Cindy Rasicot

Writing the Spiritual Memoir

My life has been a spiritual journey that took on new dimensions when my husband, teenage son and I moved to Bangkok Thailand in 2005. Initially, I found myself adrift in a foreign culture, unprepared for the challenges I encountered there. On an impulse, I signed up for a conference where I met Venerable Dhammananda Bhikkhuni, a Thai Buddhist nun—an encounter that opened my heart and changed my life forever.

During the three years I lived in Thailand, I spent weekends at Dhammananda’s temple, an international center for Buddhist women. I wrote an article about Dhammananda for an American Women’s Magazine and spent hours interviewing her for that story. In time, we became very close and our deepening relationship led me to write my memoir, Finding Venerable Mother: A Daughter’s Spiritual Quest to Thailand, published by She Writes Press in May 2020.

I always dreamed of being a writer. I kept a secret diary when I was six, and wrote my first short story when I was eight, The Little Flame that Grew. As an adult, I was never passionate about my jobs working as a manager in non-profits, but all that changed when we moved to Bangkok. I didn’t have to work since my husband was supporting us. I finally asked myself, what do I really want to do? It was as if a light went on—a writer. It wasn’t about being famous; it was just a desire to put pen to paper and see what emerged. For me it took a major life change to spur me in a new direction. I feel lucky to have had that opportunity.

Whether you’re a first-time writer or an experienced writer, one thing everyone shares in common is facing the blank page. The unknown can be intimidating, and writing that first word on the page is an act of blind courage in the face of fear and doubt. We all need encouragement to overcome the demon voices inside. Here are five essential tips to keep in mind to help foster your creativity and strengthen your writing practice.

• Listen to your own voice.
• Engage in creative endeavors
• Join a writing group
• Silence the inner critic
• Write from the heart