Exploring the Edge

Photo by Lydia Ishmael, North Dakota Double

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In my book, The Clue of the Red Thread, I offer the practice of Hosting the Edge. This practice is borrowed from David Hawkin's work on healing through awareness and various Buddhist practices of witnessing and mindfulness. Hosting the Edge is being present without adding a storyline so that one can release and heal from painful emotional states. (See the 3-minute practice video below.) 

Exploring the Edge is a practice of active contemplation. We explore these edges as writers and spiritual practitioners to increase our consciousness, insight and creativity. To stay intentional and present at these edges. At yoga class the other day, my teacher invited us to "explore the edge" of staying longer with a particular pose. We tend to be habitual in our poses and stop or give up; we assume our limits are less than they are. Explore the edge to get past the point of giving up. Explore this place of discomfort and transformation. Use your breath and curiosity to explore these edges.
 
This is the discipline of the yogi. 

This practice of exploring the edge has helped me not give up but instead progress through resistance, laziness, or discomfort. Just before giving up or backing off from a commitment I made, I breathe, explore the resistance at this edge, and stay with it. I can say that I have discovered and accomplished more with this attitude. 

We can also explore our edges through our writing after the edginess has past.  Explore those times where you found yourself at these edges of habit or absence, these places of discomfort and potential. Write about a recent edge. What was there for you to discover? What was the discomfort? And the potential?

And, of course, we have these edges in our writing! Can you stay put and keep writing after the enthusiasm has quieted or the original idea has been written? Can you move past having said yes and live the yes? Can you explore this edge of "I feel I’m done, but I'm not done" and discover what else is there to write about? 
 
This is the discipline of the writer. 

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