A Summary of the Month’s Posts on Micro-Transformations
I read through all of my posts backward, from Z back to A. My thoughts are well represented. I have transformed myself and continue to transform myself by taking small steps. And I’ve defined what I have to offer to help others to do the same, whether through my writing or my facilitation of writing groups. (more…)
My schedule is full of Zoom meetings. Each has its own flavor. None is to be dreaded. Three years ago, when I last did the A to Z Challenge, I was just getting used to Zoom. It felt like a poor substitute for in-person meetings.
Many people still feel that way, but I no longer think of Zoom meetings as “less than.” Maybe the dose of contact I need is less than other people’s. I used to prefer energy treatments to massage. (more…)
The first class I took in the online Narrative Medicine program at Columbia University was called “Close Readings.” It was recommended as the first class because it was designed by the founder of the program, Dr. Rita Charon. We interacted closely with works of art: classic short pieces of literature, a Beatles song, and artworks. We responded with what we learned from the close examination.
One of the assignments was to choose a piece of music to examine. I chose this piece. And this is the response I turned in for that assignment. (more…)
A famous Christian scripture (Matthew 6:21) says, “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” In context, this means one should set aside worldly treasures for spiritual ones. But in a sort of reverse engineering, I have often thought that my treasure lay where my heart was. To find my treasure, I needed to know my heart.
When I made my decision to go to medical school, I did it by reading What Color is Your Parachute? — a book for career changers and job seekers. I went to my local library in Somerville, NJ, sat at one of the big round blond-wood tables, and worked my way through the exercises in the book. (more…)
Write Around the World is an annual fundraiser for Amherst Writers & Artists (AWA). The proceeds fund AWA’s social justice programs. Every May, trained writing facilitators volunteer to offer workshops. The goal is to reach those who may not be familiar with AWA’s supportive writing method. On Wednesday, May 24, 2023, at 10 a.m. (EDT), I will be co-facilitating a two-hour workshop with Francine Diodati. We will be online via Zoom.
Francine is a poet. She’s also a caregiver, both in her healthcare day job and at home with her special needs child. Our workshop is part of AWA’s Caregiver Project. The AWA has been working to harness the Power of Story in its workshop series, and The Caregiver Project is part of that work. (more…)
Vipassana is a Pali word that translates as insight or mindfulness. For almost a year, I have been using an app on my phone and desktop to ground my day with a 10-minute guided vipassana meditation. If it interests you, you can sign up for a 7-day free trial. Or you can contact me and I can invite you to a 30-day free trial.
It’s part of my morning routine, which has changed slightly in the month of April. I have to incorporate my commitment to blog almost daily. I scribble some ideas for the next blog post into my morning pages, then do my 10 minutes of vipassana. Next, I open a Word document to begin drafting. (more…)
By a happy coincidence, I’m re-reading Gabriele Rico’s book Writing the Natural Way as I write about the unconscious mind. Or maybe it’s not a coincidence. At least part of my brain was aware that the letter U was coming up in the A to Z Challenge. I like how my unconscious can nudge me toward action without my conscious mind being aware.
I first read Rico’s book in 1985, just before I went into medical school, and the creative thread of my life was suppressed for a while. It was the first craft book I’d read that convinced me I could write. More importantly, it gave me a reliable path to find something to say. Thirty-eight years later, I’m still finding useful things in this book. (more…)
It’s not like me to be sad or fearful for a long time. With age, experience, and mindfulness, I’ve learned to let go of negative emotions quickly, But things were different when I was in my medical training in 1990.
There was an event that shook me for several weeks. I perpetuated my anguish by isolating myself. I had no one I felt comfortable talking to about this. (more…)
The A to Z Challenge interrupted my series of chapbook poems just before I came to the last poem in my chapbook, the one from which the title is taken. Here is the last of the previously published poems in the collection. (more…)
R is a letter with many sounds. Pronounced from the back of the throat, it’s a motor humming, a dog growling, a cat purring. When trilled with the tongue, it’s a snare drum. When made with the lips, it’s the wind whistling a tunnel or through a flute.
R is for ritual. I’ve mentioned the value of rituals for marking the beginning of writing time. But any daily habit, done with mindfulness can become a transforming ritual. Here’s a poem from Pat Schneider about transformation. (more…)