Dear fellow writer,
Welcome to Swordswings, my monthly podcast series for writers in motion. These recordings are intended for you to listen to when you’re moving around — which is a great way to get your writing moving as well.
Today’s episode on “Writing the Chakras” is excerpted from a 2023 conversation that I held with Michele di Pietro, the Executive Director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning at Kennesaw State University and co-author of How Learning Works: Eight Research-Based Principles for Smart Teaching (2nd ed). Michele has a long-standing interest in yoga, meditation, and the chakras, a sequence of seven bodily focal points associated with various ancient meditation practices:
GROUND: The chakra of unity, the physical plane, and survival.
DESIRE: The chakra of diversity, perspective, and otherness.
POWER: The chakra of anger, will, energy, transformation, and fire.
HEART: The chakra of love, compassion, and balance.
THROAT: The chakra of sound and the nexus of creative expression.
THIRD EYE: The chakra of vision, imagination, dreams and deep understanding.
CROWN: The chakra of transcendence.
In this extract, Michele explains what the chakras are and how they can help us reflect deeply about ourselves and our writing lives.
If you’re a paid subscriber to Helen’s Word, you can scroll down to the bottom of this post to find a link to the full video of my 2023 conversation with Michele di Pietro, which includes an interactive workshop and a series of writing prompts keyed to each of the seven chakras.
The Balanced Writer
Exciting news! Michele di Pietro will be returning to the WriteSPACE in March as my special guest for Special Event titled “The Balanced Writer.” We’ll talk about their fabulous new book, The Faculty Guide to a Balanced and Harmonious Career, and Michele will lead WriteSPACE members and guests in a lively workshop focused on yogic strategies for finding balance, self-growth, and fulfillment in and through writing. This live Zoom event will take place from 4-6 pm EDT (UTC-4) on Wednesday March 18. Learn more and register here.
If you appreciate hearing about resources like these — or just want to make my day — please take a moment to drop me a heart, leave a comment, and/or click Restack at the bottom of this message. Your enthusiasm and support mean so much to me.🩷
Kia pai tō rā (have a great day) — and keep on writing!
Write more, right now! For exclusive access to live workshops, craft-focused coaching, and premium writing and editing tools, join me and writers from 30+ countries in the WriteSPACE, a vibrant international writing community and resource treasury. To try free for 30 days, click below and enter the discount code SNEAKPEEK or STUDIOPEEK at checkout.
Bonus Content for Paid Subscribers
Don’t miss the very end of the video, where Michele whirls around in their office chair to give us a 360 degree view of their rainbow hair! 🌈
