By Jenna Avery, CLC,
Life Coach for Sensitive Souls
As a Highly Sensitive Soul, you may sometimes feel disconnected
from yourself, particularly when you feel overwhelmed. In
my experience, it can be challenging to “come back
to yourself,” especially in a world where busyness
and materialism abound. Compounding this, we’ve often
told, “Oh, you’re just too sensitive.” So
we’ve learned not to trust our inner experience. This
makes us feel lost and disconnected from ourselves, as if
we don’t know who we are anymore.
Morning pages are a powerful antidote to self-doubt and self-forgetting.
I use them as regularly as possible, and find them to be an
anchor in my life. Morning pages were devised by Julia Cameron
and popularized in her book, The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual
Path to Creativity. The simple technique she recommends helps
artists, writers, and seekers alike to unlock their creativity
and intuition – and most importantly, themselves.
What’s powerful about this seemingly
simple tool is that it requires you to be honest with yourself.
The Basics
The basic concept is to write three longhand, stream
of consciousness pages every day, first thing in the morning,
no matter what.
Just write three pages, regardless of the size of your paper.
Even if you only write, “I don’t know what to write,” over
and over again, do it anyway. Cameron recommends that you not
read your previous days’ pages for at least several weeks.
The Power
What’s powerful about this seemingly simple
tool is that it requires you to be honest with yourself. It’s
challenging to write every day about the things that are bothering
you
and what’s going on. You thus recognize the truth about
what’s working or not working in your life. And there’s
usually a turning point sometime into it – you’ll
suddenly find yourself brainstorming ideas, gaining clarity,
or happening upon new insights. This “magical moment” seems
to be consistent each day. And the magic comes in the form
of ideas – big and powerful ideas, small and charming
ideas, or inspirations for action. I’ve been profoundly
and deeply affected by the personal growth and insight that
my morning pages provide.
Radical Self-Acceptance
Once you’ve stepped into this place of consciousness,
it’s hard to go back. Fundamentally, morning pages give
you permission to be who you are. They are a radical form of
self-acceptance. By being true to yourself and fully expressing
all of yourself without judgment, you honor the truth of who
you are.
Personally, I have found morning pages invaluable, from plain-old
venting to accessing powerful insights. I use my pages to whine,
moan, and complain. I unload my greatest fears and my deepest
desires. And I ask for guidance from my inner self. This is
a great way to clear your mind and listen to your heart. You
might also consider morning poems or morning drawings as alternatives
to traditional morning pages.
Copyright 2004-2009, Jennifer Avery, All rights reserved.
Jenna Avery is a highly sensitive coach and intuitive who offers an original coaching program called Embrace Your Essential Self, designed to guide sensitive souls to find a deep sense of inner rightness within themselves so they are inspired to step forward and shine. Jenna is a Certified Life Coach based in Berkeley, California. She can be reached at 510.981.0697. She also offers support for sensitives in business through the Sensitive Professionals Network.You’re invited to take her free online assessment: "Is Your Sensitivity Working For You?" on her website at www.highlysensitivesouls.com.
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