Daily Nourishment for September 28, 2024: The Places That Form Us and Hold Us
Daily Nourishment Read Time: 45 seconds
Pause/Prompt/Practice Time: 15 minutes
The places we belong to form us and hold us.
Pause.
Take some deep breaths with a six-count inhale and a six-count exhale then do a few rounds of of a breath prayer or breath meditation using the inhale and exhale prompts below:
Inhale: My places form me
Exhale: My places hold me
Prompt.
Read this excerpt from The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other:
“Memories—ordinary and extraordinary—are hard for me to separate from their birthplaces. The four homes I’ve lived in as an adult are chalices, of sorts, from whose rims I taste the memories of my marriage, children, friends, and neighbors. I drink in the streets and landscapes that unfurl from front doors; spiritual consolations and desolations; seasons of mental illness and seasons of health; twists and turns along my vocational path; shared meals, celebrations, and conversations; times of heartache, loneliness, and sorrow.”
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And read this Instagram caption:
Place attachment is a real thing.
The places we belong to form us and hold us.
Asheville has been one of my favorite places for a few years now and I’m heartbroken over the devastation and loss for those who call this place home and those of us who don’t.
This place and its people, art, food, culture, and nature have given me, my son, and my creative work so many good things for which I’ll always be grateful.
Much love to all affected in large ways and small ways and everything in between.
May every place and all people affected by Helene be supported well and loved well and find a way forward.
Practice.
Set a timer for 10 minutes and respond to the Pause and Prompt above and/or the questions and statements below.
—Make a list of 10 places that have formed you and held you.
—Make a list of 10 memories and the places that birthed them.
—Take notes or journal about one or two places that are connected to current and recent creative work.
If you like, use your lists and notes to begin writing a new essay, poem, story, or letter to a friend.
Want More?
Read The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other
Participate in The Great Belonging Project using this free resource
Register for The Great Belonging Project October Refresh
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Workshops, Gatherings, & Resources
—New Resource: Parenting with Art® Lectio Divina Cards Information about ordering these cards can be found in my Books + Spiritual Direction + Retreats & Gatherings email newsletter that went out last night. To stay in the loop on all of my work, writing, book recs, and more, subscribe to that weekly newsletter at charlottedonlon.com/subscribe.
—The September Co-Writing calendar is live.
—Spiritual Direction for Writers® + Enneagram for Creativity Gathering will take place on Friday, September 27th and Saturday, September 28th. You can register here. All registered participants will have access to recordings.
—The Great Belonging Project is live here and The Great Belonging Project October Refresh will take place Oct 1-Oct 31.
Today’s Daily Nourishment was provided by Charlotte Donlon.
*Please help us protect our intellectual property, our creative process, and the integrity of our work. Spiritual Direction for Writers® Daily Nourishment is covered under the Spiritual Direction for Writers® trademark. You are welcome to share this link with others, but any other use (written or spoken) is prohibited without written permission from Charlotte Donlon.