This month's spiritual book/writing club has been SO much fun. We expanded beyond just talking about the themes that came up in the book (Enchantment: Awakening Wonder in an Anxious Age by Katherine May) and added in time to write, explore and share together. This deepened the creative experience and connective experience of the group, and made me love and appreciate the power of accountability, shared experience and intentional creative flow. Want to explore on your own this summer? Here are some of the writing prompts we've been playing with, all related to the elements of fire, water, earth and air that the book centers around. Enjoy!
Describe a childhood wonder/enchantment moment, making sure to use the senses to deepen into the description. What did you see, hear, smell, feel and taste?
Start writing with: “When I feel most connected, I am….” Let this be a brain dump/free write without overthinking it or directing where the flow of words goes. Keep writing until the flow of words feels complete.
Rainer Maria Rilke says “Go to the limits of your longing.” Describe your field/landscape of longings. What’s at the edge? Where do the limits of your longing lead you?
Imagine you are receiving a direct transmission from the Divine/ from the god part of your self and write down what it says. It might be about your life, this moment, the world in general, the times we’re living in, or something else entirely. Tap into that wisdom and see what it shows up as - a poem? A directive? A story?
Continue the start to this story/scene, either from your perspective as the swimmer, writing about the swimmer in the 3rd person, or the water’s perspective being swum in: ”It was a crystal clear day and the swimmer plunged into the water…"
Write from the perspective of different types of fire - maybe a candle, a bonfire, a wildfire, the sun, or your own inner fire! Describe how it feels, what the essence is, what its longings are, what makes the different types of fire feel alive.
Write a poem or a song around the topic of fire - what needs to be burned up, or what passion may be ignited within you or around you?
Reflect on hierophany, or the revelation of the sacred, in your life. How does the sacred reveal (his/her/themself) to you?
Tell about a significant experience you’ve had with breath, air, wind, or voice.