At Metavision, we believe true learning begins with presence, with listening deeply to the inner life, to the subtle movements of thought, feeling, and intuition. Before we can offer support to others as counsellors or holistic practitioners, we must first learn to witness our own interior landscape.
This is where our inner discovery work begins: with self-inquiry, with creative practices, and with the courage to show up as we are.
One of the most powerful tools we use in our training is the practice of First Thoughts — a stream-of-consciousness writing technique introduced by writer and Zen practitioner Natalie Goldberg in her seminal book Writing Down the Bones. It’s deceptively simple, yet deeply revealing. The aim is not to write well but to write truthfully — to bypass the inner critic and make contact with the raw, unfiltered edges of our experience.
Goldberg offers a set of rules that we invite our students to follow:
- Keep your hand moving. Don’t pause to reread or critique. Let the words spill onto the page.
- Don’t cross out. Let it all stay — even the parts that feel wrong or messy.
- Don’t worry about grammar, spelling, or punctuation. This isn’t about correctness.
- Lose control. Let go of the need to sound good or make sense.
- Don’t think. Trust what emerges.
- Go for the jugular. Write what scares you. That’s where the energy lives.
This practice is not just about writing – it’s about meeting yourself. It’s about learning to stay with discomfort, to honour vulnerability, and to access the deeper truths that often get buried beneath social filters and self-doubt.
As Goldberg writes,
“Write what disturbs you, what you fear, what you have not been willing to speak about. Be willing to be split open.”
At Metavision, we use exercises like this to help students develop a deeper relationship with their own psyche – to cultivate awareness, clarity, and compassion. These are not just skills for counselling; they are the foundation of an authentic, embodied life.
Whether you’re called to become a holistic counsellor or simply wish to explore your own inner world, practices like First Thoughts offer a profound gateway.
Because anything you do fully — as Goldberg reminds us, is an alone journey. And yet, in community, in study, and in shared reflection, we find that we are not alone at all.
Ready to begin your journey into holistic practice?
We’re now accepting enrolments for our mid-year intake. To support new students, we’re offering a $2,000 scholarship to the first five eligible enrolments.
Places are limited and filling quickly — please reach out to our team to check your eligibility.
