A Form of Prayer

A form of prayer: 

there's an empty screen before me, and then in an instant words are given and some meaning begins to show. Every morning starts this way for me, a writing ritual of trusting that just the right words will appear without me having to reach for them. This once was a moment of anxiety for me, every artist knows the blank intimidation of a waiting page or canvas, and I would struggle with this early morning confrontation of emptiness. There was an underlying fear that perhaps it was this morning that inspiration might finally abandon me. Most mornings now I face the screen with a complete trust that I will be given the exact words needed to fulfill the sacred purpose the page. I am here for a very specific reason, a holy obligation to share myself through words, and I have complete faith in the flow of inspiration. What I write is really and only meant to display this trust. 

it's a form of prayer.

and so the purpose is built into the very fabric of page, emptiness serving as the capacity to receive, and this early morning ritual is meant to convey that sense of trust through every aspect of my day. It's a beautiful beginning...a prayer that's always answered.

holy spirit,

thank you for these words.

amen.

~

I love you, Eric

To read more from Headless Now, please visit: Awaken

Also, please visit to buy: The War of Art

Thank you.

Wounded Mind

Wounded mind:  

this morning I woke, hours earlier than usual, and with a wave anxiety building to the verge of panic. It's been awhile since this has occurred, well over a year now, but still familiar in its grip. This time it was triggered by a chest cold that made it difficult to breathe through the night, waking me with a choking gasp for breath. It doesn't really matter though, as every bout of anxiety stems from a tiny thought of fear that's run wild, raging larger and stronger over a short course of time. 

so that was my early morning. 

fortunately, I have some tools at my disposal, even if they're hard to access at the moment anxiety happens. First there is a reservoir of emotional health that I've been building, a daily cultivation of breathwork, mindful motion, and settling into the stillness of meditation. This is my bedrock, long established, and available as a strength for me to draw from. What this has done is cultivate a field of awareness that allows me to recognize a fearful mind. Just this background sense of calm alone is often all that's needed to lay some fear aside. It also provides a small opportunity to initiate a break in rampant thoughts, one mindful breath is often enough, a brief hum to provide a sense of calm, or some gentle motion that settles the body down. 

slightly, however slightly...

a peaceful seed has now been planted.

for me, I work with these seeds until I'm able to do some proper breathwork, calming the nervous system and reducing fear to a manageable degree. Yoga asanas follow, then meditation, and a walk through nature. Writing helps, as does any creative endeavor. More seeds planted. This is what I work with, and they've been enough to provide me the means to heal a wounded mind.

one moment at a time.

and that's all that's needed. 

~

Peace, Eric

To read more from Headless Now, please visit: Like Yoga

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Thank you.