In many earth-based spiritual practices, someone who is entering into ritual or leading one for others, will begin by drawing a circle. The purpose of the circle is to create a boundary—”a line marking the limits of an area, territory, etc.”
In ritual, the purpose of that boundary is to create a separation between the sacred and the mundane, between the space of the work to be done and everything else. That boundary allows the person doing the ritual work to close off the demands and energies of the world outside the circle, and helps them focus on the work done within the circle.
Writers and other creatives need to practice this. Because day after day, week after week, month after month…
As I mentor and consult with clients who want to give birth to the story, the book pushing to be born…
Drawing boundaries is an unending challenge. A challenge that, too often, writers and creatives surrender to rather than fight against.
Why? Because…
Because it sometimes seems easier to put yourself last on the list of priorities than first.
Because it sometimes seems easier to deal with your own very real creative frustrations and disappointments than the induced guilt pushed on you by family, friends, and community.
Because it sometimes seems easier to let yourself be distracted by others’ needs and wants than to fight the creative resistance that wells up when you work with something deep and sacred.
And when you do muster the energy and courage to draw the line in the sand?
Inevitably, something comes along to erase part of it and you think, “That’s okay. I’ll just let that in for now. I’ll tend to that today instead of my writing, because that is important and my writing can wait until tomorrow.”
But once a part of the line is erased, guess what? Soon, someone or something else rubs a little bit more of that boundary away. And tomorrow turns into another tomorrow, and then another and another.
And soon, the boundary you dared to draw in the sand is washed away beneath the tide of living.
BUT, sometime, somewhere, you have to dare to first draw the line, the boundary between the sacred—yes, sacred—world of your creative work, your writing, and the rest of your life because…
Boundaries are important. You set them all the time for yourself and others in other areas of life. There are boundaries in a marriage. You set boundaries for your children from the time they are old enough to crawl. You establish boundaries in your job and your relationships with others.
So why not do it for your writing or creative work?
At the end of a ritual, the boundary is undone, the circle opened so that the two worlds merge and the person is once again fully engaged in life.
So setting a boundary isn’t something that sets you apart or shuts others out forever.
Setting a boundary doesn’t make you a bad person…or a selfish one.
It protects you and separates you from the world when you need to do your sacred work…
Your book, your creative project is pushing to be born.
Will you, can you draw a circle?