Naturally, I was thrilled when Dinty W. Moore contacted me and asked if he could send me an advance copy of his latest book, The Mindful Writer, for review. Mindfulness and writing are two of my favorite endeavors.
Asked repeatedly to explain how Buddhism has influenced his writing, Moore, also author of The Accidental Buddhist, repeatedly found himself at a loss for words until he finally realized that his writing and creativity had supported him in opening to the path of Buddhism.
Moore sums up how the writing path opens him to Buddhism through developing his ideas as The Four Noble Truths for Writers. He beautifully opens each chapter with a quote from an artist, writer, or Buddhist teacher or practitioner and follows each quote with an exploration of mindfulness and writing.
Moore’s writing is accessible to anyone interested in exploring the intersections of writing and mindfulness. He encourages us to be present with what arises in our work, to allow it to unfold without trying to make the writing go somewhere or trying to get somewhere through our writing. Moore invites us to approach our writing with interest and curiosity about what unfolds, to allow the writing to take us where it wants us to go.
I found The Mindful Writer to be a gentle read, an encouraging reminder to approach writing, or any creative endeavor, with presence, interest, and curiosity, a reminder to allow writing and life to unfold as it will without trying to control it. Moore’s musings are applicable not only to any creative endeavor but serve as comforting reminders for applying mindfulness to everyday life.
The Mindful Writer by Dinty W. Moore was released in May 2012 and is now available in bookstores. Pick up your copy today and drop me a note to let me know how you like it.
Jen Johnson is a meditation teacher, photographer, and writer teaching meditation for healing and creativity. Learn more about working with Jen.