For me, it is a palpable restlessness when I feel the call to paint something and don't have time to do it. It hurts like being away from a nursing baby with full breasts.
I so relate to your musing, @Jo, just followed you, nice to "meet" you! Would you be willing to explore our connection with our topics? I started Substack to explore essays, art, poetry, nature-lover (all are my loves that I feel I have not given enough attention to for years) Wildlands is a culmination of my work to inspire restoration-conservation of mind-body-spirit-nature, and created an advocacy project called Restoring Soils and Souls. https://robinmotzer.substack.com
“There was a sensation in my chest like the pull of a receding wave accompanied by a rising exhilaration. I’ve learned this is my call to go and write.” — I love that, Priya. It is amazing how in tune you are with the call.
When an idea strikes me, something I’d like to write about it at least explore with some stream of consciousness writing, I feel the call, like a rush of excitement. And I feel I have to get to a pen and paper or at least my voice memos in my phone as quick as I can to note down the initial idea.
You're right, Michael, it's crazy how quickly you have to write it down or record it some way. It feels like magic sometimes though it can be frustrating trying to recall .
It is magic, as it comes from some ‘spirit like place’, intuition essentially, and yes must record it immediately or it will go. I write about it in my latest post on Writing practice 🙏
Lovely Priya! It’s funny you wrote this because a similar thought had been percolating in my head... along the lines of how quickly I’ve adapted to this writing life and how right it feels to me... will need to jot it down. Thanks for this!
Thank you, Reena, it’s something that’s also been on my mind since I started on Substack last year. Coming back to writing and honoring it has felt like returning home after years of exile. That sounds melodramatic, but is true. Thank you for reading!
This is a beautiful post ... thank you for the invitation. We are called by 'adventure' - though, perhaps it is travel too, and gatherings of kindred spirits. We remembered last year, as we were knee deep in gluts of fruit and vegetables that we had nurtured, that this little farm is meant to be a basecamp, not an anchor. It is a place to launch out from and a place to recharge. So we are called back to adventures (and words, always words).
I think this idea of a space from which to launch is something that I’m really resonating with. I’ve been thinking of everything I do as a tether that allows me to move rather than be confined, and that has changed how I view life. Thank for reading and sharing! It’s much appreciated!
What a beautiful description of this inspiration of words that seem to bubble out of nowhere. It usually hits me when I’m on a walk. I’m considering dictating on my phone because they disappear by the time I get home and made a tea.
Hello, Liezl! Thank you reading and commenting! I love the words bubbling out. I’ve used both voice memos and the Notes app, and find them incredibly useful.
I love this imagery of the call! With writing, the words often flow at the most inopportune moments -- when I’m about to fall asleep, when I’ve stepped out somewhere without my phone...With painting, if I’ve been away from the studio for a few days, I feel a sense of restlessness or emptiness, and I know that’s my cue to go pick up my paints.
Hello, Shinjini! I can resonate with both the restlessness and the inopportune arrival of inspiration. It almost feels like a self-regulatory mechanism. Thank you!
Unfortunately for me, this feeling often comes in the middle of the night. I awake and fall asleep telling myself that I will remember in the morning. I never do.
I am so moved by your writing, Priya. Don't know which newsletter you posted on the @sarahfay thread. I read this, love your writing and want to hear more of it. Am subscribing. The image of the lush green forest--I'll try to hold on to it when I'm pulled to do something that feels essential
I also hear words in my head and that is my signal to begin. I'm a fiction writer so if a character starts speaking to me, or a description starts to come through, I have to get to my pen and paper to capture it and continue. I'm struggling to remember who it was (Muriel Spark?) but someone likened it to picking up a telephone and listening in.
I love the way you situate your posts in a real place and time: it's so easy to feel sort of disembodied (as writer and reader) here online/on Substack!
For me, it is a palpable restlessness when I feel the call to paint something and don't have time to do it. It hurts like being away from a nursing baby with full breasts.
Jo, that’s a great way to describe it! Thank you for taking the time to read and comment!
Thank You, Priya, for providing me with a prompt to think about it.
I so relate to your musing, @Jo, just followed you, nice to "meet" you! Would you be willing to explore our connection with our topics? I started Substack to explore essays, art, poetry, nature-lover (all are my loves that I feel I have not given enough attention to for years) Wildlands is a culmination of my work to inspire restoration-conservation of mind-body-spirit-nature, and created an advocacy project called Restoring Soils and Souls. https://robinmotzer.substack.com
Thanks, sure I subscribed. Would love to learn more about soil restoration.
I will try it. Sunrise is always my best inspiration for writing ❤️
Hello, Hayley! Thank you for reading and commenting! I hope the meditation helps. Early mornings are my best times to write too!
A lovely meditation; thank you for sharing your insight and wisdom! When words come to me, I repeat them as long as I can until I get to write them.
Nadia, same! It’s crazy how quickly i forget or the words fade away. Thank you for reading and sharing! Greatly appreciate it!
“There was a sensation in my chest like the pull of a receding wave accompanied by a rising exhilaration. I’ve learned this is my call to go and write.” — I love that, Priya. It is amazing how in tune you are with the call.
When an idea strikes me, something I’d like to write about it at least explore with some stream of consciousness writing, I feel the call, like a rush of excitement. And I feel I have to get to a pen and paper or at least my voice memos in my phone as quick as I can to note down the initial idea.
You're right, Michael, it's crazy how quickly you have to write it down or record it some way. It feels like magic sometimes though it can be frustrating trying to recall .
Thank you for reading and sharing, Michael!
Yes, it strikes quick and disappears just as quickly — gotta catch it while it’s there :)
It is magic, as it comes from some ‘spirit like place’, intuition essentially, and yes must record it immediately or it will go. I write about it in my latest post on Writing practice 🙏
Lovely Priya! It’s funny you wrote this because a similar thought had been percolating in my head... along the lines of how quickly I’ve adapted to this writing life and how right it feels to me... will need to jot it down. Thanks for this!
Thank you, Reena, it’s something that’s also been on my mind since I started on Substack last year. Coming back to writing and honoring it has felt like returning home after years of exile. That sounds melodramatic, but is true. Thank you for reading!
We're all in for drama :-)
This is a beautiful post ... thank you for the invitation. We are called by 'adventure' - though, perhaps it is travel too, and gatherings of kindred spirits. We remembered last year, as we were knee deep in gluts of fruit and vegetables that we had nurtured, that this little farm is meant to be a basecamp, not an anchor. It is a place to launch out from and a place to recharge. So we are called back to adventures (and words, always words).
I think this idea of a space from which to launch is something that I’m really resonating with. I’ve been thinking of everything I do as a tether that allows me to move rather than be confined, and that has changed how I view life. Thank for reading and sharing! It’s much appreciated!
Enabling not constraining. Such a good way to see things. Onwards
What a beautiful description of this inspiration of words that seem to bubble out of nowhere. It usually hits me when I’m on a walk. I’m considering dictating on my phone because they disappear by the time I get home and made a tea.
Hello, Liezl! Thank you reading and commenting! I love the words bubbling out. I’ve used both voice memos and the Notes app, and find them incredibly useful.
I love this imagery of the call! With writing, the words often flow at the most inopportune moments -- when I’m about to fall asleep, when I’ve stepped out somewhere without my phone...With painting, if I’ve been away from the studio for a few days, I feel a sense of restlessness or emptiness, and I know that’s my cue to go pick up my paints.
Hello, Shinjini! I can resonate with both the restlessness and the inopportune arrival of inspiration. It almost feels like a self-regulatory mechanism. Thank you!
Love the Campbell quote at the end.
Campbell is good. Have you read John Yorke "Into the Woods" and his Roadmap of Change?
Alexander, thanks for the recommendation. I just got the book and am looking forward to reading it!
Unfortunately for me, this feeling often comes in the middle of the night. I awake and fall asleep telling myself that I will remember in the morning. I never do.
Haha, I know the feeling, like chasing a wisp of something. Thank you for reading!
I am so moved by your writing, Priya. Don't know which newsletter you posted on the @sarahfay thread. I read this, love your writing and want to hear more of it. Am subscribing. The image of the lush green forest--I'll try to hold on to it when I'm pulled to do something that feels essential
Exactly this occurrence I call ‘intuitive call’ and I agree with everything you describe
Natalia, welcome to the Ten Thousand Journeys community and thank you for sharing your perspective!
I also hear words in my head and that is my signal to begin. I'm a fiction writer so if a character starts speaking to me, or a description starts to come through, I have to get to my pen and paper to capture it and continue. I'm struggling to remember who it was (Muriel Spark?) but someone likened it to picking up a telephone and listening in.
I love the way you situate your posts in a real place and time: it's so easy to feel sort of disembodied (as writer and reader) here online/on Substack!