Introducing Sarah Herrington: Exploring Writing, Yoga, and Narrative Healing

Discover the captivating world of Sarah Herrington, a gifted writer, teacher, and advocate for narrative healing. With a remarkable background in literature and yoga, Sarah has made a lasting impact in both fields.

Having obtained MFAs from prestigious institutions such as New York University and Lesley University, Sarah currently imparts her knowledge as a writing instructor at Fordham University. Her exceptional written works have graced the pages of renowned publications like the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and Oprah Magazine. As a regular contributor to Yoga Journal, she seamlessly merges her passions for yoga and the written word.

Beyond her literary achievements, Sarah is highly regarded as a yoga teacher, having completed extensive training in various yoga styles. Her expertise has attracted the attention of NPR and CNN, where she has shared insights on safe spaces within yoga and meditation communities.

Sarah's dedication to narrative healing shines through her recent presentation at Harvard University's Uses and Abuses of Power conference. Drawing from personal experiences and contemplative practices, she empowers individuals to heal from spiritual abuse and find solace through storytelling. I am also thrilled to share that Sarah is hosting The Portal: summer journey of writing + healing. Featuring some amazing guest teachers, writing workshops, community, and coaching, including yours truly!

Please keep reading to learn more about Sarah and her many practices!

Hi Sarah! We are incredibly grateful to have you here. Could you please share a bit about your background and what initially sparked your interest in writing and teaching?

Yes! I’ve been writing since I was a little kid, making little books and poems. Growing up in a rural area in the Northeast, reading gave me connection and escape. I moved to NYC at 18 to study writing and ended up getting two MFAs (that's another story) from Lesley University and NYU. Along the way, I fell in love with teaching and helping create a creative community. I've also been teaching various forms of yoga and meditation for fifteen years, and during the pandemic began to teach mindful writing classes that combine meditation and embodiment. 

Your writing incorporates elements of memoir and personal essay, as well as poetry. How do you balance these different forms, and what do you enjoy about each one?

I feel like the genre comes from the subject---different expressions take different shapes. I also love genre hybridity, where the writing combines forms or moves beyond them altogether. 

I started with poetry, and this informed my love for sound, rhythm, and imagery in writing. 

I'm inspired by memoirs and personal essays because you can take things you’ve lived through, witnessed, and make them into art. In this way, both forms can be empowering. You get to take what happened “to you” and reclaim your narrative, your way. There's a lot of creativity happening in these spaces, too, and you can weave in poetic elements. 

I often gravitate toward essays because they are more compact, and in that way can feel like a poem. Memoir lets you spread out and go deeper into layers. At the moment I’m really interested in hybrid memoirs and essays where you can bring in different tools—- like reporting or research or lyrical play—- into your nonfiction story.

In addition to writing, you also teach writing workshops and mentor other writers. What do you enjoy about teaching, and what advice do you have for writers looking to improve their craft?

I absolutely love being in spaces where writers are working to explore and express themselves. When I'm teaching I find great meaning in encouraging others to use their voices. I also feel so honored to witness drafts and hear the stories of others. I feel like our world can be so lonely and disconnected, and working on writing in safe spaces can be medicine—- helping us connect to ourselves and others. 

For first drafts, I really think it’s important to protect your sacred space and allow yourself to explore and play. Pretend no one is going to read your work. You can always edit things out later. Drafting with vulnerability and honesty can yield energetic work.

If you are interested in publishing, I think it’s helpful to aim your work toward a particular outlet as you edit. To do that, read tons of pieces from the column or publication you are aiming for and study the form. You can always break rules, but if publishing is important to you it’s helpful to understand the guidelines. When you submit your work, aim high! You never know if you can place your writing in a publication til you try. 

Your work has appeared in publications like The New York Times, The Paris Review, and Elle. How does the process of writing for different audiences and publications affect your writing style and voice?

I do think there’s a process of aiming when it comes to publishing that can shape your voice for that piece. I think you should always sound like yourself, but when writing toward or with a certain publication there may be things like word count or style to consider. It’s so powerful to publish and connect with readers, but also not every piece fits in every publication. To me, publishing is a process of finding a home for your work that enhances it. It’s a collaborative process between writer and publication. 

You're also a yoga teacher and have written extensively on the connection between writing and yoga. How do these two practices intersect for you, and what role do they play in your life?

To me, yoga and writing are complementary practices. I think it can be so fruitful to have contemplative practice in your life —— a realm of silence —- to dip into, inhabit, a place to hear your intuition. For me, that’s yoga, meditation, sound baths/ sound healing, color therapy, and even walks. I need those spaces of spirit, of the liminal, to feel. All that feeling and intuition then inform what I write about. 

Having a regular yoga practice also taught me a lot about ritual and determination--- having a practice, and learning to show up on the page again no matter what. One of my yoga teachers used to say: “through repetition the magic arises,” and I think that’s great advice for establishing a writing practice too. 

Finally, what are you currently working on, and what can readers expect from you in the future?

Thanks for asking! I’m currently writing a hybrid memoir investigating aspects of spirituality, abuse and healing. And as a wildcard I’m revisiting some old short stories from the past, stories looking at gender and power. And I've always got an essay in the oven :)

You can find out more about Sarah by visiting her website: https://www.sarahherrington.com/

Follow her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Sarah.Herrington/

Ten Journal Prompts To Help You Get Unstuck, Figure Out Your Values, And Set Intention

I was recently interviewed by the incredible author Laura Pitcher on How To Prepare A Spiritual Bath With Intention for Nylon Magazine. It is also inspired by Tiktok’s #SpiritualBath trend and features myself, Porsche Little, and Semra Haksever of Mama Moon Candles.

SPIRITUAL PRACTITIONERS EXPLAIN HOW TO PREPARE A BATH WITH INTENTION.

In this article, I mention how one of the most important things in getting ready to draw a spiritual bath is to begin by setting an intention. This can sometimes be really clear and easy to do, but there are other times that you may feel confused about your intention or you may have a hard time figuring out what’s important at the moment.

From the article:

“The most important part of the process is being certain about what you intent to draw in. “It's important to get clear on what your intentions are first before doing anything,” says Edgar Fabián Frías, an indigenous Mexican artist and brujx who launched Our Sacred Web. This can be nearly any thing Frías explains: “Are you trying to draw a bath to relax? To manifest a new career? To inspire self-love, To draw in magic?” If you don’t know where to begin, they recommend journaling to uncover what it is you are hoping to achieve through the bath, before moving on to the next steps.”

Journaling can be a powerful practice to help you get grounded, and centered, and to help you tap into your intuition, your ancestors, guides, and your higher self. With this in mind, I thought I would share some journaling prompts that can help you get into the flow.

Journaling Prompts to Help You Get Unstuck

To start, I wanted to share some creative writing prompts that can help you get into the flow or writing and explore your imagination and creativity. Feel free to adapt these as you see fit and use them as a way to get into the flow before you start to ask more pointed questions about your intentions.

1. Imagine yourself as a character in a book. What kind of story would you be in? What challenges would you face, and how would you overcome them?

2. Choose a random object in your environment and write a story about it. Where did it come from? Who owned it before you? What adventures has it been on?

3. Write a letter to your younger self. What advice or encouragement would you give? What lessons have you learned that you wish you knew back then?

4. Create a bucket list of things you want to do before you die. What experiences do you want to have, places do you want to visit, and people do you want to meet?

5. Write a stream-of-consciousness narrative about your day. What did you do, see, and think about? What stood out to you?

6. Make a list of your favorite quotes or passages from books, movies, or songs. What do they mean to you, and why do they resonate with you?

7. Imagine yourself in a different era or time period. What would your life be like? How would your experiences and perspectives be different?

8. Write a story that begins with the line, "Once upon a time, in a far-off land..."

9. Choose a color and write about what it represents to you. What emotions, memories, or associations do you have with that color?

10. Write about a place that inspires you. What do you see, hear, and feel when you're there? What memories or experiences does it bring up for you?

Journaling Prompts To Help Get Clear On Your Priorities & Values

1. Write a letter to yourself five years from now. What do you hope to have accomplished by then? What do you want your life to look like?

2. Choose a moment in your life that was particularly meaningful or transformative. Write about why that moment was important to you, and what lessons you learned from it.

3. Make a list of your values and beliefs. What are the things that matter most to you? Why are they important?

4. Write about a time when you had to make a difficult decision. What factors did you consider, and how did you ultimately make your choice?

5. Imagine that you are at the end of your life, looking back on your journey. Write about what you would want to have accomplished, and what kind of legacy you would want to leave behind.

6. Think about your ideal day. Write about what you would do, who you would be with, and what kind of experiences you would have.

7. Write about a person who has been a positive influence in your life. What qualities do they possess that you admire? How have they impacted your life?

8. Make a list of your goals and aspirations. What steps can you take to achieve them, and how will they help you live a more fulfilling life?

9. Write about what you want your intention to be for a specific situation or event. What feelings or outcomes do you hope to cultivate, and what actions can you take to manifest them?

10. Imagine that you have just won the lottery. Write about what you would do with the money, and why those things are important to you.

Journal Prompts To Help You Get Clear On Your Intention

1. What is the purpose of this intention? Why is it important to me?

2. What am I hoping to achieve or manifest through this intention?

3. How will this intention align with my values and beliefs?

4. What emotions or feelings do I want to experience as a result of this intention?

5. What specific steps can I take to work towards this intention?

6. How will this intention impact my life in a positive way?

7. What are my fears or doubts about setting this intention, and how can I overcome them?

8. How can I hold myself accountable for working towards this intention?

9. What support or resources do I need to achieve this intention?

10. How will I know when I have successfully fulfilled this intention?

Reflecting on these creative writing prompts has helped me realize the importance of clearly articulating your intention. To achieve this, I recommend boiling it down to just one sentence or a few words that capture the essence of what you want to manifest. Using an affirmation-style statement can also add power and possibility to your intention. Rather than stating “my intention is to become a successful artist”, I can declare “I am a successful artist” and repeat it out loud as a daily affirmation. By being clear and concise with my intention, I can focus my energy and attention on bringing it into reality.