Is it Writer’s Block or Liberation?

The unasked-for gift of the empty mind

Those who meditate seek to quiet their internal chatter

Practitioners of mindfulness — and I can claim only a guest membership in that serene population — will tell you that the goal of meditation is to slow the random traffic of thoughts that normally clog the brain’s thoroughfares. Doing so allows for some space on your internal roadways. It allows you to make a considered choice as to which of those passing mental conveyances you want to travel in. With practice, you have the option to sit back and simply watch the thought-vehicles come and go, without being carried away by any of them.

Easing the congestion in your neural pathways allows for a clearer head and a more peaceful mindset. But most mindfulness gurus will tell you that trying to empty your mind of thoughts entirely is not the goal. For one thing, short of slipping under general anesthesia, it’s pretty much impossible.

Unless, that is, you’re a writer. Particularly a writer with a deadline looming, or a major project that you’ve committed to but have yet to begin. Or you’ve made a decent start on it, but then you hit, say, Chapter Seven. Suddenly it’s as if you’ve been paddling your boat across a lovely mountain lake that has, without warning…