Self-Mesmerism

One concept I have repeatedly alluded to is self-mesmerism. Let me refresh your recollection. The writer Haruki Murakami refers to this concept in describing his daily routine, which consists of intense and repetitive exercise. He says that “the repetition itself becomes the important thing; it’s a form of mesmerism. I mesmerize myself to reach a deeper state of mind.” See Murakami’s Daily Routine.

As is evident from my previous writings, this idea has stayed with me. Something that has always bothered me is the tension between writing as an art and writing as a craft. Those ideas may seem similar. But while the former evokes play, the latter evokes discipline. Both are necessary to write well. Inspiration is what makes art transcendent. That is a product of play. The discipline of craft, then, does what? Fill in the blanks? No, I think it is something deeper. I think the craft of writing hones the skill of calling up inspiration on command. That is what I think Murakami means by mesmerism.

In experimenting with various routines, I encountered one concept that seems to work well in unlocking that self-mesmerism for me—micro habits, where you set tiny, achievable goals. Specifically, I follow one system adapted from some blogs by writer Shaunta Grimes: the WRITERS system. Every day I try to: write, read, ideate (brainstorm), talk to a friend, exercise, regroup (journal or meditate), and study something. These things ensure that I expose myself to different ideas, tend to my mind, exhaust my body in just the right way, and find joy.

I’m not always successful at strictly sticking to this list. But when I follow it, I feel mesmerized. My writing self falls into a flow state, anticipating the emotional rhythms of the day. I induce inspiration.