Exciting Writing

When it rains, it pours! 

This first week of 2010 has brought tidal waves of changes in the writing realm! 

I have officially started writing my book.  After almost an entire year of not writing (aside from my daily personal journal entries), I finally feel the strong pull to craft something big.  I needed this idle time, what author Linda Kohanov brought to light in her Way of the Horse as the concept of wu wei: the Taoist principle of non-doing.  This long period of non writing cleared my mind of self imposed expectations, limitations, and old writing habits that had stripped the joy from my process.  While I battled with a critical voice telling me that I should be writing, I trusted that it would come when it was ready.

It seems perfectly serendipitous.  During this lull of winter, when I nanny during the day and teach yoga two evenings a week, there’s so much time and space for writing.  My process is now supported fully by my yoga practice and my twice-weekly horseback rides on Pete through the untouched snow.  I’ve outlined my book—a collection of nonfiction essays organized by various places (like Little Blue, Hi Tor, the High Trails lodge, the barn) throughout these magnificent 6,000 acres—and I have already, just this week, roughed out two entire chapters.  I feel like my leaky faucet is now a torrential waterfall … and it shows no signs of stopping!

I was invited this week to contribute to the Sanborn Western Camps blog, sharing musings on camp life, the importance of outdoor education, kids, horses, nature, and the outdoors.  I’ll keep you updated as I post to that blog.

Additionally, I found a writing competition while perusing the Yoga Journal website last night to look up some poses for my class.  Yoga Journal is hosting a blog contest, the winner of which will contribute to the YJ blog for six months.  This would be a dream come true, opening up a conscious dialogue as I observe how yoga affects all aspects of my daily life and the lives of those around me.  I am where I am today because of yoga, I use yogic techniques in my teaching of horseback riding to both kids and adults, and now I’m teaching yoga at The Nature Place for the season.  This blog would chronicle the exciting outdoorsy life of Jess as I teach outdoor ed, practice and teach yoga, work as a wrangler, and then (hopefully) move to Boulder and search for yoga teacher training certification! 

Wish me luck and thanks all for your continued support in my writerly endeavors.