Automatic Writing: How to Guide for Beginners

Have you ever wondered if there’s a way to tap into the hidden depths of your mind—or even connect with something greater?

Automatic writing might just be the key.

It’s like opening a door to your subconscious, where thoughts flow freely, insights surface, and creativity takes the lead.

I practice psychic development with a friend who shares similar astrological traits—we both have prominent Mercury placements in our natal charts (Mercury is a chart ruler, in Gemini, angular, and retrograde).

However, these traits manifest quite differently in our lives.

She excels in logical thinking, organization, and very intellectual, I’m on the other hand, more intuitive and abstract in my approach.

My aim is to integrate the logical part of my Mercury with my natural intuitive abilities and find balance between analytical mind and intuition.

We did a week of psychic development plan set by ChatGPT, and I discovered automatic writing to be the most fascinating practice.

This inspired me to dig into the topic more deeply.

Ready to dive in?

What is Automatic Writing and How Does it Work?

Automatic writing, also called psychography, is the act of writing without conscious thought or effort. It's a practice often used to access the subconscious or to channel spiritual entities.

Here's how automatic writing works:

• Ideomotor Phenomenon: The writing is thought to stem from unintentional bodily movements, a concept known as the ideomotor phenomenon. Instead of conscious action, the writing is produced by these unconscious movements.

• Accessing the Subconscious: Automatic writing is used as a tool to bypass the conscious mind and access the subconscious. It helps to uncover suppressed emotions, thoughts, and beliefs that are not readily accessible in a normal state of awareness.

• Spiritual Connection: In some contexts, automatic writing is used as a way to connect with a higher self or spiritual entities. Practitioners may seek guidance or insights through this practice.

The process of automatic writing involves creating the right conditions and then letting the writing flow freely:

• Preparation: You need a calm, distraction-free space, often using calming music or meditation to help relax the mind.

• Intention: Setting a clear intention or asking a question can help guide your subconscious.

• Continuous Writing: The key is to write continuously without overthinking or editing. It’s recommended to write for 10-15 minutes in a stream-of-consciousness style.

• Review: After writing, review the words to identify patterns, emotions, or insights that may reveal subconscious thoughts.

To enhance the process:

• Write early in the morning when the logical mind is less active.

• Use meditative aids such as theta wave music.

• Enter a meditative state through deep breathing or visualization.

• Trust the process and avoid judging your writing while you are writing.

• Practice regularly to strengthen the connection with your subconscious.

So automatic writing sounds super cool right?

Imagine being able to access these deeper layers of your mind just by letting your pen flow!

Three Benefits of Automatic Writing

• Emotional clarity: Automatic writing can help uncover suppressed emotions, offering insights into personal relationships and desires. By accessing the subconscious, individuals can gain a better understanding of their feelings and motivations.

• Spiritual connection: Practitioners often report that automatic writing facilitates guidance from their higher self, soul, or spiritual entities. This connection can aid in self-discovery and help individuals find their purpose.

• Stress relief: The practice of automatic writing can have a calming and centering effect on the mind and body, which may reduce stress. The process of focusing on the writing and allowing thoughts to flow freely can be therapeutic.

And here’s more exciting part—automatic writing not only give us clarity, connection, and stress relief, but also a gateway to unlimited creativity and deeper intuition.

But it can't be that easy! Our conscious mind is not used to just sitting back and letting the subconscious take the front seat…

Three Common Challenges and Solutions

• Mental blocks and self-doubt are common when beginning automatic writing. Beginners may lack confidence or feel that their writing is not valuable.

  • Solutions: Write early in the morning when the logical mind is less active. Use meditative aids like theta wave music to quiet the inner critic. Set a clear intention before writing. Let go of the need for perfection and write continuously without worrying about grammar or structure.

• Difficulty maintaining flow can cause interruptions in the writing process. This may result in the writing feeling blocked.

  • Solutions: Use a timer to commit to writing continuously for 10–15 minutes to encourage flow without overthinking. If you get stuck, write phrases like “I don’t know what to write” until thoughts flow again. Starting with free writing can also help ease into a flow state. Creating a calm, distraction-free space with calming music can further promote focus.

• Overthinking and trying to control the writing can inhibit creativity. This often involves worrying about rules or perfection.

  • Solutions: Avoid judging the output and allow thoughts to flow freely. Trust the process and resist the urge to edit during the writing session. Setting a clear intention can focus the subconscious mind, aiding the writing flow.

I think it's really fascinating how one practice can mean so many things to different people.

Some see it as a deeply spiritual connection, while others focus on its psychological and creative benefits.

Let’s explore both perspectives to see how they align and differ…

Automatic Writing: Spiritual vs Psychological

Spiritual View:

• Channeling Spirits: In spiritualism, automatic writing is often seen as a method to communicate with spirits or other entities. Practitioners believe they are acting as a vessel, allowing messages from the spiritual realm to come through via the writing.

• Guidance from Higher Self: It’s viewed as a way to connect with one’s higher self, soul, or a source of higher wisdom. This connection aids in self-discovery and finding one’s purpose.

• Spiritual Practice: Automatic writing helps practitioners explore their spirituality and gain insights into their life’s path.

• Divine Connection: Some believe it connects them with universal consciousness, facilitating spiritual insights and guidance.

Psychological View:

• Accessing the Subconscious: Automatic writing is seen as a tool to uncover suppressed emotions, thoughts, and beliefs not readily available to conscious awareness.

• Ideomotor Phenomenon: The writing is attributed to unconscious bodily movements, suggesting the source is within the individual’s mind rather than external.

• Therapeutic Tool: It’s used to gain emotional clarity, manage stress, and explore personal issues.

• Creative Expression: Enhances creativity by unlocking subconscious thoughts and fostering intuitive abilities.

Alignment and Divergence:

• Alignment: Both perspectives value automatic writing for self-discovery and personal growth. Both emphasize setting a clear intention and creating a calm environment.

• Divergence: The spiritual perspective attributes the writing to external sources, while the psychological view locates the source within the subconscious mind.

So, whether you lean toward the spiritual or the psychological view, automatic writing offers a fascinating way to explore the unknown.

Now, let’s talk about how you can start practicing this for yourself!

How to Start Automatic Writing

1. Prepare Your Space: Find a quiet, comfortable place free from distractions. Use calming music or engage in meditation to help relax your mind.

2. Set an Intention: Begin with a clear question or prompt to guide your subconscious. Examples:

   • "What do I need to know right now?"

   • "What’s holding me back?"

3. Write Continuously: Let your hand move freely without overthinking or editing. Write for 10–15 minutes in a stream-of-consciousness style.

4. Review and Reflect: After writing, read through your words to identify patterns, emotions, or insights.

My Experience: A Message from Mercury

On Day 5 of my psychic development practice, I did an exercise in automatic writing. After a brief meditation, I asked for guidance on how to do automatic writing exactly. And I believe I made a connection with Mercury/Hermes:

First you’d sit.

Have writing utensil ready.

Note on your lap, pen in your hand.

Close your eyes softly, gently inhale 1, 2, 3, 4—

Pose for second—

Exhale 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6—

Two more breaths, bring it in the center.

Feel your feet touching the ground - grounding.

Take your awareness to your heart - opening.

Now take your awareness to up - to the third eye - opening.

Then take it upward, open your crown chakra - radiate.

Receive frequency.

Then open your eyes and start writing.

You start with “Dear \\\\\\\\\\\_.” and see who is coming forward.

Don’t judge what you’re writing. Just let it flow.

It may not make sense and that’s okay.

All you do is receive the frequency and put that into words.

You are translating a frequency.

You know frequency is a thing of Mercury.

Everyone has it, everyone can connect.

Tune into your Mercury.

It is need for optimization as frequency got updated.

Count 1. 3. 4—why no 2?

That’s the difference.

You’ll find out.

Goodbye for now.

Love, Hermes.