I write what I don’t know. Robert Creeley
I was struck by this quote from an interview with the poet, Robert Creeley.
Think about it for a minute, even if you’ve read it before, please hold it, just for a few heartbeats.
OK, I’m taking it completely out of context (you can read the whole interview here) but I offer no apologies for that. It’s what I love to do, take an idea, a phrase a concept and re-create it in a way which is helpful to me. Perhaps to you too.
These particular words speak to me so strongly I can’t resist sharing the thought stream they released.
That one short sentence offers so much.
I write what what I don’t know.
If we will just hear in our minds, accept into our hearts that writing can, will, allow us to write what we don’t know. To draw from us the meaning we struggle to learn, to expose pain yes, and to deliver healing, I trust.
So much of personal development work is, justifiably goal-orientated. Knowing where we’re heading can be very important in lots of ways.
And yet…
And yet, there is so much to be gained from allowing ourselves to not know.
So much to be gained from accepting that not knowingness. From welcoming the fact that we don’t know where we’re going and letting the pen lead the way and draw the map.
Writing what we don’t know – what a great way to learn about ourselves.
I was struck by this quote from an interview with the poet, Robert Creeley.
Think about it for a minute, even if you’ve read it before, please hold it, just for a few heartbeats.
OK, I’m taking it completely out of context (you can read the whole interview here) but I offer no apologies for that. It’s what I love to do, take an idea, a phrase a concept and re-create it in a way which is helpful to me. Perhaps to you too..
These particular words speak to me so strongly I can’t resist sharing the thought stream they released.
That one short sentence offers so much.
I write what what I don’t know
If we will just hear in our minds, accept into our hearts that writing can, will, allow us to write what we don’t know. To draw from us the meaning we struggle to learn, to expose pain yes, and to deliver healing, I trust.
So much of personal development work is, justifiably goal-orientated. Knowing where we’re heading can be very important in lots of ways.
And yet…
And yet, there is so much to be gained from allowing ourselves to not know.
So much to be gained from accepting that not knowingness. From welcoming the fact that we don’t know where we’re going and letting the pen lead the way and draw the map.
Writing what we don’t know – what a great way to learn about ourselves.
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
I love this.
I love the acknowledgement that there’s something positive in stumbling forward, groping your way towards an undefined thing.
I find goal setting alienating. It feels too hard (as in hard like a wall, not hard difficult) and too far in the future for me to relate to.
The way you describe is how I proceed most often, not the motorway, the pretty way, allowing myself to be diverted by something fascinating and wonderful; looking closely into the heart of a daffodil and having the space to be absorbed by it. Maybe even changing direction as a result of something marvellous I’ve found, as long as it inspires me and aligns with my integrity.
Thanks Jan, this is not the popular route (perhaps I daren’t miss too much by following the fast track?) but I find it far more rewarding
Thank you so much for your heartfelt comment, Mica. I think there are lots of us who find the whole goal-setting thing unappealing.
There are times when it’s great – one of my lovely clients was planning a move to the other side of the world and she was very clear about that as a goal and needed a direct route to it. But lots of people they simply want to be on a journey of change. And yes, one could define that as a goal in itself, but I’m looking for a different vocabulary for this stuff.
Let yourself write what you don’t know http://twurl.nl/wdgs6w from @janscottnelson
This comment was originally posted on Twitter