Automatic Writing as Meditation

I have previously suggested free association writing as a way to get to know characters, as well as jumpstart a stagnant writing brain.

Automatic writing is similar to free association writing, but comes from a different place creatively.  In free association writing, you write without stopping for a designated amount of time, letting whatever thought that comes to mind be translated to paper.

Automatic writing, though, is 

the process, or product, of writing material that does not come from the conscious thoughts of the writer. Practitioners say that the writer's hand forms the message, with the person being unaware of what will be written. In some cases, it is done by people in a trance state. Other times the writer is aware (not in a trance) of their surroundings but not of the actions of their writing hand.

Much of what is known about automatic writing comes from mediums who channel the spirits of loved ones who had died and write messages from them.  As a result, there is, of course, criticism that comes with automatic writing.  For example:

Psychology professor Théodore Flournoy investigated the claim by 19th century medium, Hélène Smith (Catherine Müller) that she did automatic writing to convey messages from Mars in Martian language. Flournoy concluded that her "Martian" language has a strong resemblance to Ms. Smith's native language of French. Flournoy concluded that her automatic writing was "romances of the subliminal imagination', derived largely from forgotten sources (for example, books read as a child)." He invented the term cryptomnesia to describe this phenomenon."Skeptics consider automatic writing to be little more than a parlor game, although sometimes useful for self-discovery and for getting started on a writing project."

For those who are write-minded, automatic writing may be an excellent way to meditate.  According to Deborah Lipp in The Study of Witchcraft: a Guidebook to Advanced Wicca:

The basic principle of automatic writing is to place yourself into a meditative state while seated in a position in which you can write--at your desk, at a computer, or with a pad in your lap.  Ask a deity, power, or inner force for wisdom, and then simply begin writing. (89)

You allow yourself to relax, to open yourself to whatever meditative mind you may want to, and then write instead of chanting or doing poses.  Of course, if you've never meditated, this may not come easily, but can be a useful tool for meditation, as well as for writing.