Daily Nourishment for September 29, 2024: Send Your Demons to the Back of the Bus with Guidance from Allison Russell
Daily Nourishment Read Time: 55 seconds
Pause/Prompt/Practice Time: 15 minutes
“Her new single ‘Demons’ encourages fans to take on their demons and confront them directly. Russell knows that some demons will never be fully destroyed, so the best that can be done sometimes is to ‘send your demons to the back of the bus,’ and not let them direct your future.” - Atticus Deeny
Pause.
Take deep breaths with a six-count inhale and a six-count exhale while listening to “Demons” by Allison Russell.
Prompt.
Read the quote below from Allison Russell:
"Being a returner is stealing joy from the teeth of turmoil and coming back from difficult things. But we do, all of us, come back from, return from, difficult things. That fierce, hard-won joy is part of our human birthright, and it's something that we can claim at any time and that, even in the hardest of times, we can celebrate being in these bodies. That in and of itself is an act of resistance."
Practice.
Set a timer for eight minutes and journal or take notes in response to the questions below and the quotes above:
—What are your thoughts on Russell’s song “Demons” and her words above?
—What difficult things from your past have you returned from? What difficult things are you navigating now?
—What are some of your personal demons that are related to your writing life? What lies do you believe? What unwanted patterns and habits keep you from having the writing life you want?
—How do writing and everything connected to your writing life give you joy anyway?
—How can you send your personal demons related to your writing life to the back of the bus? What would that look like?
If you like, use your notes to begin writing a new essay, story, poem, or letter to a friend.
Want More?
Listen to Allison Russell’s interview on Fresh Air and listen to Allison Russell’s second album The Returner.
*
—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. The October Co-Writing schedule is coming soon.
—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.