Post #31 – Women’s Memoirs, Writing and Healing – Kendra Bonnett and Matilda Butler
Memoir Writers: Consider the Power of Intentional Writing
In The 7 Secrets of Sound Healing
… And then something happened that changed my life: I distinctly became aware of an inner voice that said, It is not only the frequency of the sound that creates its effect, but the intention of the user. I then wrote down this formula: Frequency + Intent = Healing. After that, my life was different and everything made sense.
My eyes popped with excitement as I read those words. Although that concept had never occurred to me, my mind crackled with recognition. That explains it, I thought. There are so many different tools we can use to write for healing. It isn’t the specific technique, it’s the intention!
Personal experience validates his observation. From my teenage years, I intuitively and deliberately picked up pen and paper when I was acutely puzzled or angry. Writing has always been my way of working through challenges of any sort. Writing has never let me down. That’s not to say I always have instant results, but I have always thought best with my fingers. Now I see the role of intention in creating those outcomes.
Dozens of people have shared similar stories, in classes, in blog comments, and in books and blog posts. Many of my students come to class with the expressed intention of writing stories or a memoir “to understand myself better.” All of the dozens of memoir authors I’ve asked have confirmed that writing has changed their view of life, leaving them happier, healthier, and more serene.
Following Goldman’s example, I am writing a new formula:
Writing + Intention = Healing
This equation is grounded on scientific evidence that writing benefits health. More than 200 studies modeled on James Pennebaker’s seminal research on the health benefits of expressive writing have continually validated his finding that writing has healing powers, even without intention. A different line of research based on functional MRI scans has shown that writing calms brain function, making it an excellent tool in combination with intention.
If those studies show that writing without intention has healing benefits, how much more so when it’s combined with intention, as in writing anything from rants to memoir?
If you have not yet tried writing as a path to serenity and inner peace, there’s never been a better time to give it a try. Pennebaker’s system works well, and you can find instructions for using it here. Beyond that, the best advice I can give is to pick up a pen (or sit down at your keyboard) and start writing. Be as intuitive as you can. Let the process find you and guide you. If you need a little help connecting with the process, you can find a comprehensive (though not exhaustive) list of resources on here.
We may never fully understand the science of why writing and sound heals, but that shouldn’t prevent us from taking advantage of its powers. Most likely you are reading this post because you already have an inkling of this. Form and intention, get those fingers moving, and put it to the test.
Graphic adapted from Jhocy.com
