creative writing school
Module 1: Perception & Intuition
structure
Introduction
Theory:
Stay grounded & motivated
Share your text with us
Theory:
- Hypnotic text
- Meditative text
- Hsia Yu: Salsa (1999)
Stay grounded & motivated
Share your text with us
introduction
Welcome to our online creative writing course on hypnotic and meditative text. In this course, you'll learn to craft writing that soothes the mind, encourages mindfulness, and fosters inner peace. Whether you're an experienced writer or new to exploring language's impact on the mind, this course is a path to self-discovery and transformation. Through guided exercises and practical techniques, you'll create immersive, multisensory experiences that calm and inspire. Join us to explore how hypnotic and meditative writing can bring tranquility and harmony to yourself and others.
theory
While both hypnotic and meditative texts aim to induce a state of relaxation and receptivity in the reader, they differ in their approach and intention:
Intention:
Language and style:
Purpose:
Effects:
Intention:
- Hypnotic text: Aims to guide the reader into a trance-like state, making them highly suggestible. It uses repetitive language and soothing imagery to induce relaxation and receptivity.
- Meditative text: Focuses on promoting mindfulness, inner peace, and self-reflection. It helps the reader connect with their inner thoughts and emotions.
Language and style:
- Hypnotic text: Uses direct, repetitive language with commands like "you are" or "you will" to influence the subconscious mind. The style is simple and focused on relaxation.
- Meditative text: Employs poetic, evocative language to encourage deep reflection and exploration of emotions. It often uses abstract and metaphorical language.
Purpose:
- Hypnotic text: Often used for therapeutic or persuasive purposes, such as overcoming phobias or influencing behavior.
- Meditative text: Aims to foster self-awareness, spiritual growth, and relaxation. It is used for stress reduction and cultivating inner peace.
Effects:
- Hypnotic text: Induces deep relaxation and heightened suggestibility, leading to increased receptivity to suggestions.
- Meditative text: Evokes calmness and clarity, helping to reduce stress and promote a greater sense of presence and mindfulness.
inspiration
At that moment
you will finally feel his caresses horizontally
you will be filled with the ambition to start anew
you will be sliced into two dimensions, from space to the surface
you will be reduced to a line
you will shrink until you are nothing but a point
you will transform into a 0
And so
and so listen to me
it will be in October
you will never want to travel anywhere again, never again
you will be like a Monday
the first Monday after a crazy vacation
the crimson of an old rose
that suits you perfectly in every way
Hsia Yu is a Taiwanese poet known for her experimental style and innovative use of language. Often blending different forms, including text and visual art, her work challenges traditional literary boundaries and explores themes of identity, emotion, and modernity. She is one of the leading voices in contemporary Chinese-language poetry, with a distinct voice that reflects a playful yet profound approach to the world.
Salsa (1999) possesses hypnotic qualities through its rhythmic, repetitive structure, guiding the reader through a gradual reduction of the self. The transition from the physical world to abstract points and zeroes evokes a meditative state, where the boundaries of identity blur. The subtle shifts in imagery and form, along with the focus on transformation and reduction, mirror meditative practices of letting go and dissolution of ego. The poem’s language gently leads the reader into a contemplative space, making it a fitting example of how text can be both hypnotic and introspective.
Salsa (1999) possesses hypnotic qualities through its rhythmic, repetitive structure, guiding the reader through a gradual reduction of the self. The transition from the physical world to abstract points and zeroes evokes a meditative state, where the boundaries of identity blur. The subtle shifts in imagery and form, along with the focus on transformation and reduction, mirror meditative practices of letting go and dissolution of ego. The poem’s language gently leads the reader into a contemplative space, making it a fitting example of how text can be both hypnotic and introspective.
creative exercise
Welcome to this immersive and multisensory creative writing exercise, where we will explore the hypnotic and meditative qualities of text. Through the power of language and imagination, you will embark on a transformative journey of self-discovery, inviting your readers to join you on a voyage of relaxation, focus, and contemplation. Instead of adhering to conventional formats, we will craft poetic texts that pay equal attention to content and form, embracing abstraction and fragmentation to transport our audience to another space, time, and reality.
Let's begin our exploration:
Step 1: Setting the scene
Find a quiet and comfortable space where you can fully immerse yourself in the writing process. Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths to center yourself and clear your mind. Visualize an imaginary landscape, describing it in vivid detail to transport your audience to this immersive space. Use the technic of zoom to explore and reveal the intricate textures and nuances of your chosen environment.
Step 2: Sensory exploration
Engage your senses by focusing on both real and imaginary sensations, allowing yourself to go beyond the limitations of the physical world. Notice the texture of the surface beneath you, the sounds in the environment, the temperature of the air, and any scents that linger in the space. Embrace the richness of your sensory experience and let your imagination roam freely.
Step 3: Suggestive writing
Begin writing with a focus on suggestion, using hypnotic language elements to guide your readers on a journey of relaxation and calmness. Incorporate repetition and rhythm to create a ceremonial vibe within your text, gently leading your audience into a state of deep receptivity and openness.
Step 4: Influential imagery
Incorporate influential imagery into your writing, painting vivid pictures of paths, journeys, and roads to take. Explore desires, dreams, and emotions through unexpected and unique representations, encouraging your readers to visualize themselves on a transformative journey of self-discovery.
Step 5: Anchoring in the present and future
Ground your writing in the present moment while gently guiding your readers towards a future filled with possibilities. Inspire hope and optimism through phrases that evoke a sense of empowerment and potential, inviting your audience to embrace their journey with courage and determination.
Step 6: Choreographic experience
Create a choreographic experience through your writing, allowing your readers to travel without moving. Experiment with passive and active parts, encouraging your audience to change positions or engage in physical movement as they explore your text. Play with scales and layers of reality, inviting your readers to immerse themselves fully in the experience.
Step 7: Visualization and imagination
Encourage visualization and imagination in your writing, leaving space for interpretation and personal reflection. Embrace abstraction and fragmentation, evoking curiosity and wonder as you invite your audience to explore the depths of their own subconscious mind.
Step 8: Promote positive affirmations
Integrate positive affirmations and empowering statements into your text to reinforce feelings of self-confidence, inner peace, and well-being. Use affirmative language to affirm the reader's worthiness, strength, and resilience, helping them to feel uplifted and empowered.
Step 9: Provide space for reflection
Allow space for reflection and introspection in your writing, giving the reader time to pause and contemplate their inner experiences. Use pauses, breaks, or reflective questions to prompt the reader to engage in deeper self-exploration and self-discovery.
Step 10: End with a sense of closure
Conclude your text with a sense of closure and completion, gently guiding the reader back to a state of wakefulness and alertness. Offer words of gratitude, encouragement, or affirmation to leave the reader feeling uplifted, inspired, and empowered.
Step 11: Sharing and feedback
After completing your own writing exercise, take a moment to reflect on your personal experience. Notice any shifts in your mood, mindset, or physiological state, and consider how your words have the power to influence and transform the reader's experience.
Share your writing with a trusted friend or writing group, and invite feedback on the hypnotic and meditative qualities of your text. Consider how your words resonate with others and how they can be further refined to create a deeper impact.
Step 12: Integration and application
Integrate the insights gained from this exercise into your writing practice, exploring new ways to harness the power of language to induce relaxation, focus, and contemplation in your readers. Continue to experiment with hypnotic and meditative techniques, and watch as your writing takes on a new depth and resonance.
Let's begin our exploration:
Step 1: Setting the scene
Find a quiet and comfortable space where you can fully immerse yourself in the writing process. Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths to center yourself and clear your mind. Visualize an imaginary landscape, describing it in vivid detail to transport your audience to this immersive space. Use the technic of zoom to explore and reveal the intricate textures and nuances of your chosen environment.
Step 2: Sensory exploration
Engage your senses by focusing on both real and imaginary sensations, allowing yourself to go beyond the limitations of the physical world. Notice the texture of the surface beneath you, the sounds in the environment, the temperature of the air, and any scents that linger in the space. Embrace the richness of your sensory experience and let your imagination roam freely.
Step 3: Suggestive writing
Begin writing with a focus on suggestion, using hypnotic language elements to guide your readers on a journey of relaxation and calmness. Incorporate repetition and rhythm to create a ceremonial vibe within your text, gently leading your audience into a state of deep receptivity and openness.
Step 4: Influential imagery
Incorporate influential imagery into your writing, painting vivid pictures of paths, journeys, and roads to take. Explore desires, dreams, and emotions through unexpected and unique representations, encouraging your readers to visualize themselves on a transformative journey of self-discovery.
Step 5: Anchoring in the present and future
Ground your writing in the present moment while gently guiding your readers towards a future filled with possibilities. Inspire hope and optimism through phrases that evoke a sense of empowerment and potential, inviting your audience to embrace their journey with courage and determination.
Step 6: Choreographic experience
Create a choreographic experience through your writing, allowing your readers to travel without moving. Experiment with passive and active parts, encouraging your audience to change positions or engage in physical movement as they explore your text. Play with scales and layers of reality, inviting your readers to immerse themselves fully in the experience.
Step 7: Visualization and imagination
Encourage visualization and imagination in your writing, leaving space for interpretation and personal reflection. Embrace abstraction and fragmentation, evoking curiosity and wonder as you invite your audience to explore the depths of their own subconscious mind.
Step 8: Promote positive affirmations
Integrate positive affirmations and empowering statements into your text to reinforce feelings of self-confidence, inner peace, and well-being. Use affirmative language to affirm the reader's worthiness, strength, and resilience, helping them to feel uplifted and empowered.
Step 9: Provide space for reflection
Allow space for reflection and introspection in your writing, giving the reader time to pause and contemplate their inner experiences. Use pauses, breaks, or reflective questions to prompt the reader to engage in deeper self-exploration and self-discovery.
Step 10: End with a sense of closure
Conclude your text with a sense of closure and completion, gently guiding the reader back to a state of wakefulness and alertness. Offer words of gratitude, encouragement, or affirmation to leave the reader feeling uplifted, inspired, and empowered.
Step 11: Sharing and feedback
After completing your own writing exercise, take a moment to reflect on your personal experience. Notice any shifts in your mood, mindset, or physiological state, and consider how your words have the power to influence and transform the reader's experience.
Share your writing with a trusted friend or writing group, and invite feedback on the hypnotic and meditative qualities of your text. Consider how your words resonate with others and how they can be further refined to create a deeper impact.
Step 12: Integration and application
Integrate the insights gained from this exercise into your writing practice, exploring new ways to harness the power of language to induce relaxation, focus, and contemplation in your readers. Continue to experiment with hypnotic and meditative techniques, and watch as your writing takes on a new depth and resonance.
stay motivated!
"As we bring this exploration of meditative and hypnotic text to a close, I invite you to take the calm, the inspiration, and the power you’ve touched here with you—carry it into your writing, your life, your every breath. Remember, words aren’t just tools for meaning; they are instruments of healing, transformation, and rebellion. Whether you’re weaving poetry, prose, or simply reflecting on your own story, keep diving into the depths of your imagination. Let your words be a force, creating moments of peace and connection in this chaotic world.
Trust the process. Embrace the wild journey. Let your creativity flow without constraint. The world needs your voice, raw and real, to resonate and disrupt, to inspire and ignite. Keep using your words—they are your weapon, they’re legal and free. So, speak, write, and let the world feel your presence."
—Anna Ádám
Founder of the School of Disobedience
Trust the process. Embrace the wild journey. Let your creativity flow without constraint. The world needs your voice, raw and real, to resonate and disrupt, to inspire and ignite. Keep using your words—they are your weapon, they’re legal and free. So, speak, write, and let the world feel your presence."
—Anna Ádám
Founder of the School of Disobedience
Photo: Anna Ádám