Automatic Writing for Self-Discovery!
Guest Writer: Erica Detlefs
When it comes to expressing our true selves, there can feel like there’s a lot of blocks between what you feel, what you want to do, and what the ego, your friends, or the world wants you to do. If there’s a feeling I can’t quite place, a desire I can’t quite locate, or if there’s a question I can’t seem to hear the answer to, my go-to solution is writing. Specifically, automatic writing.
Automatic writing is when you get out a pen and paper or sit at a laptop and write exactly what comes to mind, no filter, for however long you need. I type on a single document, and I even close my eyes.
The point is to take a deep breath and release all expectations, blockages, and limiting thoughts until the only thing that’s left is the core of who you are, what you feel, and what you need to do.
To start, I recommend getting into a slightly meditative state, however, works best for you. I open the document, rest my hands on the keyboard, and start to take extremely deep breaths. I also tell myself I release my fingers to my higher self.
And then, I type. I type the first things that come to mind. Usually, it starts off as small words that don’t seem to make sense and grow to short sentences, until suddenly I’m typing entire paragraphs with my eyes closed. Its important to not care about any typo’s or spelling errors or even where the writing is headed.
I find that there seem to be two types of automatic writing: semi-conscious, and unconscious. With the semi-conscious, I’m usually writing about a specific thing. I’m writing what I’ve been telling myself, or what I’m telling my friends about a feeling or a situation. I’m still kind of thinking as I’m typing. But unconscious automatic writing, I feel that meditative state, and the voice, tone, or even basic word choice of what I write doesn’t quite sound like me – it sounds like a deeper side of me. I can’t remember “thinking” as I’ve been writing.
This is when I get the best results.
This is when I find little nuggets of truth about myself that guide me in the right direction. Most of these nuggets enlighten me to how I’m actually feeling about something or remind me about parts of myself I’ve forgotten. Sometimes I’ll reread what I wrote – always the next day – and be reminded that I have control over my reality. Other times it’ll remind me to trust the universe. But it always clears my mind and reminds me about the power I have by being my true self.
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Erica Detlefs is a writing student at Savannah College of Art and Design and an astrologist and blogger at Cosmic Corner Savannah. Writing nonfiction and fiction has always been a key part of her spirituality and self-discovery!