Writing the Sacred Journey

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This article is based on the book Writing the Sacred Journey: The Art and Practice of Spiritual Memoir by Elizabeth J. Andrew, published by Skinner House Books, Boston.

Writing the Sacred Journey: Art and Practice of Spiritual Memoir"

This review provides a summary of the key themes, ideas, and practical advice presented in the book "Writing the Sacred Journey: Art and Practice of Spiritual Memoir." The book explores the process of writing a memoir that delves into one's spiritual experiences and growth. It emphasizes authenticity, self-discovery, and finding the sacred in the ordinary.

I. Core Themes:

  • Spiritual Memoir as a Journey of Self-Discovery: The book emphasizes that writing a spiritual memoir is not merely recounting past events, but a process of exploring one's inner landscape, beliefs, and relationship with the sacred.
  • "Perhaps we write towards what we will become from where we are.”
  • "Those who write spiritual memoir write to find out what we believe or, more fundamentally, what we know to be sacred and true."
  • Finding the Sacred in the Mundane: The book encourages writers to look for the spiritual in everyday experiences, memories, and even seemingly insignificant details. The act of writing itself can transform ordinary events into something meaningful.
  • "Maybe then the problem of identifying the spiritual is simply a subtle one requiring a sharp eye and a talent for reading the resonance of events."
  • "I also see that extravagant yawn as a window into another life, a bored adult’s life, and I have complete freedom to imagine the circumstances surrounding it. It’s a mundane, quirky anecdote. But if I treat it with reverence, I find holiness in the clarity and humor and in my youthful conviction that the image was worth retaining."
  • The Importance of Authenticity and Honesty: Writers are urged to be truthful in their portrayal of themselves and their experiences, even when it involves confronting difficult or uncomfortable truths. The book suggests ways to explore "lies" or embellishments in early drafts to uncover deeper emotional truths.
  • "When memoir writers are responsible to the story, they honor that which is vital and true—the spirit—within their experience."
  • "It is, however, a good policy to be honest about your dishonesty."
  • The Power of Story: The book underscores the significance of personal stories, even if they are not extraordinary. It emphasizes that everyone's experience is unique and valuable, and that sharing these stories can connect with others and reveal universal truths.
  • "Each of us is a concentrated universe; each of us mirrors eternity. Books and stories demonstrate this amazing phenomenon."
  • "The universe is made of stories, not atoms."
  • Revision as a Process of Deepening Understanding: Revision isn't simply about correcting grammar or polishing prose; it is about revisiting memories, exploring their layers of meaning, and gaining deeper insight into oneself and one's spiritual journey.
  • "If memories are sacred stories and our means for discerning holiness in the world, then revision is a form of meditation or prayer."

II. Key Ideas & Facts:

  • Writing for the Story Itself: The true motivation for writing should stem from a compulsion to tell the story, rather than external factors like seeking fame or pleasing an audience.
  • "But there is a third, more subtle answer—one that is at the source of your drive and conviction: “I write for the story itself.”"
  • Living the Questions: The book emphasizes the importance of exploring questions, rather than seeking easy answers. The process of questioning can be more valuable than finding definitive resolutions.
  • "What makes a good memoir is the search, not the resolution."
  • "Live the questions now. Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answer."
  • The Writer's Journal: Keeping a journal is recommended as a space for exploring ideas, memories, and emotions without judgment or pressure. It serves as a "dumping ground for false starts" and a place to confront writer's block.
  • The Significance of the Body: The body is presented as a vessel of memory and wisdom. Attending to physical sensations and bodily experiences can unlock deeper insights and ground the story in reality.
  • "Bodies carry our immediate history and our heritage; they too are made of stories."
  • Dreams as Scripture: Dreams are described as a unique form of personal scripture, containing messages and insights that can aid in healing and self-understanding.
  • "Every dream is a story uniquely crafted for you and no other; each dream, no matter how disturbing, works for your healing."
  • Honoring Teachers (Internal and External): Recognizing and honoring the people or experiences that have acted as teachers on one's spiritual path is crucial. These figures can serve as containers for the author's story.
  • "Essentially this is the literary role the teacher-character plays in every spiritual memoir. The teacher is a vessel that, for a period of time, shapes and holds the author’s story."
  • Spiritual Geography: Place and setting play a vital role in shaping one's identity and spiritual journey. Describing the landscapes of origin can reveal deep connections and influences.
  • "Nearly twenty years ago I returned to the holy ground of my childhood summers; I moved from New York City to the house my mother had grown up in, in an isolated town on the border between North and South Dakota. More than any other place I lived as a child or young adult— Virginia, Illinois, Hawaii, Vermont, New York—this is my spiritual geography, the place where I’ve wrestled my story out of the circumstances of landscape and inheritance."

III. Practical Advice & Exercises:

The book includes a multitude of practical exercises to help writers explore their memories, develop their voice, and craft compelling narratives. Examples include:

  • Listing Life's Grand Questions: Identify and reflect on the significant questions that have shaped one's life.
  • Mapping the Spiritual Journey: Visually represent one's spiritual journey, marking landmarks, turning points, and significant memories.
  • Writing "Lies" to Uncover Truth: Explore imaginative embellishments to reveal deeper emotional truths.
  • Describing a Game from Childhood: Reflect on the symbolism and meaning of childhood games to understand essential nature.
  • Describing a Difficult Memory in Third Person: Shift perspective to gain distance and clarity when writing about challenging experiences.
  • Writing Digressions Intentionally: Allow the mind to wander and explore seemingly unrelated memories to uncover deeper insights.

IV. Cautionary Notes:

  • Beware of Clichés: Avoid relying on generic or overused language when describing spiritual experiences.
  • Don't Condescend to Your Younger Self: Treat past selves with respect and understanding.
  • Avoid Too Many Questions: Too many questions can diffuse the story's focus and create anxiety for the reader.
  • The importance of Details: Include details that "do the work of the piece" grounding the reader, evoking emotions, and revealing the story's heart.

V. Concluding Thought:

The book suggests that the true reward of writing a spiritual memoir lies not in publication or recognition, but in the process of self-discovery and integration. By confronting memories, exploring beliefs, and finding the sacred in the ordinary, writers can gain a deeper understanding of themselves and their place in the world.

"Our stories reveal holiness."

 

 

Writing Prompts

 

  • Describe a small, ordinary activity and reflect on what it reveals about you and what mystery it contains.
  • Write down a question you wish you knew the answer to, and then write a memory that helps explain the origin of the question.
  • Make a list of all the grand questions of your life, as well as the minute mysteries, and reflect on what it means to love these questions.
  • Describe what it will be like to perform a task from your to-do list, how it will feel, why it matters, your history with the chore, and what it reveals about your values and beliefs.
  • Answer the "What is at stake?" question for yourself in a journal entry to determine what you will get from the process of writing your story.
  • Write out the core question you’re exploring in a piece of writing, and revise it as it changes over time.
  • If you are unable to write freely for fear of what others will think, imagine a completely receptive, affirming reader and create a character sketch of this person.
  • Choose a particularly difficult memory and write about it from the third-person point of view, then revise it into first person.
  • Think of a moment in your past or your family’s past that contains more questions than answers, and explore it by writing several hypothetical explanations or scenarios of what happened.
  • At the top of a blank page, write the title "Lies about _____," fill in the blank, and allow yourself the freedom to write as many lies as you wish, then revisit them to see how they reveal the truth.
  • Describe in detail the items in your coat pocket or pocketbook, noting the meaning you have already given them and what else they might symbolize about you or your life.
  • Describe a game you played as a child, write the story of playing the game, and then reflect on the symbolism of the game and its elements.
  • Write memories in the present tense to bring them forward with marked clarity.
  • Write about the same memory again from scratch, only this time in the past tense, including all the sensory information from your first draft as well as any adult reflections or insights you would like to add.
  • Choose a part of your body that elicits strong emotion, and enter into conversation with that part, allowing it to speak on the page and asking it questions.
  • Write three brief self-portraits, as though they are snapshots: one of you at the start of a journey, one in the midst of journeying, and one at the end.
  • Draw a map of a landscape from your childhood and label the places where stories happened, then write these stories, paying particular attention to their settings.
  • Brainstorm a list of things found in nature or attributes of the natural world that confound you, and choose one item from the list to which you can attach a specific memory.
  • Create a chronological list of the holy sites in your spiritual journey, describing each place.
  • Return in your thoughts to a moment of vulnerability as a child, write that memory, and then explore what it teaches you about your childhood beliefs.
  • Choose a part of your body that elicits strong emotion, and enter into conversation with that part, allowing it to speak on the page and asking it questions.
  • Choose a small, unusual experience of spirit that you cannot rationally explain, write the story, attending to the details, and describe any doubts, either from the time of the experience or from the present, without worrying about what the reader might think.
  • Find a photograph from your past, describe the photograph in detail as an object in its own right, and write out your observations about your personality, struggles, or beliefs based on this image in a straightforward, reflective voice, then rewrite the description to reveal your insights through the details.
  • Without looking, conjure up the image of a photograph from your past, write your memory of that moment, then examine the photograph, paying acute attention to the details, and rewrite the memory including these details.
  • Identify a scene that is important to your story. If you are an underwriter, stretch the moment by lingering on as many telling details as you can recall. If you are an overwriter, identify and linger on the telling details, then cut all other extraneous prose.
  • Practice writing a conclusive statement at the end of a scene or story in your memoir.
  • Return to the conclusive statement you wrote for the preceding exercise and cut it from your story. Rewrite the passage to incorporate your concluding insight.
  • Return to a scene or story that you’ve written; identify the question that was driving your exploration, write it out, and rewrite the piece incorporating your question.
  • Find a stretch of reflective writing within your memoir and ask yourself, “What memory or anecdote helped inform these thoughts?” Write the scene, revealing what you previously told with story.
  • Return to your spiritual journey metaphor and apply this same metaphor to your experience of writing.
  • Write a little every day.
  • Write whatever comes to you, even if it’s not what you originally set out to write about.
  • Write about your resistance; enter into conversation with it, ask it what it wants to say, find out its origin and history.
  • Create chunks of writing around a single question.
  • Choose one person/lesson that has energy for you. Write a scene showing you in relationship to this person, learning the lesson. Describe the teacher, the student, the setting, and the circumstances. As concretely as possible, show the learning process.

 

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