My experience with Morning Pages

                                                           By Anoop Abraham

Back when I was in college, I stumbled upon something Julia Cameron, the author of The Artist’s Way, called Morning Pages.

I had seen it mentioned on a few websites, and people spoke about it in glowing terms. The writer Elizabeth Gilbert says that if it were not for the Morning Pages (and The Artist’s Way), she would never have written the book Eat, Pray, Love, which has sold over 10 million copies and even got made into a Hollywood movie.

So what exactly is Morning Pages? Here’s how Julia Cameron defines it.

“Morning Pages are three pages of longhand (handwritten), stream-of-consciousness writing, done first thing in the morning. There is no wrong way to do Morning Pages – they are not high art. They are not even “writing”. They are about anything and everything that crosses your mind and they are for your eyes only. Do not over-think Morning Pages: just put three pages of anything on the page...Nothing is too petty, too silly, too stupid, or too weird to be included.”

After doing the Morning Pages myself over the past few years, I have discovered
that while this can be a simple practice, there’s a lot that happens once you start doing it.

Personal discoveries

Embracing this practice has led to profound personal discoveries. Writing without censorship or judgment has allowed me to explore my thoughts, dreams, and emotions in depth. Often, I’ve been surprised by the insights and ideas that emerge. Morning Pages have helped me maintain a focused and extended train of thought, something I struggled with before.

Many times these sessions can bring clarity, inspiration, and even advice from my subconscious. Sometimes, writing down nagging or unhelpful thoughts is enough to release them. More than the benefits, it’s the process itself that I cherish. The act of writing makes me lose track of time and brings a sense of aliveness and contentment.

Admittedly, there have been times when I skipped this practice due to laziness or resistance. However, I always notice a positive difference in my life when I commit to Morning Pages. They were my first foray into writing regularly, and I doubt my blog would exist without them.

How do I do the Morning Pages

While doing the Morning Pages it’s best not to second guess or edit what you write. The point of this exercise is not to write anything beautiful, poetic or even grammatically correct but to just write whatever crosses your mind, even if it doesn’t make sense.

While you are doing the Morning Pages, there will most likely be times when you feel like there is nothing more left in you to write, after doing a page or two. The key is to push through the urge to stop and force yourself to keep going until you have completed three pages. And, this is often where the magic starts to happen, and
you may end up with new ideas and inspirations.

Keep moving your hands even if you feel stuck and don’t lift them from the paper until you are done. Here’s what Ms Cameron says: “If you can’t think of anything to write, then write, “I can’t think of anything to write...”Do this until you have filled three pages. Do anything until you have filled three pages...Your mood doesn’t matter. We have this idea that we need to be in the mood to write. We don’t."

She recommends doing the Morning Pages in a book with pages roughly the size of an A4. She also recommends doing the pages first thing in the morning, for the logical part of our brain filled with inhibitions and judgment is not as active when we wake up.

Give it a try

We all face information overload in our daily lives. Endless messages, notifications, opinions, and news bites can flood our lives and make us lose our centre.

In today’s world of information overload, Morning Pages offer a sanctuary from the endless stream of messages, notifications, and opinions. They help clear mental clutter, prioritise tasks, and generate ideas for an inspired life.

Give it a try for a couple of weeks and see if it makes any difference in your life. It might just be the transformative habit you’ve been looking for.