Sharon Bially
Anna Elliott
Anne Greenwood Brown
Tracy Hahn-Burkett
Suzannah Windsor Freeman
Kristan Hoffman
Jeanne Kisacky
Juliet Marillier
Julia Munroe Martin
Annie Neugebauer
Crystal Patriarche
Erika Robuck
M.J. Rose
Allison Winn Scotch
Lydia Sharp
Elisabeth Weed
Emily Colin
Jeannine Walls Thibodeau
Vaughn Roycroft
Kim Downes Bullock
Valerie P. Chandler
Heather Reid
Heather Webb
Denise Falvo
Therese Walsh
Jan O'Hara
Liz Michalski
Kathleen Bolton
Jessica Brockmole
Erika Liodice
Donald Maass
Victoria Mixon
Therese Walsh
Suzanne Anderson
Keetha DePriest
Dee DeTarsio 
Amy Sue Nathan
Colleen Turner
Leslie R. on 
Carleen,
Thanks for this post. I haven’t tried meditation, but chocolate has worked pretty well for me. I know the feeling of being stuck and thinking I must be the worst writer in the world. Worrying is better than complacency because worriers do not accept mediocrity in their writing. Thanks again, Carleen.
Like?
0
Chocolate ain’t the food of the gods for nothing!
Like?
1
LOVE this, Carleen. My life has been changed (along with my anxious, prone-to-chronic-depression brain) with meditation.
Thank you for sharing . . . don’t you think it’s one of those things (like marriage therapy or chocolate) that everyone should try, even those who don’t “need” it?
In this nutty, anxious-making world where our lives can feel so cluttered and fragmented, it’s so important to give our brains a rest.
Happy day to you!
Like?
0
I confess I am not very good at meditation. Techniques that give me something to say (om) or do (like walking or imagining something) are better for me. I’m so glad to hear that it’s worked for you!
Like?
0
Carleen: I love this! It fits nicely with a course of creative recovery (or discovery) called Artist’s Way. If you are not familiar with it, you might check it out. Thank you so much!
Like?
0
I am definitely familiar with The Artists Way! I have that book and one of Cameron’s others too.
Like?
0
I love this, Carleen, and I’m going to try it. I’m an anxiety-aholic myself. Thank you! (And congrats again on the book deal!)
Like?
0
Anxiety-aholic is a good way to put it! Thanks again for inviting me to blog here!
Like?
1
This is so beautiful. Thank you so much for sharing.
Like?
1
Definitely going to try this and I love that you can use it for anything in your life, or others, that might be blocking the path to a feeling calm and fulfilled.
Congrats on the book deal!
Like?
1
Thank you! I hope this helps–as I said I find it calming.
Like?
0
Thank you, Carleen.
I look forward to your book. It’s a great topic that will help a lot of people, I’m sure.
Like Sarah, my life has been changed by meditation. Actually, my life has been saved by meditation. But that doesn’t mean I don’t need reminders to bring me back to my practice. I do. Especially, reminders to be kind to myself.
Like?
1
You guys are making me think I need to try more forms of meditation!
Like?
0
Very interesting post Carleen. Thank you so much for sharing!
Perhaps meditation will work for me. I’m currently in the position in which anxiety and doubt have clouded my creative vision, and have even stopped me producing. Sadly, this results in more worry and anxiety – a vicious cycle really! I certainly need to learn to be kinder to myself. I look forward to the book.
Like?
0
Oh Candice, I totally know how you feel. It is a cycle. Maybe a way to “get out of it” is to be easy with yourself for being in it. It seems to be a part of the creative process–facing our fears about our abilities and what we have to say.
Like?
1
Candice, I know this cycle so intimately. I will not tell you how many days, weeks, months, whatever my writing stalled while I whirled down, down, down. I think Carleen is right about the first step–not blaming yourself for being in the cycle. I wish you hope and courage.
Like?
0
oooOOOOOooo!!! Thank you!
I am a class A worrier (and have the health issues to prove it ;)). I completely understand the “worry first, ask questions later’ mentality. And I love this!
I am going to use your writer one for my writer-self stressors, then modify it for the rest of my daily stressors.
You may have just saved my sanity :).
Thanks-
Like?
0
My friends are going to read this and laugh at the idea of me saving anyone’s sanity! :) I hope it’s helpful. Google it and you’ll find more on the subject and a lots of good books.
Like?
0
I try to meditate for a little while every day before I start writing. Sometimes I feel anxious to get moving and think, “I’ll do it later,” and then I am more anxious and don’t work as well, so I go to the corner of my office I have set up for that, and sit down. And it always eases the process.
Congrats on the new deal! Sounds like a great book.
Like?
0
“Anxious to get moving” is a really good point. I sometimes blow off taking this kind of time and you’re right–it’s never a good idea. The time I should blow off is goofing around online!
Like?
0
Before I start writing I sit in the sun with my dogs and a cup of coffee and we watch the chickens. They cluck and coo, scratch through the dirt, peck at exciting morsels, fluff and preen, wallow in dust baths, then eventually settle beside my chair for their heavy-lidded, head drooping mid-morning nap. Happy chickens make a happy writer!
Like?
2
Sounds like a really nice way to begin!
Like?
0
This is awesome.. I already feel better and that’s just from reading it here. I can’t wait to try it, especially when I’m having a “moment.”
Like?
0
LOL @ “Having a moment.” I do believe I know what you mean!
Like?
0
As a reluctant traveler, who happens to be an anxious travel writer, I can totally relate. I’ve been into yoga for a couple years and do 10 sketchy minutes (hey! hey!) of meditation daily. What has worked for me is to simply say, “I am filled with loving kindness… etc.” Darling, you already ARE all those things! You don’t need to ask for permission!
Like?
1
10 sketchy minutes of meditation daily is quite an accomplishment! Congratulations!
Like?
0
Thanks for this lovely post! Blessed be your journey.
Like?
0
Thank you and the same to you.
Like?
0
Congratulations, Carleen, on your new nonfiction book.
I, too, have been helped a lot by meditation. But every so often, I can’t keep my focus on my breathing in my meditation. I think your meditation will be a big help for those times, as well as the days I skip meditating for lack of time. This doesn’t take long to say, so I have no excuse for not saying it. Thank you, Carleen.
Like?
0
Thanks Shauna! I’m always impressed by people who have a daily practice of some kind. I’ve read author Steven Barnes say repeatedly to just take five minutes a few times a day to breathe and it can change you. Have I done that? *ducking head in shame* No. So I know all about excuses! Hope something like this can fill in on the days you don’t get to your standard practice.
Like?
0
Thanks for sharing this post on loving-kindness. I wrote a post today on the loving kindness of God, but it is good to see this post and think about our loving-kindness also.
Like?
0
I always try to start my writing with these words from Baha’u'llah. I think of my pen being moved when I read the words, “my movement and my stillness may be wholly directed by Thee.”:
“Make me ready, in all circumstances, O my Lord, to serve Thee and to set myself towards the adored sanctuary of Thy Revelation and of Thy Beauty. If it be Thy pleasure, make me to grow as a tender herb in the meadows of Thy grace, that the gentle winds of Thy will may stir me up and bend me into conformity with Thy pleasure, in such wise that my movement and my stillness may be wholly directed by Thee.”
This kind of imagery really helps me be calm and focused, and reminds me to breathe.
Like?
0
Beautiful! How helpful it is to think about a higher purpose when we write. Whether to serve God, serve our fellow people, serve the earth, it does help to remind me that it’s not just about me. Thanks for sharing!
Like?
0
I walk. For the first block or so, it’s awful. The worry-squirrel that runs on a wheel in my head thinks it’s play time. If I walk long enough and hard enough, at some point my whole being is caught up in the rhythm of the movement.
Meditation of its own sort, I suppose.
Like?
0
Yes, I walk too! I do think it’s like meditation, the rhythm of foot against ground over and over. There’s also guided walking meditations and you just reminded me I have one on my phone & haven’t used it in over a year. I think I’m gonna give it a try soon. Thanks for the reminder!
Like?
0
[...] – John Fusco, Young Guns II We’ve been talking lately here on Writer Unboxed about coping with our devastating self-doubts as writers and, by contrast, our unreal expectations of the publishing industry. We writers often find [...]
Like?
0
I’m trying meditation for autoimmune condition. So far that hasn’t worked. Friends tell me I’m concentrating on the wrong goal, that there really shouldn’t be a goal. The secret for me to musing about writing is. . .exercise! Not violent. A walk alone in the park, participation in a bicycle spinning class (no danger of autos running into you), during which the mind just lazes along. Bonnie McCune, author, “A Saint Comes Stumbling In”
Like?
0
Hi Bonnie, Nice to “see” you here! I like walking too and definitely recommend it. Hope your condition improves!
Like?
0
Wonderful post, Carleen. Being in an open, loving, and compassionate headspace helps us be more receptive to the creative flow.
Congrats on your book deal!
Like?
1
This post is one of those curious synchronicities for me. Over the past few weeks, I’ve had the desire to explore how meditation can aid my writing process, but I haven’t known where to start. Thank you for giving me that place, Carleen :)
And congratulations on your book deal!
Like?
0