Writing Morning Pages is a wonderful way to journal!
Yet again I am publishing my Journal entries, in the form of morning pages, that I choose to go public with. It is a wonderful exercise, a practice for the pen, and for once I have written more than words, words, and more words!
I totally enjoy the process of filling the pages with Words, Words, and more Words. Blah. Blah. Blah. When a person usually wakes up in the morning, they usually are a blank canvas. They are so blank from a good night’s sleep, that they are just so effing joyful to fill the page with utter nonsense because it pleases them.
And yes, I was hoping to publish these on Medium later. So, I know that sticking to the essence of what Morning Pages are, while having a mind to publish them all on Medium later on would make me want to put some material in the morning pages, other than it being about words, words, and more words. Obviously, since even if you did publish some/any form of Journal and made it public, there would obviously have to be something for people to read.
Yes, so morning pages aren’t traditionally meant to be published, but I have heard of people publishing their Journals online. Sometimes people have nice things to say in these journals making them a simple yet beautiful task that always leads to the production of an endearing account, an epiphany of words, that of course someone else would also want to read later!
So I am enthusiastic to write these morning pages, and also publish them on Medium as part of an online journal that is somewhat publicized. I like the very fact that here I am, full of energy in the a.m. typing away at my laptop, kinda grateful to the great scheme of things for the very fact that I am actually doing this regularly ever since the past 2 months.
Morning Pages have a beauty all their own. As a regular stream-of-consciousness exercise, they are actually a means to an end. You may be all groggy in the morning, as mentioned earlier, but as one slowly awakens to the dawn, (and yes it is still dark around me) I start to realize lots of things about life here in small town India, which many believe is a place where writers love to chill out and think.
Which brings me to the reality of something I was reading a few months ago. A book called ‘The Art of intentional writing’ by Samuel River, which I might add, was a different kind of book to attempt reading especially for me, a non-native speaker of the English language.
In this book, Mr River mentioned that upscale individuals, particularly writers from first-world countries try to find eastern countries which are ‘quaint and quiet’ as ideal locales to rest, be themselves and find meaning. It makes me think of the quote ‘ The planet does not need more successful people. The planet desperately needs more peacemakers, healers, restorers, storytellers, and lovers of all kinds.’ This quote by Dalai Lama seems to find meaning here. I think that storytellers/writers would probably really like Asian countries and find them appealing as places to live, write and have their being.
I feel like just saying once that I am the type who used to love reading Nancy Drew and Mills and Boon as a kid. However, reading something like this, reading about how an author creates books, was umm, a first for me. It generated a lot of excitement in my own mind at least, being more than a reader, being a writer as well.
It’s been two years since I started thinking and acting differently. I kinda started a Christian walk of faith, which is why I’m so determined to write the morning pages in the first place. Yes, it does keep me motivated, the ideology of working “for the Lord and not for men” The more I get into the feel of writing these morning pages, the more I actually try and induce some heightened sense of nostalgia so that I have something to write about in the morning pages.
So writing about writing seems very very very interesting! These morning pages seem to be gaining notoriety all their own! While being a writer involves the conscious effort to write about something, I find myself again writing morning pages with a lot of energy and enthusiasm, but hey I seem to think I might get a bit too nostalgic and reveal something that I don’t want people reading because it seems as though the morning pages are taking that direction today! hehe
And so, as always I am rather enjoying the process of writing these very endearing morning pages. It is the process of unwrapping love, of unwrapping the unconscious, in the sense that the brain dump, which though enjoyable, leads to practice for the pen that is trying to translate abstract thoughts into words, and also a realization of thought patterns that can help anyone, not just a writer to get their life into the flow and their preconceived notions into the light!
The whole idea though about Morning Pages seems to be like what the Youtube Vlogger Lavendaire, had said about in her video. I wonder if I’m still in that territory. Apart from it just being about filling three whole pages with words, words, and more words. They are a stream-of-consciousness exercise, technically a manner of filling even up to 5 whole pages of words…a brain dump.
This brings me back to the video I recently watched about Morning Pages, and how they are essentially a tool for writers to find direction and flow for their thoughts. Better believe it, Morning Pages are a recommended exercise for writers who are trying to find some sense of clarity, even in writing.
I don’t know if people who write morning pages, ever take a breather, have a cup of coffee, look outside the window, or even look back at what they have written previously, consciously reviewing their morning pages, with a mind to publish them all later! I know it might seem strange, but I thought that being so self-aware would truly show some sort of talent for being a writer that writes about writing I really do think.
This is probably why the process of writing about writing though intriguing still, seems to have some urgency about it as well. I started by writing more words, words, and more words, now I am writing freely as if from a place of Love, happiness, and peace. I tend to be the worrier, I don’t know if that’s just me, or a tendency of mine because I keep thinking about publishing it all on Medium later for others to read.
But hey, let’s not go too far away from what the essence of Morning Pages ought to be about! Morning pages are a way to fill three whole pages with words, words, and more words. Now that I am nearing the end of the morning pages, I realize that I have retained some sense of clarity even though I might have deviated and written my feelings in the morning pages. I knew that thinking about publishing them on Medium later made me try to be a little articulate and not ramble too much.
And so, here I am! Writing morning pages in the morning hour! With a mind to publish them on Medium later! As part of a regular Journaling effort, I’m aware that many people would actually like to read journal entries if they have some/any material that someone else might want to read. I think people have been reading my Morning pages and I am going to continue publishing them.
As always when I write morning pages I talk about what I have been watching on my phone. A little earlier on, it had to have been something about the hot and happening celebrity world. As a youngish person who likes the Kardashians, I was watching how Khloe Kardashian has worked hard on her appearance and tried to fit in with norms at the same time, just so she could be the perfect celebrity icon, which is something that makes you think. Just a little more than usual.
And so. Writing about writing anyone? While I haven’t departed too far from the whole essence of what morning pages ought to really be about, I still am thinking that I expected that somewhere down the line, being too nostalgic would result in me being overwhelmed with emotion, and not having anything to write. That has not happened yet, but I kind of noticed that I have nearly completed three whole pages of words, words, and more words.
Writing from a place of love, happiness, and peace, seems to indicate that one might not just fill the page with words, words, and more words, as in a copy-paste, but might actually write something that means something to them. I’m writing this with bated breath for some reason, as I realize I have much more self-control than I realize, and even that comes from a place of love, happiness, and peace.
Conclusion
And so yes, I might try and arrive at the conclusion also that the act of reading the Bible has had a beautiful effect on me. I am much more articulate, even as I try to work for the lord, and not for men. It has been a strange struggle this, telling, very telling! Getting to the end of the Morning Pages and trying to keep it interesting enough to publish on Medium later!
While this is a lovely thing in itself that I rather enjoy, that brings me back to the moment. About things, I have been posting in the morning pages. Umm, and also things that are on my mind! Yes, the whole idea of morning pages is that it is indeed supposed to be a very ‘freeing’ exercise. An act of release in which you do nothing but fill the page with words, words, and more words, and you may actually want to keep it crisp enough to show someone later.
And finally, I reached the end of my morning pages! It was raining outside, the Sun has not yet risen, and I have managed to reach the word limit, as far as the limit for content writers goes. Three whole pages of words, words, and more words! And an endearing epiphany of words, to publish on Medium later! I am a little happy though that I followed the rules of morning pages, with a mind to publish them all on Medium later, and did not ramble on.
