If you’re lucky you’ll experience a teacher who ‘gets’ you. Not that teachers don’t ‘get’ or see their students, I’m referring to the teacher you recognize as ‘getting’ you. The one you are comfortable sharing something as personal as your writing, poetry, any form of creativity and even your dreams.
I’ve had a couple, but it was Mr. Thwaites who suggested the following to me…and it still works these thirty-seven years later:
Sit in a dark room, bare minimum lighting…I went and bought a pilot pen with built in flashlight, it shines just on the page where I write. However, it’s still too bright compared to when I first tried this exercise.
Now write.
Watch the air dust fall through the light beam. Listen to the noises coming from outside…last night was leaves babbling like raindrops. Search out the dark and write how you see it. Feel the pen/pencil across the page…what image does it bring to mind.
Try writing with your eyes shut.
What does your chair, bed, floor feel like? What’s that smell/fragrance? How does it feel to be unplugged?
Can you sense someone walking up behind you? How different does your home sound as you stop and listen?
Be silent in the moment and reach out to the darkness.