Writing with your body.

We think of imagination as something that happens in the mind.

And yet, you can’t enter a scene without a body.

Think about it. When we write a scene, we transmit the experience that our characters have in their bodies, so that our readers can sense it in their bodies too.

This is why body awareness and somatic practice are so integrating for writers. People who, if they’re anything like me, tend to be way up in the clouds.

To continue our month on wellness, this week I’m sharing an interview with my lifelong friend, somatic coach Annie Bray.

Our work has a kinship. The way Annie helps people orient themselves in their bodies and spaces feels very akin to the way I advise writers, and myself, to orient back to the scene.

We’re both interested in magic. And yet, here we have a practical, reassuring conversation about how to write through difficulty, using body awareness to stay grounded as we do.

Our conversation opens with a short somatic meditation you can use anytime you’re about to write.

I find this kind of ritual helps me turn down the volume on my mental tape-loop so I can drop into the scene — and stay there longer.

Be well,

 (A transcript of this conversation can be found here). 

About Annie Bray: 

Annie Bray is a trauma-informed Somatic Coach and Massage Therapist.

She supports creatives and caregivers to show up for the people and the work they love, without burning out or losing heart. She offers online programs, individual coaching and maintains a small hands-on massage practice.

Annie’s somatic approach is informed by 20 years of working with bodies, plus deep study in trauma informed care, intentional movement and meditation.

For more information about Annie and her offerings, check out anniebray.com.

Photo credit (upper): E Moran on Unsplash.