Writing from the Heart

Writing from the Heart

(Meditative Writing-Writing to Heal)

By Zvezdana Rashkovich

Writing from the Heart Meditative writing workshops came about after I trained as a meditation teacher and studied Journal therapy. I also graduated with that elusive Creative Writing degree at the age of 50. I have been writing for a long time, so learning deeper practices seemed like an organic evolution to me. I have visited Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka in addition to my own immersion into the healing practices found in tribal customs of my homelands and places I’ve lived. Currently, I live in Cairo, where I moved to after decades in the former Yugoslavia, the Middle East, USA, and Sudan.

Let’s look at how we all seek healing in one form or another. Healing is something my grandmother did as my mother does. Herbs, flowers, and tinctures were always a part of my life. In Sudan, my step-grandmother introduced me to the power of words in healing, through the verses of Quran and through the protective amulets children often wear to ward the evil eye. In the Balkans there was always poetry, folktales, and song lyrics. All of these word-elements are enmeshed in healing the collective soul of the people of those regions. 

Through my study of American Studies, I was drawn to Afro-Caribbean slave culture through the literary works of Zora Neale Hurston and the Harlem Renaissance writers as well as the work of poet Laureate Joy Harjo. The common fascination with ancestral trauma, women’s subjugation, and healing also drew me to Clarissa Pinkola Estes, a Mexican anthropologist and poet. These women play an instrumental role in my evolution as a woman writer who looks to writing as a healing tool – especially for women and children.

The practices of grinding soil, bark plants or minerals and the practices of sound healing, mantra chanting and other modules have been universally utilized for millennia. I use storytelling to tell stories as a contribution to my own healing and an ode to my ancestors. Now, add to this wondrous mix of possible healing, the eons-old science of meditation. 

Meditation is yet another healing tool, and I was lucky to train under the guidance of a former Indian monk, and now my guru, who is based in Dubai. I have been lucky to study meditation and gain a certification from Dr. Swami Maha. Guruji was only seven when his family gave him to an ashram to learn yogic science. In his yogi journey, Guruji became a travelling/naked monk, Dr. of Ayurveda, and professor of Astrology and Sanskrit. I consider myself super blessed that I had him as a guide into the practices of yogic sciences.

The teachings from the Tantras and yoga Nidra and ancient Vedic knowledge (even though I am still just touching the metaphoric tip of a massive iceberg) made me realize how powerfully beautiful our minds are, and in tandem with the written word they form a chain-reaction unleashing creativity and a sense of grounding.

People have used writing to explore and express their emotions for thousands of years. Research by Dr. James Pennebaker explored the connection between confession and health. (The mind body connection that is now common knowledge.) The groundbreaking research has shown that holding back secrets, trauma and feelings affect how we think and behave. Holding in secrets, specifically, can produce biological changes and influences long-term health.

We can see this manifest in lie detector tests when the heart beats faster and perspiration increases. Pennebaker discovered that by writing (disclosing trauma) we translate the event into language, which then, helps us understand it, confront it, and put it behind us. The process leads to lowered stress levels and improved autoimmune response. Research has provided scientific evidence about the healing power of expressive writing on all our organs. Meditation can further unlock your buried writing ideas and facilitate blocked creative flow, revealing the intriguing connection between state-of-mind and physical health. 

Writing, Healing and Mindfulness came together synergistically. I studied the research of Professors Ira Progoff and James Pennebaker as well as others’ in the field of writing as a healing tool and how trauma and memory are stored in the body. My own discovery of childhood trauma via many years of therapy and medication was elemental in furthering my interest into all healing practices.

Combining specific writing exercises, guided meditation to the sound of hand picked music as well as movement engages us and offers sanctuary for a while at least. The very act of moving pen across paper can be meditative and calming. 

People usually experience release and are inspired to keep writing long after they leave the workshop. The benefits of meditative writing bring us full circle, which is complimented beautifully by Virginia Woolf’s famous quote, “Nothing has really happened until it has been recorded”. 

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Zvezdana Rashkovich is a Pushcart Prize nominated author, poet, meditation teacher, and writing mentor. Her culturally diverse background has made her inquisitive about stories and the hero/heroine myths that connect us all. She is a member of the Association of Conscious and Creative Writers and Society for Leadership and Success. Her work has been published worldwide in literary journals and anthologies both online and in print. She is passionate about the power of words and their transformative power, especially in the context of releasing and healing negative emotions. 

Find her on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/zrashkovich

STARDUST DIARIES, Zvezdana Rashkovich

Zvezdana takes the reader from the legendary Balkans to an immigrant’s experience in America, from a sudanese ghetto to busy Cairo streets and the mirage of Dubai.

This book is imbued in one women’s journey of self-discovery through poetry and prose by writing from heart, by unravelling, and painting the world in boldly colored stories.

Praise for The Stardust Diaries

“A mosaic of flash prose and poetry, Stardust Diaries evokes exotic landscapes and homey grandmother’s kitchens, moving effortlessly from country to country and the inner to the outer world. Moments of beauty on every page–this is one to keep by your bedside and dive in for a moment when your imagination needs to fly and your heart needs a powerful moment.”  Allison Williams

“Reading this book was like finding serene ponds, a bowl of ice cream, evolutions of women’s lives. I enjoyed it thoroughly and could not put it down. It is captivating and soothing with numerous standout pieces. It surprised me and reminded me of the pleasures of reading. Such a generous writer with talent and the instinct to celebrate life despite its hardships! The book ends with an extract from her forthcoming novel, which promises to be an exciting, mature work.” Leila Aboulela

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Tags: featured, women writers

Category: On Writing