A Prayer for Writers & Creatives

Aug 5, 2015

I have long practiced “metta” or loving kindness, a Buddhist practice of compassion, using the metta recitation I learned years ago.

May I be a happy.
May my heart remain open.
May I be healthy.
May I be a source of healing for all sentient beings.

The metta practice is simple and incredibly powerful.

Recently, I heard Anna Guest-Jelley, founder of Curvy Yoga, share a metta prayer she wrote for making peace with your body. I loved it so much that I was inspired to write one for writers and creatives.

Here it is!

May I welcome my creativity with the curiosity of a child.
May I own my voice and trust my experiences.
May I practice mercy in the gap between what I want to create and what comes out.
May I remember nothing can eat me.
May I never stop creating.
May I savor it all.

  • As you repeat these verses, first imagine your self, perhaps in act of creating.
  • Next imagine a writer/creative friend you wish well, maybe someone who is struggling or blocked.
  • Then visualize someone you feel neutral about, maybe someone in your writing class.
  • Now extend the prayer to someone you feel wary of, perhaps an editor or a creative person you are envious of.
  • Now imagine everyone who is creating in the world right now aka all of humanity.
  • Repeat the verse once more, seeing your beautiful creative self again.

And as wonderful meditation teacher Sharon Salzberg teaches, there is no need to feel a certain feeling while doing this:

“Any momentary emotional tone is far less relevant than considerable power of intention we harness as we say these phrases. As we repeat, ‘May I be happy; may all beings be happy,’ we are planting seeds by forming this powerful intention in the mind. The seed will bear fruit in its own time.”

Set the intention, say the words, and watch the benefits that will come to help your creativity serve your world.

May we all create with peace and joy.

Love,

Jen

P.S. This Friday is the second of three freeeeeeee Summer Oasis experiences. To sign up, just click here and get access to all three calls. This Friday, we will have a special focus on creativity and planting creative seeds for the fall!

Jettison Self-Doubt and Lose the Itty-Bitty-Shitty Committee and Make Your Thing Now

From the national best-selling author of The Woman’s Comfort Book and Why Bother.

Made for writers, artists, mail art makers, knitters of sock puppets, creative entrepreneurs, photographers, Tarot readers, and anybody who needs to make stuff they love.

I’m not one of those creepy people who make it hard to unsubscribe or email you again nine years after you’ve unsubscribed. Giving me your email is like a coffee date, not a marriage proposal.