Myths about Meditation/Writing

5. You just clear your head of all thoughts and a) achieve enlightenment suddenly by chance, or b) miraculously stumble on the Next Great American Screenplay after your morning coffee--after it was sitting right there in your own noggin all along!

4. The process at hand takes no energy at all; it a) doesn't involve any work on your part to concentrate intensely on your breathing, or b) isn't like a real job or anything just to muse and contemplate.

3. There should be certain times and ways of doing your thing, or else you're a) a novice who doesn't understand the depth of a true meditation, or b) a hack who's even willing to scribble mad notes on a memo pad in a coffee shop.

2. You must find a quiet, peaceful, tranquil spot to do your thing in so that you a) fall asleep from sheer lack of life, or b) die of boredom one night drinking a beer.

1. There should be no tension of any kind lest you a) find the strength within you to assuage it and sink into a trance, or b) find something actually worthwhile to write about. [Really, that just wouldn't be fair to all the other impoverished writers in the world.]