A Writer's Cleansing

As writers we always need to be aware of our cleansing. We need to get rid of stuff that isn’t working, toss out old writings that went nowhere, or organize what we do have.


What I’m saying is, it’s spring-cleaning time, writers!

I took time off for my spiritual cleansing, to right my soul where I felt it was off kilter a little. In these two weeks I’ve done no writing on my blog, but I signed up for a class and have begun a short non-fiction story.

I’ve reconnected with an old friend and hopefully made some new ones and as far as my spiritual cleansing goes, I feel I’ve accomplished what I set out to do. Every year at this time I feel a cleansing is necessary, as the year that has passed has left me with a lot of lingering clouded rubble. It needed to be addressed in order for me to write again. I now come back to you as a newly bathed and scrubbed writer, my soul is ready.

Quite a few of my friends and friends of friends are suffering with health issues, marital issues, and other issues. During these two weeks, I’ve prayed for them and their healing as well as my own physical and mental health issues.

I can tell you that before I left for my ‘spiritual cleansing’, I was barely walking around the house due to the lumbar arthritis in my back and some kind of nerve damage issues. I focused on healing, I focused on my pain, and I come to you now, walking again and reclaiming myself. I actually vacuumed my floor and mopped it, and didn’t wake the next day in pain. That to me, is progress.

Now onto my writing cleansing. This is where I go through my old files, re-read my old stories, use or lose some old junk that’s clogging up my folders that I no longer need. And also, the desk needs to be cleaned of clutter and unnecessary remnants of things that also will clog the mind.

In order for your cleansing to be complete, you must clear the clouding of your mind, body, and spirit, then attack the physical things that are bogging your life down. Are you obsessed with buying things? Do you feel you have to shop to be happy? Are you buying things out of WANT or NECESSITY? All material possessions are CLUTTER that keeps you from moving forward and achieving your goal, whatever that goal may be.

To complete your cleansing, you must give up a few things in order to gain new things. If you’re unwilling to sacrifice, then your spring-cleaning is for naught.

1. Try cleaning up your PC by getting rid of the clutter. Put it on a disc if you must; just get it out of the way for new stuff to be written.

2. Clean off your desk. If it is too bogged down with objects, get rid of them! Place a few candles on the desk instead to get your mind geared up for some serious writing.

3. Refrain from purchasing unnecessary things. Do you really need that bottle of glue? Extra paper? Tickets to the movie? A manicure? When you want to buy something (or do something) always wait a day before deciding if it is a need or a WANT. You’ll find yourself some peace in these thoughts as well as extra money in your pocket.

4. Write what flows freely from your heart. Did you ever try writing a forced piece of work? Sounds stilted doesn’t it? Your heart will never let you down.

5. Last but not least, find peace in each and every day with no CLUTTER!