Writing and Anxiety

    There is an interesting relationship between writing something down and managing anxiety which I believe must be researched further. During my group meeting after the meditation practice today, we started talking about the retreat, and somehow I felt the need to get a pad of paper from the office and start to jot things down. I am wondering if it's possible that it has to do with learning style, in the sense that those who prefer to learn through writing tend to take notes more as a way of solidifying what they have heard. But there might also be something to the idea that writing down thoughts makes them more solid and less 'floating' in the air. It can become a way of anchoring thoughts, just as breathing might function in similar ways in meditation.
   Mantra recitation is another way that I found helps me to deal with the various anxieties that are involved in attending meetings. However, what makes writing somewhat of an 'advantage' over mantra recitation is that writing can help contribute to a meeting in a constructive way, such as by keeping track of what people are saying. It also encourages the writer to actually listen closely to what is being said and try to discern what is most notable to write. When I was attending a lot of the team leaders meetings, I found that writing the minutes was the most relaxing aspect, and I definitely do recommend it as a practice for those who are in meetings where they are feeling disengaged somewhat, or unable to feel that they are really part of the meeting itself.
       Finally, I see that cognitive therapy has taken the same approach, in the sense that participants in these therapies would be able to write down negative thoughts, and in doing so make them somewhat less solid or imposing. I do see a connection between this practice and the grounding, 'anchoring' practices of meditation, and I think it's worthwhile to explore them as ways of staying engaged in social situations, especially those prone to anxiety. I guess that I feel that writing is a blessing, and I am truly grateful for the ability to do so.