Most years, I find that I don't have to look for a Lenten discipline -- usually a Lenten discipline is handed to me on a platter. Like the year my mother was dying. You hardly have to give up chocolate when you're dealing with your mother's death. If that doesn't bring you back down to earth, nothing will.
This year, inspired by a haiku collection I found on line, I've decided to write one haiku per day for Lent. There's a few reasons for this. For one, haiku is intended to focus on sensory experience, preferably in nature. I've been spending way too much time indoors, and not getting enough exercise. So I'm planning to take a daily walk and to focus my attention on what I see, smell, hear and feel outdoors and use that to feed my haiku. For another thing, I need to become more aware of my feelings, so I don't get lost in my own head and end up ruminating. That road leads to unnecessary suffering, and I've had enough of that. Haiku, with its extremely tight structure, forces me to zero in on the essentials of what I'm feeling. And I need and love to write, to play with finding le mot juste. So put it all together, and you will find my Lenten Haiku elsewhere on this site. Let me know what you think. Constructive criticism is most welcome.
This year, inspired by a haiku collection I found on line, I've decided to write one haiku per day for Lent. There's a few reasons for this. For one, haiku is intended to focus on sensory experience, preferably in nature. I've been spending way too much time indoors, and not getting enough exercise. So I'm planning to take a daily walk and to focus my attention on what I see, smell, hear and feel outdoors and use that to feed my haiku. For another thing, I need to become more aware of my feelings, so I don't get lost in my own head and end up ruminating. That road leads to unnecessary suffering, and I've had enough of that. Haiku, with its extremely tight structure, forces me to zero in on the essentials of what I'm feeling. And I need and love to write, to play with finding le mot juste. So put it all together, and you will find my Lenten Haiku elsewhere on this site. Let me know what you think. Constructive criticism is most welcome.