TYL for Writers: #4 The Niyamas

Spring has sprung here in my corner of the Earth but, my goodness, what strange times we are living in.

On the one hand, current global affairs and the fate of the planet saddens me to the bone, leaving me only to feel despair, and yet, personally, I feel so alive and so ready to write my words.

Opportunities abound and, surrounded by inspiration, I am both excited and optimistic for the future.

One word: Conflicted.

But then, that’s life on this planet of duality, isn’t it?

Dark and light. You can’t have one without the other.

Photo by Mak on Unsplash

In my April offering of TYL, I briefly outlined the Niyamas (as far as my understanding allows), and I’ve been reflecting on them all month in relation to my writing.

Not least because I’ve been preparing to share how yoga helps with writing at the Bournemouth Writing Festival (happening next week).

My session Unearth Your Voice is all about finding - unearthing - the hidden aspect of ourselves, or the truth of who we are that’s underneath all of the nonsense; all of the stuff that we or others layer over our essence, and releasing this “stuff” is perhaps the most important part of writing from the heart.

As writers, we spend so much time in our heads - writing from the mind - and I find that when I write from this place, something which is almost automatic, I hardly have time to remember to breathe.

Even though I live by the breath, I still forget! I get caught and wrapped-up in my thoughts and what it is I want to write.