Touching One's Soul ... The Ultimate Inspiration for a Writer
>From smoke and dirt to pollution and oil, it is amazing how much
gunk can collect on a window over time. I sit here in my office
looking out the window that appears to look the same as it did
when it was new, but wondering why it was always a gray overcast
outside. I was just used to the slow collection of crud so I
never really noticed how opaque the window was becoming. It took
a lot of cleaner, four rags, and a lot of elbow grease to make
the window acceptably transparent again, but it'll never be the
same as it was when it was new.
Just as with the window, from birth, we all collect some level
of gunk on our souls. This gunk consists of misinformation,
prejudices, conflict, trauma, and myriad other experiences that
layer over our creative insides. These layers slowly change the
way we see our world by creating an opaque film over our soul's
eye. With that we begin to see the world in a way that we assume
that it is and not necessarily in a way that it truly exists.
Our reality becomes tainted preventing us from perusing and
becoming everything that we could possibly become. However,
somehow we need to clean off that gunk to obtain a clear view of
life.
---Writing to Clear my Vision---
After 15 years of sharpening pencils and banging on the
keyboard, I am still amazed at the things that happen as I
continue to write. In the early days, I simply did it because it
helped to pay the bills and it was fun to see my books at the
bookstore. But, as time passed, I began to realize that the more
I write, the more I learn about myself, and the more layers that
peel off of my soul.
I must say, that the most fulfilling experience I ever had as a
writer was the day that I saw my soul. To settle your doubts, it
wasn't so much a physical manifestation of a soul, but it was
the automatic typing of my fingers to create content so rich
that I had to pinch myself to see if it was still me. This
bizarre, yet fulfilling, sensation pushed me into an entirely
different frame of mind and a sense of satisfaction and
self-belief like I had never known.
---Writing to Scratch the Surface---
Writing can take on many different shapes and sizes. Some write
for research. Some write for pleasure. Others write for money.
But, at the core of writing is the expression of one's inner
being. It is an outlet for the soul. A way for it to give so
that it can dig its way out of the layers of contradiction and
goo that have piled on over the years.
Many books have been written about the act of keeping journals
or writing pages in the mornings to describe the first things
that are in your mind to clear the way for the remainder of the
day. The idea behind such practice writings is to begin to dig
through years of muck and mire to touch the ultimate writer
within us. However, it is much more than that. It is the release
of our creative self that we all have inside and provides us
with guidance and direction through our lives.
---Writing to Touch the Soul---
The soul is that energy that keeps is alive and connected to the
Universe. It is the most basic part of our existence, but
contains the knowledge and emotion of the Universe. When you
touch your soul, your fingers take on a life of their own and
you "feel" the things that you must write. Whether you feel it
as inspiration or some divine message, it doesn't matter. It all
boils down to the fact that you are connected to your inner self
and have punctured a hole through which the inspiration can flow.
Once you touch your soul, your life will change. It's like a
chain-reaction that changes your outlook and your direction. You
feel what you are truly made of and find that you are capable of
everything. All of the challenges you've encountered throughout
your life suddenly transform into lessons.
The easiest way to begin the journey of self-discovery is to
begin writing. Don't write about the fly on the wall or the
sunset. Write what you feel. What is the first feeling that
comes to you.
While your first few attempts will appear, perhaps,
embarrassing, they are simply a representation as to the way the
soul's message is translated through the years of experience
piled on top of it. The objective is to dig through the layers
to reach your core. Just keep writing. Every time you write,
you'll find that the feeling you're documenting becomes clearer
and more intelligible.
---What's next?---
Whether your objective in life is to be a writer or not, the
idea behind writing is simply to touch your soul. It's no wonder
so many people live their lives in spiritual destitution. The
creativity that ought to fuel every thing in life is stifled.
Don't starve your spirit. Learn what creative gift the Universe
has given you. Love it and care for it. It's as important as the
food you eat and the air you breathe as it is what supports your
life.