Journaling: Mind Dump or Evolutionary Tool
Journaling is an ancient tradition and one of the most accessible tools to enhance your awareness and personal growth. It is a perfect vehicle for your primal drive of self awareness and self expression. This exploration of your inner world is a vital tool on your adventure of personal evolution.
Journaling is a sacred art that unveils the depths of your soul. A journal is a journey of inquiry and self discovery. It is a recording and witnessing of your every day moments – your struggles, insights, instincts, observations, and a-ha’s. It is also an invocation for greater awareness and responsibility.
Writing is a bridge between your conscious and unconscious mind. The act of writing accesses your left brain, which is analytical and rational, leaving your right brain free to create, access intuition and feel more intensely. It is a gateway to ALL of you – the intuitive, the judge, the witness. It is also a mirror of the world of your thoughts and belief systems.
There is no separation between writing, life, and the mind.
~ Natalie Goldberg
Why Should You Start Journaling?
Social psychiatrist, James Pennekbaker, led a research study that measured the impact of journal writing on physical well being. The study included students, senior citizens, prison inmates and unemployed individuals in varying degrees of health. One group was asked to write about their deepest feelings for 20 minutes a day, four days in a row. The second group was asked to record data on superficial topics. They were monitored for several months. Those who recorded significant personal insights increased the efficiency of their immune systems and their liver enzymes. Students in this group achieved higher grades and the unemployed were likely to find a job in a shorter period of time.
Here's another ‘science sanctioned' benefit: Writing down your desires activates the Reticular Activating System (RAS). These are a group of cells that sort and evaluate incoming data. It sends the non-urgent to the subconscious and the urgent to the active part of your brain. By writing things down you are creating a filter that helps you become aware of certain things in your surroundings. The RAS awakens the brain to consciousness. It’s a wake up call to your brain to partner with you in awareness. Journaling delivers powerful results!
There are so many benefits to starting a writing practice, here are just a few more:
- Journaling is a vehicle to discovery of your own truth, trusting your mind and body, and honoring your experience.
- Writing creates personal intimacy, a private place for the larger questions, a venue to explore your world.
- It connects you to the abundance that is present everywhere in your world, it primes you to receive.
- It is a safe space to address your fears and feelings and identify and reveal recurring patterns and issues.
- Writing encourages you to take personal responsibility for yourself and it empowers you to make meaningful change.
Our task is to say a holy yes to the real things of our
life as they exist – the real truth of who we are.
~ Natalie Goldberg
Journal writing helps you integrate the complexity of modern life. It helps you resolve trauma, remember significant events and turning points, captures your creative stories, poems and ideas. It helps you discover and define your values and purpose, reap the wisdom of your dreams and discover what is sacred in your life.
Writing connects you to the present moment, the infinite now alive with pulsating energy. Acknowledging your experiences increases compassion and clarity. It is this acceptance and embracing of the ever evolving you that is the most precious gift of a writing practice. Journaling is a simple pathway to creativity, co-creation and consciousness. For everything to be right, all you have to do is write, just write.
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Brought to you by Adela Rubio, Consciousness Catalyst and Evolutionary Coach.
Adela, I haven’t been as good at making play dates either. And, I love how Julia advocates walking. That I do as often as I can (provided it’s not too cold outside). I finished “Vein of Gold” and am now reading “Finding Water” – both books were given to me as gifts. I have Julia’s “Artist’s Way Every Day.” Guess I should read “The Artist’s Way.” too.
Dorene, thanks for sharing your story. It’s beautiful.
~Debra
Adela, I began Journaling long ago, because of illness, and in doing so I discovered my words where poems. Not only helped me with my illness, I became an Author. This truth that you put before us is a great one, and one that will serve everyone. Thank you so much, for this information, now I understand the reason why it helped to write it all down. Dorene
What a gift, Dorene! Life so often works this way, what at first glance seems like a problem turns out to be a prezzie from the Universe! Congrats on being an author. I’d love to read some of your writing. Make sure to include a link to your site, if you have one.
Conflicts of Old
I banish you
I release you
You are born of yesterday
I am here with life today
Go
Find somewhere else to play
11/14/2012 Angela Barnes Heart Spoken Words
Hi. Not sure how this got here. It was not intentional. Sorry.
I’ve written in a journal for years. However, in the last few years, I didn’t do it daily.
This summer, a friend gave me “The Vein of Gold,” by Julia Cameron. She talks about writing Morning Pages – just stream of consciousness, anything goes. I’ve been doing it daily since then (already filled 2 journals) as part of my morning practice. Thanks. ~Debra
“Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.” ― Louis L’Amour
I agree, Debra, journaling is a powerful practice. I’ve done it for years, then stopped and just started up again. I learned about morning pages from Julia Cameron’s, The Artist’s Way. I also loved the ‘play date’ idea from the same book. I did play dates regularly a while back, seems like a practice I need to get back into.
Thank you for creating this safe, sacred writing space
It’s wonderful to co-create the sacred cave, Alisha. Thanks for your light.