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The 11 Qualities of Deep Journaling

Diving deeply into yourself, or your creativity, through the journaling process takes more than simply applying memory or imagination to the page, it takes courage and curiosity, honesty and compassion. Your journal can take you on a journey of discovery and wonder if you're willing to look beyond "the same old story," if you're willing to see from a new perspective.

Facilitating this new way of seeing requires more than just paper and pen (or a file on your computer), it requires qualities of Being that you can call on for help, not only to summon to the surface the meaningful  moments of your life, or to ignite sparks of creative fire, but to reveal their deeper significance.

1) Intention

When you sit down to write are you hoping that some good might come of it, or is that your intention? The depth of your desire for creativity, truth, understanding, or healing will guide your writing session, so be sure that your intention is clear. Before beginning a journaling session, form a specific intention. You might even write down your intention statement. Make it positive and in the present.

Your intention might be to create a healing atmosphere:

In this writing session, I intend to examine my life with courage and compassion. I am willing to see whatever is inside me, both the light and the darkness, in order to free myself of all that is holding me back from happiness.

Or your intention might be to look at a specific event, situation, or relationship:

In this writing session, I intend to explore all the habitual thoughts, feelings, and memories that get in the way of my being close with my brother, so that I can form a new relationship with him based on who we both are now.

Or your intention might be to explore a character from the novel you're writing:

In this writing session, I intend to explore Beauregard's childhood, especially what his relationship with his mother was like, and how that relates to the fact that at 35 he's still jumping from relationship to relationship unable to make a commitment to any woman.

2) Communion with the Sacred

Whether you are reaching out to something larger than yourself, or reaching in to what is most essentially you, connecting with the Sacred  before a journaling session can deepen the experience, take you in a direction you might not otherwise have explored, and bring amazing powers of creativity or healing to bear. 

There are many ways to connect with the Sacred. Do whatever feels right for you:

  • ritual

  • prayer

  • invocation

  • meditation

  • movement

  • silence

Or you could make your writing space feel sacred, or special, by placing sacred or meaningful objects, symbols, or photographs on your desk, or in the area when you write most often. (I have some crystals, a statue of Kwan Yin, and an Andy Lakey print that says "Art, Angels, and Miracles" where I write.)

3) Willingness

For creative exploration or self-examination to reveal anything worthwhile, there has to be a deep sense of willingness--to be open, to be vulnerable, to see beyond the familiar, to change.

4) Courage

It takes courage to look beyond the familiar, to resist the temptation of habit, to put down the tools of self-protection, and step beyond your comfort zone. That's why it's important to have a clear intention that inspires you.

5) Curiosity

Change begins with curiosity, with a desire to see beyond the same old story. The unknown has gotten such a bad rap. It's nothing to be afraid of. The unknown isn't dangerous, it's magical. It's the place where anything is possible. If you embrace life's mystery with curiosity and delight, your journaling will not only be an adventure, it will be a doorway to deep understanding, creativity, and change.

6) Creativity

Along with being able to see beyond the same old story, you want to stop doing things the same old way. Invite imagination and inspiration to come along with you on this journey. Try something new: Dance before journaling. Ask crazy questions: What would my fear look like sideways? Or...What would my main character choose if a genie offered to make his most cherished dream come true, but it would cost him something he dearly loves? Use your creativity to break the bonds of habit and conditioning that keep our lives and our writing locked in place.

7) Awareness

During this time of exploration, stay as awake and aware as you can. During your journaling, and throughout your day, pay close attention to your thoughts and feelings, to what's happening in your body, to the many subtle layers of meaning and connection that are being revealed, and to the presence of the sacred in this process and in your life. Many of these journaling questions simply serve as a bridge, as a means of bringing your subconscious habits of thought, feeling, and being to your conscious awareness. Greater awareness not only gives you insight, but choice and freedom.

8) Honesty

You've probably heard the words the truth will set you free a thousand times, but have you ever experienced their power? I have, both emotionally and creatively. On several occasions, painful life-long habits of grief and fear have completely disappeared in a moment of clear-seeing--of finally being able to see past all my defenses and conditioning to the truth.

Telling the truth about yourself--to yourself--is the key to self-transformation.

It is also the key to creative freedom. So much of what gets in the way of our creativity is simply our feelings: overwhelm, fear, feeling that we're not good enough. Whether you're procrastinating, stuck in perfectionism, or stopped by writers block, tell the truth about what you're feeling because of it, as well as what you were feeling in the time leading up to it.  

A wonderful teacher once told me that if something I'm working on hasn't shifted or released, then I haven't told the truth about it. This didn't sit well with me, at the time, because I felt I was telling the truth. And I was, to the best of my ability. But sometimes it takes a while to sift through our habits of self-protection, the stories we tell ourselves, and the many layers of emotion and avoidance that we have around an issue, before we uncover that kernel, that deeper truth, which is the key that unlocks our clarity, creativity, and consciousness.  

How deep does your truth-telling go?

9) Compassion

Be especially kind and gentle with yourself as you go through the process of deep journaling. Remember that whatever comes up is here to help and heal, and to open you to a deeper creativity.

10) Acceptance

Meet whatever arises through deep journaling with acceptance and love. It is simply what's arising, what is. Don't argue with it, analyze it, judge it, or try to fathom whether or not it's true, or right for your creative need of the moment. It's coming up, because it needs to come out. It's something that wants to be said or seen or felt. That's something to be grateful for.

11) Trust

Trust yourself, the sacred, and this process. Don't try to control what's happening. Trust that your intention is doing its job. Sometimes things shift or open in an instant, and sometimes it takes a little longer. Either way, every step is progress, and every new idea is creativity in action.

Together, these 11 qualities of deep journaling create an atmosphere of openness and safety, which both invites you to go deeper within, and allows you to experience and express the fullness of your wisdom and creativity.

 

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