I know I’ve posted before about
my yoga practice, and yes, the Move From Hell, did interfere with that. A
lot. But I’m pleased to say that, after
almost a year’s hiatus, I’ve gone back to the mat and I’ve managed to lose
another 40 pounds this year. Even with the move! So woo-hoo, and Merry
Christmas to me.
I love yoga for a lot of
reasons, but today I want to discuss the way it relates to writing.
1. Repetition. There’s a definite
form and structure to every session—just like with books. Yet every one is put
together differently. And the ways in which you experience a given session will
change depending on how your body feels. Doing a particular exercise over and
over again is a lot like editing—you’re constantly tweaking and repeating,
refining your movements/words as you go.
2. Variation. Every posture has almost
innumerable variations (just like every trope does) and even with all of that, individual
modifications are encouraged. As one of my teachers is fond of saying, “I’m in
my body and you’re in yours. You know what’s best for your body.” As a writer,
you know what’s best for your book as well. And what’s best for this book,
might not be best for the next one. You’ll only know by getting to it and
seeing how you feel.
3. Getting to it—that’s really the
key to everything, isn’t it? You won’t accomplish much of anything unless you
put the time in. Regularly. There are no shortcuts. Well, there are Electronic
Muscle Stimulation exercises that could, theoretically, get you in shape faster,
but I’m thinking they wouldn’t really help with flexibility, so I stand by my
original statement!
4. Courage and Vulnerability. A
month ago it dawned on me that I’ve become one of those people who set up their
mats in the front row—which, trust me, was not always the case! With writing,
as with yoga, you need to be okay with being vulnerable. With being “seen”.
With being willing to look like an idiot—while wearing brightly colored, body
hugging clothing. And maybe also while being considerably older, heavier and
less flexible than most of your classmates. You do you,” is a valuable mantra.
Also valuable is realizing that while you’re doing it (writing or yoga) you’re
pretty much safe from judgment. Everyone disappears on their mat. No one’s
watching you when you’re exercising, because they’re too busy focusing on
themselves. No one’s watching you while you’re writing, because all the critics
are in your own head, at that point. Afterwards…yeah, sure. People will likely
judge you then. And that’s definitely one place where the peace of mind you get
from yoga would come in handy. Another reason I think all writers should be
yogis.
5. Namaste. I think this is a true
story; although I admit it sounds almost too good to be true. It was told to me
by a dear friend, shortly after she started yoga, and I have no reason to
believe it didn’t happen exactly like she said. She was clueless when she
started—as most of us are. She knew nothing about yoga tradition and
nomenclature. But she was enchanted by one part of the practice in particular.
She thought it was so lovely and encouraging how, at the end of the class,
everyone would bow their heads and solemnly agree that they’d made “no
mistakes.” I think about that often, especially when I, too, get to that part
of class where we all intone, “Namaste.” Because, while that might not be what
the word means, it’s not that far off either. There are no mistakes. Everything
is perfect: the book you’re writing, your progress on the mat, Life.
Because next week is Christmas, I have two free reads available! I’d
hoped to have a couple more short, holiday stories done by now, but…there are
no mistakes. Also, I guess that gives me something to look forward to next
year. Please enjoy, and Happy Holidays!
Free For The Holidays
This
Winter Night
Winter
Hearts 0.25
Newlyweds Dario and Ophelia Leonides are
passionately in love. There are only two things marring their happiness this
holiday season—Lia's homesickness and her continued inability to conceive a child.
Dario would do anything to make his wife smile again. He's hoping to use the miraculous technology his father-in-law has pioneered, combined with the magic inherent in his native land. But calling upon the forces of Kokopeli may have unintended consequences.
Dario would do anything to make his wife smile again. He's hoping to use the miraculous technology his father-in-law has pioneered, combined with the magic inherent in his native land. But calling upon the forces of Kokopeli may have unintended consequences.
This prequel to This
Winter Heart is available as a FREE READ.
Counting
On Christmas
An
Ugly Christmas Sweater Story
This Ugly Christmas Sweater
short story features the characters Mike and Claire from Let Me Count the Ways
(LA Love Lessons, book 3). Mike's been a very good boy this year and Santa
Claire has the perfect present picked out for him--one that's both naughty and
nice!
***This story was originally
released as part of the Nine Naughty Novelists' Ugly Christmas
Sweater story collection ~ Volume I***
Click HERE to download.
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