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Writing as a Path to Awakening

Writing as a Path to Awakening

A Year to Becoming an Excellent Writer and Living an Awakened Life
by Albert Flynn Desilver 2017 195 pages
3.78
100+ ratings
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Key Takeaways

1. Writing as a Path to Awakening: Embrace Your Creative Genius

You are enough. You are more than enough—you are a creative genius.

Unleash your potential. Everyone possesses innate creative genius, but many are disconnected from this truth due to limiting beliefs and conditioning. Recognizing and embracing your creative potential is the first step towards awakening through writing. This journey involves aligning with the universal creation energy and expressing your unique voice.

Practice makes process. Developing your writing skills is not about achieving perfection, but rather engaging in a consistent process of growth and discovery. Regular writing practice, combined with meditation and mindfulness, can lead to profound insights and personal transformation. By committing to this path, you open yourself to new possibilities in both your writing and your life.

2. Reading Deeply to Fuel Your Writing Journey

The more deeply you read and the more attention you offer, the more will be revealed to and through you.

Immerse yourself in literature. Deep reading is essential for developing your writing skills and expanding your creative horizons. Engage with texts on multiple levels:

  • Skim: Get a general overview
  • Swim: Actively engage with the content
  • Submerge: Fully immerse yourself, analyze, and reflect

Learn from great writers. Studying the work of accomplished authors can provide inspiration and insights into effective writing techniques. Make a habit of:

  • Reading widely across genres
  • Analyzing writing styles and techniques
  • Keeping a journal of powerful quotes and ideas
  • Applying what you learn to your own writing practice

3. Cultivating Imagination Through Poetry and Sensory Experience

Poetry is the language of possibility.

Embrace poetic thinking. Poetry offers a unique pathway to unlock creativity and explore the depths of human experience. By engaging with poetry, you can:

  • Develop a more nuanced understanding of language
  • Cultivate sensitivity to rhythm and imagery
  • Challenge conventional thinking patterns

Engage your senses. Writing vividly involves tapping into all your senses. Practice mindful observation of your environment, paying attention to:

  • Visual details
  • Sounds and silences
  • Textures and tactile sensations
  • Scents and tastes
  • Emotional responses to sensory input

4. The Power of Amusement and Audacity in Writing

Every act of placing pen to paper and facing the cold open tundra of the page is an act of strength and courage, an example of daring.

Find joy in the process. Approaching writing with a sense of amusement can help overcome self-doubt and perfectionism. Embrace playfulness and experimentation in your work, allowing yourself to:

  • Write without judgment
  • Explore unconventional ideas
  • Find humor in unexpected places

Be boldly authentic. Audacity in writing means having the courage to express your truth, even when it feels uncomfortable or risky. This involves:

  • Confronting personal fears and insecurities
  • Sharing vulnerable experiences
  • Challenging societal norms and expectations
  • Trusting your unique voice and perspective

5. Devotion: Committing to Your Writing Practice

Devotion is not an act of convenience.

Develop unwavering commitment. True devotion to writing means showing up consistently, regardless of mood or circumstances. This requires:

  • Establishing a regular writing routine
  • Setting clear goals and intentions
  • Prioritizing writing amid other life demands
  • Persevering through challenges and setbacks

Cultivate a spiritual approach. Viewing writing as a spiritual practice can deepen your commitment and enhance your creative output. This involves:

  • Connecting with your inner wisdom
  • Approaching writing with reverence and gratitude
  • Seeking personal growth through your craft
  • Recognizing the transformative power of words

6. The Art of Storytelling: Crafting Compelling Narratives

Stories are both true and false, fact and fiction.

Understand story structure. Effective storytelling involves mastering key elements:

  • Setting and situation
  • Plot development
  • Character creation and evolution
  • Conflict and tension
  • Climax and resolution

Write from personal truth. Draw from your own experiences and emotions to create authentic, relatable stories. This may involve:

  • Exploring personal memories and insights
  • Transforming life events into fictional narratives
  • Examining universal themes through a personal lens
  • Balancing fact and fiction to convey deeper truths

7. Embracing the Senses: Writing from Embodied Experience

Writing from the body is about eliciting physical sensations from one body to the next via the magic of language.

Connect with your physical self. Writing from embodied experience involves tuning into your sensory perceptions and emotional responses. Practice:

  • Mindful awareness of bodily sensations
  • Exploring the interconnectedness of mind and body
  • Translating physical experiences into vivid language

Tap into elemental energies. Recognize your connection to the natural world and use it to fuel your writing:

  • Earth: Grounding and stability
  • Air: Inspiration and mental clarity
  • Fire: Passion and transformation
  • Water: Emotion and fluidity

8. Revision and Reflection: The Heart of Great Writing

All writing is rewriting.

Embrace the editing process. Revision is crucial for refining your work and uncovering deeper insights. Approach editing as an opportunity to:

  • Clarify your ideas and intentions
  • Strengthen your language and imagery
  • Eliminate unnecessary elements
  • Enhance the overall impact of your writing

Practice self-reflection. Use the revision process as a tool for personal growth and self-discovery:

  • Examine your assumptions and biases
  • Question your choices and motivations
  • Seek feedback from trusted readers
  • Remain open to new perspectives and possibilities

By committing to these practices and embracing the journey of writing as a path to awakening, you can unlock your creative potential, deepen your self-understanding, and share your unique voice with the world.

Last updated:

Review Summary

3.78 out of 5
Average of 100+ ratings from Goodreads and Amazon.

Writing as a Path to Awakening received mixed reviews, with an average rating of 3.78 out of 5. Many readers appreciated the book's unique approach to combining writing and spirituality, praising its month-by-month structure and insightful exercises. Some found it transformative and inspiring, while others felt it was bloated or too new age-oriented. The book's focus on meditation and mindfulness resonated with many, but some readers struggled to connect with the author's writing style. Overall, it was seen as a valuable resource for those seeking to deepen their writing practice and personal growth.

Your rating:

About the Author

Albert Flynn DeSilver is an accomplished poet, memoirist, novelist, speaker, and workshop leader. He served as Marin County's first Poet Laureate from 2008-2010 and has been published in over 100 literary journals worldwide. DeSilver has authored several books, including "Beamish Boy: A Memoir" and "Letters to Early Street." He has performed alongside renowned literary figures and has taught writing and meditation workshops for two decades at various institutions. His work often explores the intersection of creativity and spirituality, as evident in his book "Writing as a Path to Awakening," which combines writing instruction with mindfulness practices.

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