Week 21--in which soul writers share their experiences

Beautiful Ones,

The response to Deep Soul Writing with Friends has been amazing. We are now 78 soul writers in 6 countries, 18 US states, and 2 Canadian provinces. We range in age from thirties to eighties! Some have been deep soul writing since Writing Down Your Soul came out in 2009, some found me last week.

This makes my heart so happy. My first mystical devotion was deep soul writing. And the joy of it, the wonder of it, my sense of awe at the power of soul writing has never diminished. Indeed, all that has only intensified.

I can and do write everywhere about everything.

Deep soul writing happened in a particularly funny place on Thursday.

I was sitting in a car showroom, waiting for the paperwork for the car I was selling back to the dealership. I never leave the house without a book and notepad. So, once we agreed on the price, I sat down, reached into my bag, and pulled out How We Learn to be Brave: Decisive Moments in Life and Faith by Marianna Edgar Budde.

Does her name ring a bell?

Reverend Budde is the Episcopalian prelate who serves as the Bishop of Washington. In that capacity, she gave the sermon at the Inaugural Prayer Service at Washington National Cathedral on January 21. Rev. Budde spoke gently and elegantly to the president, reiterating the teachings of Christianity on humility, unity, honesty, mercy, and the inherent dignity of every human being.

Her words did not go over well with the president.

The next day I discovered her book was sold out everywhere. So I placed a hold at the library. Five months later, I picked it up, and tossed it in my bag as I headed to the dealership.

Rev Budde opens the introduction with: “This book is about those decisive moments when we are called to act with courage and, much to our amazement, we do.”

A few sentences later, she writes: “Decisive moments are marking events.”

I put the book down, grabbed a yellow pad and wrote “Decisive Moments” across the top of the page. Quickly, I began to list my decisive marking events—moments when I did something that surprised me. It didn’t take long. In just a few minutes, I listed moments, starting at 16, when I said NO, and that no changed my life. I also listed moments when I said YES to myself, yes to what I wanted to do, despite everyone around me wanting me to do something else.

When I interviewed Matthew Fox years ago, he described these moments as “the spiritual warrior’s no” and “the mystic’s yes.”

Everyone wants the experience of the mystic’s yes, he said, but you actually can’t say the mystic’s yes, until you have mastered the spiritual warrior’s no. No is the power that creates your life and paves the path to the yes.

Looking down at my list, I could literally see the truth of Fox’s teaching. No and Yes are massive decisive moments. We are who we are because we have said No and Yes.

When I got home, I contacted my co-teacher and off-the-charts-magnificent soul writer, Cathy Stevens Pratt. I told her I had stumbled upon a superb support material for our Deep Soul Writing with Friends intensive.

And to think I discovered it in a car dealership. This is one of the most delightful things about deep soul writing.

Deep soul writing is an integral part of life.
Not mystical life.
Or spiritual life.
Or psychological life.
But life. All life. Your whole life. 

But don’t take my word for it. Listen to what these deep soul writers have to say.

Deep Soul Writing is a practice like no other. It opens a portal that takes me out of the "Monkey Mind" and brings me into a space of deep inner wisdom and Soul connection. It has enhanced my creativity, brought me greater awareness, and expanded my sense of joy. I can't wait to experience this new evolution of this growing practice.

Betsy Whisper Winter, Murphy, North Carolina

Deep Soul Writing has been one of the best things I have done for myself. It took me a while to fully commit to a daily practice, and I am so glad I persevered. Tony Goncalves is my deep soul writing buddy. He lives in Florida; I live in New Zealand. We have never met, but have been in several online groups together. Tony inspired me to keep going, and that made all the difference.

Caitlin Grace, Katikati, New Zealand

I started deep soul writing when I met Janet in 2009 and took her course for the first time. From that first class forward, deep soul writing has been a daily practice. Learning how to access the power of theta has opened up new worlds for me. DSW has helped me write four books and navigate many difficult situations in my life, not by trying to figure them out but by allowing the wisdom to appear on the page. It’s easily accessible and life changing. What more could you ask for?

Rebecca Thompson Hitt, Oaxaca, Mexico

I had never been a dedicated journaler. I had heard or been told that journaling was good for me, so again and again, I would start and stop, start and stop, and come to decide that it just was not for me. Cue Janet Conner and Writing Down Your Soul. The reason I love and am dedicated to Deep Soul Writing is because it is NOT journaling. It is a joy! DSW is a connection, a conversation, a relationship.

Sometimes my DSW is a communication between myself and the Divine, who I call "Sacred Mother", and at other times it is conversation between myself and a guide, angel, or ancestor. There are days when my soul writing is a dialogue between my Highest Self and a part or parts of self.

It is always a sacred and honored experience of allowing my thinking mind to rest and dropping into that state of being where creativity and intuition exist (theta brainwave state). There is no effort or struggle in this space. There is a sense of spaciousness where words flow easefully from my pen as if someone else is writing them. My hand is moving, yet I feel stillness and I am listening.

There are days when I don't really understand what it is I am writing and that’s when I trust that clarity will come later. But there are also days when there is profound revelation, understanding, or new perspective. I have an abundance of gratitude to have Deep Soul Writing as a part of my devotional practice for the last 2+ years. It is truly a gift that keeps giving! 

Mary Ellen Meritaten Alberti, Warren, Vermont

Deep Soul Writing has not only changed how I communicate with the Divine Spirit but also how I connect with my inner self. It helps me move through difficult and unpleasant emotions while gaining insight into how to create positive change in my life. It has become one of my most beloved spiritual practices—an everyday ritual where I meet my Spirit on the page to work through the questions and emotions of the day. I’ve just hit the one-year mark and can’t imagine ever ending this adventure with my soul.

Tony Goncalves, Oakland Park, Florida

Would you like to explore deep soul writing with them?

Please visit the information and registration page and join our global community.

There are 32 spots left. I hope you claim one (or more, if you're bringing friends).

Please don’t wait till the last minute, because you want time to peruse all the bonuses and gifts, read or reread Writing Down Your Soul, and of course, get yourself a delicious new journal.

Deep Soul Writing with Friends

• Be sure to watch the very fun video Cathy and I created for you.
• Take a moment to appreciate the mystical insights that Cathy wove into this painting. It captures the joy of soul writing and how it is amplified with a friend.
• Peruse the content. Even if you've been in multiple soul writing events with me, this is completely different.
• Ask friends if they'd like to join you.
• The registration fee is quite the bargain, but it goes even lower when you bring friends.

Deep Soul Writing with Friends!

to exploring the most intimate and loving relationship in your life, 

Janet

website: janetconner.com

facebook: janet conner prayer artist

YouTube: Janet Conner