Can Yoga and Meditation Make Me a Better Writer?
Mindful tools to help you build a more sustainable, prolific writing career.
Writing can take a toll on writers’ physical and mental health. We sit for hours, days, hunched over computers and notebooks. We have the spine, neck, shoulders, and wrists of octogenarians. We spend most of that time alone, in our heads. And if we want to be published, we’ll face the discomfort of rejection, which inevitably produces the garden-variety bundle of insecurity and anxiety. All that negative emotion can lead to paralysis (writer’s block) and long creative dry spells.
Or maybe that’s just me.
This past year I’ve been exploring the question, “Is there a healthier, more sustainable way to do this writing life?”
Because history is full of writers who sacrificed their physical and/or mental health and relationships for literary fame and fortune. But we know now that it doesn’t have to be that way. There are better ways to live.
Getting to where we’re going will take time and effort, but we want to enjoy the journey along the way too. We want to do our best work (and lots of it) from a place of passion and presence not hustle and grind. And we want to celebrate and share our successes with our friends and the people we love.
We want to do our best work (and lots of it) from a place of passion and presence not hustle and grind.
Often though there’s a huge gap between our ideal writing life and the day-to-day reality. We’re more likely to ignore and push through physical and mental discomfort until something forces us to stop, like a health crisis or a frustrating case of writer’s block.
Taking care of ourselves though can mean the difference between giving up and achieving our dreams. We can incorporate regular practices into our lives that reduce the physical impact on our bodies, build resilience, and shush the stream of negative mental chatter.
Taking care of ourselves can mean the difference between giving up and achieving our dreams.
And one of those practices can be yoga and meditation.
The brain (and body) on yoga and meditation
According to a number of recent studies, yoga and meditation have a strong impact on our brains. Yoga and meditation:
- calm our sympathetic nervous system, reducing the flight-or-fight response triggered by stress and moving us into a higher level of decision making.
- reduce the wandering ‘monkey-mind’ and obsessive (usually negative) self-referential thoughts that are linked with lower levels of happiness.
- boost executive functioning and emotional resilience, and strengthen verbal and visual skills.
- increase the Alpha brain waves linked with more clarity, less depression and anxiety, and greater creative flow.
How yoga and meditation impact writers
On a practical level, asanas like down dog, cat-cow, and fish pose can undo some of the damage caused by sitting long periods of time in a chair. Plus, yoga has been shown to reduce the inflammation associated with chronic stressors like rejection, anxiety, and depression. And if you aren’t the athletic type, a chill yoga studio might be more your style than a Crossfit gym.
Then there’s the social aspect to consider. Many writers tend to be introverts, so we don’t always go out of our way to mingle. In the right yoga or meditation class, we can find an un-intimidating space to be with other people knowing there’s a time limit with a hard stop. Everyone sticks to their own mats, and we don’t have to talk to anyone else if we don’t want to. Besides, most people will have their eyes closed any way. I can’t imagine a better place for a bunch of introverts to hang out upside down than a yoga class.
I can’t imagine a better place for a bunch of introverts to hang out upside down than a yoga class.
Lastly, yoga and meditation aren’t just great ways to strengthen your body. Both practices also sharpen your mind. They build awareness of the habitual negative thought patterns that hold you back. They help you stop living in the past or future and anchor you in the present. They put you in touch with the wisdom of your body. And they give you tools to face and cope with your emotional landscape. All of this not only makes you a healthier person, it can make you a more awakened writer too.
Where to start with yoga
You don’t have to join a gym or studio to incorporate yoga or meditation into your life. You can follow along with any number of YouTube yoga instructors or try a service like Yoga International. If you don’t have any experience with yoga, then start with Vinyasa, restorative or Yin yoga.
When you’re ready though, nothing beats a yoga studio for getting the most out of your practice. A good yoga instructor can help you adjust any asanas (poses) to accommodate injuries. They can also help you address your problem areas, and teach you proper form that will protect your joints for years to come.
Where to start with meditation
As for meditation, there are plenty of apps that offer meditations and courses, often for free. Try Calm or Insight Timer or, again, look for meditations on YouTube or Yoga International.
If you’re new to meditation, look for beginner’s courses on mindfulness meditation. Start with 5 minutes a day and work your way up to 20. However long you practice, you’re better off with a shorter daily practice then a long, infrequent one. Not seeing the results you want or have trouble focusing? Join a local meditation group. You’ll learn a lot from your fellow meditators, and the group meditation experience will greatly enhance your personal practice.
Christa Hogan is a veteran freelance and creative writer and author. She’s also training to teach yoga and mindfulness meditation.
