Don't Just Go With The Flow

We often consider the attitude of going with the flow as our ally, when it’s more likely an insidious enemy, sabotaging our aspirations. 

Right now, as I have committed myself to finishing the first draft of my novel by April 1st, I find it much easier to write nonfiction. After all, I’ve written 9 nonfiction books. The challenge is to keep showing up everyday for my novel, not “going with the flow” of writing nonfiction.

It can be dangerous for the spiritual pilgrim and the writer to just “go with the flow.” It too often means giving up on truly being present. After all, you have something to add or to experience in any given moment. What wants your attention? Where are you going to put your energy? What is your intention is this situation or relationships? How can you contribute? What meaning are you going to make with this particular circumstance? These inquires do not allow for a more passive attitude of just going with the flow.

Are you even in agreement with the way things are going?

The other obvious danger of just “going with the flow,” is that sometimes the flow is a threat to our very integrity. There are many times it is better not to go along with circumstances or even to put up with something. Many spiritual practitioners mistakenly hold this attitude of passivity and nonresistance, using these to be unresponsive, indifferent or unassertive. Research has shown that within group settings it is more productive to hold a dynamic conversation where disagreement and differences are voiced. These edgy conversations have proven to result in more ideas and effort.

For the writer going with the flow can be a seduction into a lazy path where we wait for inspiration to come to us. Inspiration is more often something you find as you write. Inspiration takes place in a conversation with your self, with nature, with the muse, on the page or with whatever is rising up in the moment. Creativity and spiritual integrity are always active and participatory. 

“Mind training is not about simply learning how to be accommodating . . . The emphasis here is on skillful means, not simply working with every situation in an accepting way.  Whether we tolerate a situation or not isn’t the problem, it’s whether we can recognize what is beneficial for us and what is only going to be harmful. If we examine ourselves more closely, we may find that blindly showing good-naturedness is one of our most problematic impulses.”  –Traleg Kyabgon, The Practice of Lojong 

Writing Prompts & Spiritual Inquiry      (The practice of which will generate wanted movement).

•When have you gone with the flow and not spoken up or acted out? What did you do with your energy and ideas around this? How is “being present” different than “going with the flow?” How might the attitude of going with the flow be a distraction from the creative life? Write about this using your life as an example.

•What distracts you from your writing or other creative commitments? What are the distractions that keep you from your spiritual commitments? Write them out and do inquiry as to how you are going to transform them.

•What are your aspirations and commitments? What are you going to do each day to move toward completion of these? A great practice (described in my book, Wheel of Initiation) is scripting. Scripting our intentions helps to bring them about. Then, what action are you going to take each day to help fulfill your intention? This can all be acknowledged in your spiritual journal.

•Write about going with the flow using the following words:  prison, tyrant, stationary, holocaust, permission, wave.

•Write “I would regret it if. . . ” repeating this phrase without lifting the pen until something naturally comes to finish the sentence. Instead of stopping to think or stopping your pen, repeat the phrase until you have three pages filled.

Upcoming Retreats & Classes with Julie Tallard Johnson

2012 Writer’s Consultation Circle, which begins April 4th in Prairie du Sac.   www.julietallardjohnson.com/calendar 

A weekend of meditation, writing, and listening to the Muse  Spiritual Journaling Retreat at Holy Wisdom Monastery near Madison. Starts Friday March 23rd at 7pm and goes till Sunday noon on the 24th.

Inspiration and Movement in your writing using the I Ching. Consult this ancient chinese oracle to enhance your wriitng.
Friday April 13 at Thundering Clouds, LLC in Bear Valley

“Writing is hard labor, shot through with intervals of joy. If there were no pleasure in the sinewy turns of a sentence, the bubbling up of an idea, the find of a path through the maze, who would keep going?”  – Scott Russell Sanders

One more week to download my e-book, Spiritual Journaling: Writing Your Way to Independence for only 99¢.