Practices From the Inside Out: A Writing Practice for Lent
Lent is a liturgical season which, for many of us, turns our attention to spiritual practices. We try to give something up or we choose to begin practicing something new. This year I would like us to think about building a writing practice.
Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, which is March 2 this year. Our liturgical calendar gives us a few weeks to reflect and consider what practice is right for us this year.
Many of us see spiritual practices as ways for us to behave. We hope we can behave our way into stronger spiritual life. Some of us identify behaviors we want to set aside, like smoking or swearing or eating chocolate. Others of us decide we would like to develop new spiritual practices like praying the hours or reading classic books.
I believe Lent this year is a significant opportunity to develop a writing practice.
Some of us have spent much of the last couple of years on our own and have had plenty of time for contemplation. We have faced new challenges and struggles with time to reflect. Some of us have been working harder than ever these last two years and need a way to pull our thoughts and experiences together.
A writing practice for Lent can help us take the time we need to organize our thinking and express ourselves.
This Lent can show us how to take the time we need to put our insights and questions down on paper. The writing itself will help us understand ourselves better. Having things written down gives us the opportunity to read and reflect on them in days to come. Starting a Writing Practice for Lent
We do not need to motivate ourselves or organize this new writing practice on our own. I have a friend who is an excellent writer and has helped me develop a writing practice.
Robin Rauzi is a friend I know through church. Robin has a Bachelor’s degree in screenwriting from the University of Southern California and a Master’s in journalism from Ohio University. She has worked as an editor at the Los Angeles Times and edits commentary for RAND, a nonprofit think tank.
A few years ago Robin was inspired to add something to her life instead of giving something up for Lent. She began a writing practice for Lent, writing on a blog each day and posting it on social media. Her practice that year transformed the way she wrote and how she understands writing.
The next year, after some time in mediation and contemplation, Robin became convinced she should create a writing program based on what she had learned about Lent. She began with a handful of people she knew, including me, and created a writing practice bootcamp to help people start their own practices. Robin designed it to have some structure with daily writing prompts and multiple motivators to help people keep going.
A few years ago Robin created a version of her bootcamp specifically for Lent called 40 Days + 40 Writes . She […]
