Spring Snow Publications

Writing with Insight and Inspiration

  • Spring Snow Publications
  • Home
  • Blog
  • About
  • Contact

Written by Dr. Terry Chitwood

Psyche as Poet

Writing through Time
Follow the White Bull

Mount Etna Volcano Dawn at Paternò Sicilia Italy - Creative Commons by gnuckx

Speaking about the poetic psyche, Slattery writes,

“The images are mindful ways of gathering an emotion into a bundle and then allowing the emotion to inform the image, even be the image.” Later he states, I learned that poetry can provoke poetic responses [from the psyche]” (“The Soul’s Claim: Choose it or Lose It” by Dennis Patrick Slattery, Ph.D., an article from marked by fire: Stories of the Jungian Way, pp.128-129).

Be Living Fire

A client once told me a dream in which he was standing in Nebakanezer’s furnace. I asked the client to stand up and let the fire flow through him and into a dance. He did his dance of the living fire. Here the image is transformed into movement, allowing the psyche the freedom of spontaneous dance.

Free the Image

Hypothetically, the image could be transformed into song. The fire could scorch the air like a dragon’s breath or tenderly caress the breeze, writing love songs on the wind. The image has a voice. Free it.

An Original Voice

Slattery’s life journey contained an intermingling of Jungian thought and writing (literature). My journey has been similar. During my undergraduate years, I majored in psychology and minored in creative writing. My writing professors told me my writing had an original voice. Nowadays, I allow the creative psyche to move through my original voice . . . birthing new images.

Let the Psyche Speak

You can do the same. Close your eyes, calm your mind and let images bubble up from the psyche. Treat them with respect. Let the images transform into dance, song, chanting, music, painting, drawing, sculpture, photographs, stories, myths, screenwriting, poetry, creative writing and other original expressions. Let the psyche speak.

Linked with Thought-Provoking Thursday.

Photo Credit: Photo by gnuckx at Flickr Creative Commons.

Related Posts

  • Psalms and Creative Writing: GracePsalms and Creative Writing: Grace
  • The Christian Writer: Weave Your Cloak of LightThe Christian Writer: Weave Your Cloak of Light
  • I am the WindI am the Wind
  • The Stony PathThe Stony Path
  • Playful WordsPlayful Words
  • A Poem Each MomentA Poem Each Moment
Writing through Time
Follow the White Bull

Filed Under: Poetry, Spiritual Journey, Writing Tagged: Dennis Patrick Slattery, Marked by Fire: Stories of the Jungian Way, poetry, psyche, psyche as poet, writing

Comments

  1. Purnima says

    January 30, 2013 at 4:17 am

    Interesting share .
    I am fond of writing and poetry is the most artistic and most liberating form of creative writing. You have aptly put that the poetry which moves through original voice has greater depth .
    Purnima recently posted..Kim Wilde Drunk Christmas Impromtu Performance on British RailMy Profile

    Reply
    • Terry says

      March 1, 2013 at 7:45 pm

      Thank you for your comment, Purnima.
      Terry recently posted..Stories Save UsMy Profile

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

CommentLuv badgeShow more posts

This blog uses premium CommentLuv which allows you to put your keywords with your name if you have had 2 approved comments. Use your real name and then @ your keywords (maximum of 3)

January 24, 2013

connect with us

Follow Me on Facebook Follow Me on Twitter Follow Me on Google+ Follow Me on Pinterest Subscribe in a Reader

popular

  • 10 Fun Ways to Focus on Grammar
  • The Sayings of Grey Whiskers, Cat Zen Master
  • Psalms and Creative Writing: God as Healer
  • Taoist Pearls, Wisdom for Writers: Sandpaper Wind
  • Tao Te Ching for Writers: Soften the Sun
  • Tao Te Ching for Writers: Out of the Night
  • Tao Te Ching for Writers: Peace Flows In
  • Tao Te Ching for Writers: Words into Dust
  • Be Grateful for Your Imperfections
  • Tao Te Ching for Writers: Doorway between Worlds

Categories

Handcrafted with on the Genesis Framework