Writing into the Taboo - Part 1
May 28th 2008 22:39
Where I live there is a pathway from the beach up along the cliff. Recently, a young woman fell to her death when she overstepped the little white fence that hardly acts as a deterrent. There is a large sign that rather undramatically states: DANGER DO NOT GO NEAR THE EDGE.
Depending on the kind of person you are, this is either a warning or an invitation. Personally, I quite like the edge – not when it comes to cliff faces, but when it comes to emotional and psychological boundaries. When I write, I’m looking to scare myself. I want to write into the taboo, to find out what is hiding in my shadows.
The word 'taboo' comes from the Polynesia word 'tabu' and it refers to an act, that, if undertaken could result in adverse consequences for the well being of the tribe or community. Taboos often have this communal quality to them such as the taboos against incest, cannibalism or genocide. Taboos often overlap with moral codes into areas such as adultery and murder. Activities like dancing, gambling, premarital sex, divorce or abortion are considered taboo in some cultures for the protection of the group.
But these taboos, whilst some keep us partially humanized and others keep us repressed, are not as interesting to me as the personal taboos I have within my own psyche, my impermissible thoughts, shameful feelings, shadows that hide my wild and hungry impulses.
Our shadows are what make each of us interesting. There is nothing exciting or interesting about well-adjusted, well-behaved people, certainly not when it comes to writing. They make for boring characters. Characters are only as interesting as their most disgusting habit, their most shameful secret, or their deepest fear. Just like each of us.
The wound, the taboo, the darkness is where the creativity lies. Happiness is not a resource, contentment is not juicy. It's the reeling in of the shadows, the touching of the darkness and bringing it out for examination into the light, that is fascinating.
I am moved to write when I am disturbed by things. Or rather, in writing, I want to understand what it is about the things that disturb me, that disturbs me.
Writing is a way of ADMITTING that certain things exist in the world. That certain things exist within us.
Writing is a form of CONFESSION.
Writing is a way of telling the truth.
Plato said, the unexamined life is not worth living.' Writing is a way of examining our lives. In working with the ugliest, least lovable, most terrifying aspects of ourselves, we develop a compassion that begins with ourselves, but that can be extended to others. By writing, we gain insight into what drives, moves, haunts and terrifies us.
This in turn allows us to see our own prejudices, anticipate unconscious bias and regulate our propensity to a particular reaction. By better knowing who we are, we become more able to engage in a dialogue between our selves and the world we inhabit. When we write into the taboo, we deepen self awareness and this in turn facilitates better relationships, an increased capacity for empathetic understanding of others and fewer fears and defenses.
Writing into the taboo expands and increases our consciousness. This is referred to by Jungian psychologists as the individuation process' through which we become less vulnerable to peer pressure and more able to respond authentically, grapple with contradictions, consider alternatives and make difficult decisions. Working inwards from our wounds, we discover more personal levels at which we can become more self-aware.
Here are some questions to help you get started:
What are you capable of?
What do you not know about yourself?
What are you too afraid to admit?
What are you too ashamed to confess?
What scares you?
I mean, what REALLY scares you?
What has brought you to your knees?
Write about the thing that scares you most.
Ask yourself the question you don't want to know the answer to.
Write about the thing you think you CANNOT write.
Go to your edge. And write into your darkest place.
To be continued....
www.joannefedler.com
Book trailer for Things Without A Name
Depending on the kind of person you are, this is either a warning or an invitation. Personally, I quite like the edge – not when it comes to cliff faces, but when it comes to emotional and psychological boundaries. When I write, I’m looking to scare myself. I want to write into the taboo, to find out what is hiding in my shadows.
The word 'taboo' comes from the Polynesia word 'tabu' and it refers to an act, that, if undertaken could result in adverse consequences for the well being of the tribe or community. Taboos often have this communal quality to them such as the taboos against incest, cannibalism or genocide. Taboos often overlap with moral codes into areas such as adultery and murder. Activities like dancing, gambling, premarital sex, divorce or abortion are considered taboo in some cultures for the protection of the group.
But these taboos, whilst some keep us partially humanized and others keep us repressed, are not as interesting to me as the personal taboos I have within my own psyche, my impermissible thoughts, shameful feelings, shadows that hide my wild and hungry impulses.
Our shadows are what make each of us interesting. There is nothing exciting or interesting about well-adjusted, well-behaved people, certainly not when it comes to writing. They make for boring characters. Characters are only as interesting as their most disgusting habit, their most shameful secret, or their deepest fear. Just like each of us.
The wound, the taboo, the darkness is where the creativity lies. Happiness is not a resource, contentment is not juicy. It's the reeling in of the shadows, the touching of the darkness and bringing it out for examination into the light, that is fascinating.
I am moved to write when I am disturbed by things. Or rather, in writing, I want to understand what it is about the things that disturb me, that disturbs me.
Writing is a way of ADMITTING that certain things exist in the world. That certain things exist within us.
Writing is a form of CONFESSION.
Writing is a way of telling the truth.
Plato said, the unexamined life is not worth living.' Writing is a way of examining our lives. In working with the ugliest, least lovable, most terrifying aspects of ourselves, we develop a compassion that begins with ourselves, but that can be extended to others. By writing, we gain insight into what drives, moves, haunts and terrifies us.
This in turn allows us to see our own prejudices, anticipate unconscious bias and regulate our propensity to a particular reaction. By better knowing who we are, we become more able to engage in a dialogue between our selves and the world we inhabit. When we write into the taboo, we deepen self awareness and this in turn facilitates better relationships, an increased capacity for empathetic understanding of others and fewer fears and defenses.
Writing into the taboo expands and increases our consciousness. This is referred to by Jungian psychologists as the individuation process' through which we become less vulnerable to peer pressure and more able to respond authentically, grapple with contradictions, consider alternatives and make difficult decisions. Working inwards from our wounds, we discover more personal levels at which we can become more self-aware.
Here are some questions to help you get started:
What are you capable of?
What do you not know about yourself?
What are you too afraid to admit?
What are you too ashamed to confess?
What scares you?
I mean, what REALLY scares you?
What has brought you to your knees?
Write about the thing that scares you most.
Ask yourself the question you don't want to know the answer to.
Write about the thing you think you CANNOT write.
Go to your edge. And write into your darkest place.
To be continued....
www.joannefedler.com
Book trailer for Things Without A Name
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Comment by tlcorbin
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Comment by postmoderncritic
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However, I really have to disagree with you... I think the well-adjusted, well-behaved characters (and people) are much more interesting. Dysfunction may be interesting for a while, but then you come across an inflexibility - an unwillingness to change, a compulsion towards bad habits. Repetition. Well-adjusted people are more likely to reinvent themselves, encountering dysfunction along the way, giving it proper context but not getting hung up over things. I think balance and contentment is the way to go.
That said, I also like liminal states. I am constantly trying to push my limits so that I can be (ha!) a more well-adjusted, well-behaved person. I want to startle myself into a more profound state of happiness, bring out my most compassionate and tolerant side. I feel at my most powerful when getting meta about power.
Anyway, keep setting new limits and challenging yourself.
Comment by Whitney
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"Write about the thing you think you CANNOT write.
Go to your edge. And write into your darkest place"
This is something that I'm actually working on. I feel that by stretching your limits will help you in the long run with ideas and general writing style.
Some dysfuntion is good, but it can be over done. But definitely make characters that are believeable.