Exciting New Journey!

11/14 By Leave a Comment

I am beginning an exciting new journey… you’re invited to follow me and see how this expedition unfolds. Where to? you ask.  I have become a Reiki Practitioner.  And I am on my way to becoming a Reiki Master Teacher!  After the pandemic had isolated us for a few months I found myself out of sorts, almost like there was something hindering my progress, but there were no physical barriers obstructing me. And I felt the need to seek balance in my life. Then I discovered some of my friends and students were feeling stagnant and imbalanced, too.  About this time, a close friend was raving about a Reiki class she attended and thought I could benefit from learning about Reiki. In wanting to assist my students and friends—so they could continue writing their stories, essays, or poems without anything holding them back—and to help myself regain momentum and energy, I took the leap.  I joined a certification training program.  So far, this whole journey has been eye-opening, wonderful, and worthwhile. My intention is to be a conduit, a guide that helps others improve their well-being. I feel called to spread love and light in this world using reiki’s universal life energy, prayer, and ancestral wisdom…

Victoria Reiki Practioner

Don’t worry I am still a fun Zumba instructor, writer & poet, and I still teach lively writing workshops. These parts of me merge wonderfully well reiki principles. All of these activities allow me to inspire and encourage others.

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Balancing Act for Writers

01/28 By Leave a Comment

Do you ever feel like you are standing on an unsteady surface trying to balance what’s in your heart versus what’s in your brain? I know you do! I can’t be the only who feels this way sometimes. I believe this balancing act is especially tricky for writers because we deal with matters of the heart (emotions) in our writing and we also think (analyze and create) while we’re writing. Some of us have a demanding internal editor looking over our shoulder and we need to find ways to keep that editor away while we’re spilling our hearts out. I say, shake that editor off and keep going… keep writing. Who was it that said write with your heart and edit with your brain? I don’t remember, but these are wise words. They suggest a great way to keep your balance.

balancing act for writers by Victoria M. Johnson

Photo by John Salvino

I teach writing classes a few times throughout the year and one thing I impress upon my students is the idea of not censuring the muse and completely freeing their creativity. They accomplish this by giving themselves permission to write a crummy first draft. It takes practice but eventually they stop editing as they create. It’s a wonderful thing to get to that point and results in deep explorations, wonderful surprises, and more writing. Of course our first drafts need editing eventually, but the brain can work that out later. In your first drafts let the heart say what the heart wants to say. It’s a balancing act that we as writers can learn and enjoy rather than struggle with.

 

 

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