I'm about to start TAW and had a question for others who practice meditation AND do morning pages. The way I usually structure my morning is the following: wake up, journal my dreams, "create my day" via intentions and then use Holosync to meditate for 30-mins to an hour. Honestly, that already takes a lot of effort and time. I guess my question is: if you meditate, do you find it's better to do your morning pages BEFORE or AFTER you meditate?
You have to find what works best for you, so I suggest you experiment with a few variations in format until you find your "fit". And you don't have to do your Pages in the mornings, either; many of us here do mid-morning, afternoon, or night pages. Whatever works best with your schedule is fine, there is no "one size fits all" mandate with TAW or the Pages; the important thing is doing the work!
I guess I'm one of those people that would be a poster child for Julia's comment that the Morning Pages are meditation for Westerners. For me the 'logic brain' is the strong suit, though I never really abandoned the 'artist brain'. If anything, I take pride in being one of those who does well with logic-artistic or left brain - right brain thinking. That is probably why I've never considered meditation. (That and potential ADD.)
My ideal morning goes like this: Wake up. Handle biological functions if needed. Do the Morning Pages. WRITE!
Of course, since the Morning Pages are a form of meditation for me, they can contain a lot of different things. If there are vivid dreams that I remember, the Pages become a dream journal. If I have to be extra organized during the day, they contain 'To Do' lists. If there are emotional issues I need to deal with, the Pages contain my thoughts about those issues. If I'm doing some deep thinking, I often run across what I call Creative Blessings that seem to tell me I'm heading the right direction. (CBs, to me, are a physical reaction to what I have written. Think of chills down the spine in a positive way...) If I have some sort of design problem I'm working on, the Pages often contain solutions to those problems, sometimes in the form of actual solutions, sometimes in the form of problem solving processes.
Recently, if all systems are 'go,' the Pages become where I write about what I'm going to write about in the novel I'm writing. I sometimes have to try very hard to keep the actual story writing OUT of the Morning Pages, because I want some separation and I also want to avoid 'writing' the Pages as opposed to doing stream of consciousness. But when that happens, the word count is often higher because I have a burst of Pages generated enthusiasm driving my writing.
To answer your question from my point of view, I find that it is better to do my Morning Pages as my meditation.
To apply logic to your question, consider using your Morning Pages as a combination dream journal, 'day creation' mechanism and whatever else comes to mind before doing the meditation. After all, "There is no wrong way to do morning pages."
Above all, try for the stream of consciousness approach to the pages. If it takes you more than thirty or forty five minutes to do the Morning Pages, you may be doing it wrong. (Barring physical problems.) Doing what I call the 'Fast Pages' has been a breakthrough for me because it has brought out a lot of issues that were buried in my previous attempts at the Pages. When those issues are out on paper, the mind can think about them. (Julia did warn writers about 'writing' the Pages.)
And thinking about it, that might be a clue as to when the Morning Pages should be done relative to meditation.
If the Morning Pages are your means of uncovering problems and meditation is your way of figuring out solutions, the Pages come before meditation. If meditation is your means of uncovering problems and the Morning Pages is used for figuring out solutions, meditation comes before the Pages. If meditation helps you uncover problems and create solutions, and the Pages are solely a solution generator, meditation comes first. If the Pages helps you uncover problems and create solutions, and meditation is solely a solution generator, the Pages come first.
If both uncover problems and create solutions, flip a coin and determine who goes first. If you don't like the results of the coin toss, do what you like.
I can even see instances where meditation and the Morning Pages play tag team and you do a combination of meditation AND the Morning Pages, with them overlapping. If that works for you, then do it that way.
If it varies from day to day, then change the sequence from day to day based on what is happening in your mind. If you find yourself getting 'stale,' intentionally vary the sequence. Experiment! Have fun with it.
Hopefully the above will help. I sometimes get carried away when my left brain and my right brain start brainstorming.
I use my MP's as brain dumps. My goal is to out run my inner critic, before he has a time to wake up and even begin his terrorist activities. It takes me about 1 to 1.5 pages to get to the inner core, inner adult/child play area. Get's me centered. All my dreams no matter how "crazy" come here. My place to be nasty, rude, etc.
Thank you for the insight, esp. Generalist! I have issues with sometimes limiting myself to a certain routine and not changing it up much. It sure seems the morning is the preferable time to write them -- so I'll start there. And I'll start off with what I can remember in my dreams (I always remember my dreams -- at least part of them.)
I appreciate all the replies!
P.S. I guess I shouldn't cheat by getting a "small" notebook, huh? You think starting in TAW's own "Morning Papers Journal" is wise? Or just get my own notebook...
I've always used 8 1/2 x 11 inch college ruled paper, and for years I wondered if this was too large because of how long it took me to do the Pages. Then, a number of years ago, I read that 8 1/2 x 11 paper was the preferred size as stated in one of the books.
I figured that it must have been wide ruled since it took me at least forty five minutes to get things done on a good day.
When I decided to time myself a number of months ago, I discovered that I could do them in under thirty five minutes IF I did stream of consciousness writing and ignored any handwriting errors. That goes into the Morning Pages doesn't even have attempts at handwriting correction, much less an attempt at being legible.
Based on that, you might want to get your own notebook, though a first run through using the "Morning Pages Journal" might also work. Or you could try writing very, very small in a 'small' notebook.
I would LOVE to be able to meditate, i have tried, but its sooooo hectic in my house that the minute i sit down to give it a go, the dog barks, the phone rings, one of the kids comes home....its a nightmare....my friends refer to my house as Piccadilly Station (a very busy place in central London)....so unfortunately, i cant offer any comments to your original question. However, i have to agree with Generalist, i do see my MP's as a form of meditation, even if i do get interupted most of the time ;o)
Okay thanks for the tips everyone. One more question: I'm not working now so I don't have a usual schedule each day. I was thinking of starting the course on Monday morning, but should I start Sunday morning instead? What day of the week makes a good "start date" for the course? I appreciate any insight!
and angelchild: may you get the uninterrupted peace you need to make the MPs a most effective tool for you! :-)
I'd say that you should start on a day that gives you time to do the exercises. If it is likely that you'll have a work schedule that is Monday through Friday, then starting on Sunday or even Saturday would work.
One more question. If I start on Sunday, should I read chapter 1 Saturday night (the night before) or Sunday night? I guess I'm asking if I should read through it before I actually start it....
The time you read the chapter relative to when you start it would depend upon your schedule and how you work.
If you are starting on Sunday, reading it Saturday night or Sunday morning would work. Knowing what you'll need to do or think about at the beginning of the day you intend upon starting is always useful.
(I didn't see the question until Monday morning. That's what happens when one attends a science fiction convention and is off line due to lots of things happening.)
Thanks Generalist! I need to work an Artist Date in tomorrow. Any advice on something simple to do? I keep thinking it's something like: going to a museum, etc. I guess it can be nature-related also?
P.S. I love Science Fiction! Which convention did you attend? I'm thinking of starting to write in that genre...
I was at Spocon in Spokane. It is a small con, with about 800 attendees. Michael Whelan, the artist, was a guest of honor. He's one of my favorite artists.
As far as ideas on Artists Dates, museums work well, especially if they have things that really interest you. A trip to a nature preserve would be an outdoor version of a museum. Visiting historical sites can be fun, again is that interests you.
One way to expand your horizons is to act like you are a tourist in your own town or region. Go to the local visitor's center and browse the brochures for activities that intrigue you. Check websites for your area for touristy things to do. Find out what is in your own backyard.
(If you love science fiction, you already have one of the credentials for writing science fiction. You know the genre. So get writing!)
Soul Lifter, with all respect and please don't get me wrong, but.. when I first read your original post I thought "Holy Cow, so when is he/she finally getting busy working after all that 'spiritual self-exploration' ???" A bit further down then I read that you are currently not working and it made more sense how you could even afford that much time for these things each day. I'm not intending to add to your 'inner critic' before you even got off to a start with TAW, and I am usually all for 'self-exploration', but I do think you are dedicating this part of your life too much attention and time. Personally, I believe that there can be a 'too much' with all of these activities. Just like SOME vitamin C is essential, too much of it is actually harmful or at the very least, it doesn't add to the good, even though one might think of doing oneself a favour by consuming huge amounts of it because everyone says it's good for you. It's not the more the better. I would say, choose ONE out of the many spiritual practices you've got to know that works well for you and drop the rest. I find the morning pages work very well for me, so do try them. But while you try them I'd recommend, drop the dream journaling for sure, and possibly also the meditation. Then, after giving it a try for a month, see how you feel about them, and then choose one form of meditation that you like best, and make yourself free to get busy creating art and earning a living. Don't let these things become another form of resistence.
I went to the Zoo today. I've lived in Los Angeles for 13 years and never done that before -- funny you mentioned the tourist thing -- it was fun! I think I need to start reading some fantasy/sci-fi authors. I'm actually a big gamer and have played a bunch of inspirational games in both genres. I'm thinking I need to start reading some talented Sci-Fi/Fantasy authors as well.
Quoyle--
Yes I do sometimes get "bogged down" with trying to be a perfectionist. I've streamlined it a bit and I'm getting the best of all of my tools, in a more condensed fashion. It's like a spiritual "highlight reel." I've incorporated my dream stuff into the beginning of my morning pages. I'm just trying to get my time spent to 30 mins, instead of 45 mins. The pages in her "Morning Pages Journal" are HUGE lol.
Cool. That's what I thought, you could definitely incorporate the dream stuff and also the 'intentions'-thing into your morning pages. That way you can condense the process. And have more energy and time left to create. Which is why you're doing it, no ? ;) ..you know, I have been there myself.
You live in LA. You have a kazillion options in that city. For everything. I envy you. ..I live in Berlin, Germany. Not too bad either for an artist. ...just thinking out loud here... :)
I remember visiting the Los Angeles zoo a couple of times. A nice place, though I will compare all zoos to the one in San Diego, just like my wife will compare all cities to Greater LA.
When reading science fiction and fantasy, note that Sturgeon's Law applies. What you might want to do is check the lists of people who have won various science fiction and fantasy awards. Nebula and Hugo winners usually have good material. And you could always go back in time to read books by the Big Three: Heinlein, Asimov and Clarke. While their books are sometimes technologically and sociologically dated, they helped shape science fiction.
Verne and HG Wells were what might be called the Fathers of Science Fiction. They would still be considered good reading.
The Big Three of Heinlein, Asimov and Clarke are kind of the gold standard for more recent science fiction. They dominated the genre from the early sixties to the mid-eighties, a time when science fiction moved out of the literary ghetto and into the mainstream. (Think "Stranger in a Strange Land", The Foundation Trilogy, and "2001: A Space Odyssey") All three have science fiction awards named in their honor. All three have won multiple Hugos, a major science fiction award named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of an influential science fiction magazine. (Hugos date back to 1955) All three are top selling authors today, despite the fact that Heinlein died in 1988 and Asimov died in 1992.
From a personal viewpoint, the first science fiction book I remember reading on my own was "Dolphin Island," by Clarke, back when I was a fourth or fifth grader in Hawaii. That may be where I developed a thing about dolphins.
The first science fiction book I owned was a collection of short stories entitles "The Green Hills of Earth," by Heinlein. I got that in junior high, in California. Heinlein made a big impression on me and I may own almost everything he's written.
The family also owns a number of books by Asimov, some of which are not science fiction. I seem to recall reading that he wrote over four hundred books.
I have a separate book for morning pages and then another one I do the exercises in and joint down ideas and pointers that occur outside the morning pages writing. I'm also an inveterate jotter of notes on various bits of paper and odd notebooks, but I do try to collate the TAW related notes in one place.