The Memoirist in Each of Us
So now come sit down
Will you talk with me now?
Let me see through your eyes
Where there is so much life
We are biding our time
For these myths to unwind
These changes we will confront
- Xavier Rudd, Messages lyrics
A few weeks ago I attended a myth and memoir writing weekend workshop at UCLA and my head was full of words, some in sentences and others formed ideas and revelations. I thought, “ I have hundreds, if not thousands of blog topics to write about now!” and yet, since then I have not written a single word. Instead of attacking myself for not writing, I approached my new resistance with curiosity and inquiry. Perhaps I was tired from the two round trip drives from Santa Barbara to UCLA and sitting with my laptop in my lap was too reminiscent of driving my car, or maybe, the many words floating around in my mind needed to just float for awhile, just simmer, and eventually, boil over into something. So, here I am today, allowing the words to surface into the shape of a blog.
The memoir writing course was something I decided to do consciously for myself, personally, and then at the end, I realized it had so much more to do with how I approach my practice of therapy, my practice of life, and, most obviously to me now, how I have chosen to approach this blog, The Hunger On My Bones. The purpose of this blog is to enliven the story within us all, to find the words that make up our stories. I learned early in the workshop that writing a memoir is not writing an autobiography; rather, it is choosing amongst the many moments in life as an entry point to begin. It could be, according to my professor, “a pivotal moment in life” or by doing a guided imagery as she had us do, and then reawakening in the present to begin writing for 20 minutes holding the image left in mind as the starting point. We also studied the myth about Persephone, and at the end of the storytelling wrote for 30 minutes by attempting to apply any part of the myth and it’s structure to any time in our lives. These entry points were so fascinating to me because some of them were buried deep and were not necessarily what I would have thought to begin a story with. Nevertheless, each one brought me to myself, a story line within me that led to important and interesting insights about my life, and myself so far.
In sharing this experience with you, my blog readers, my hope is to offer you entry points into your story, even if you choose to keep the story in your mind, or if you decide to put the words onto paper, a computer, or an ipad screen. However it may come to be for you, there is richness in discovering the memoirist in you.
Warmly, Angela
Disclaimer: Please do not substitute material on this site for actual consultation with a mental health professional. The information in this blog is not meant as a specific treatment recommendation or personal communication with any individual.
