Whether you keep a separate spiritual journal or just want to add your spiritual postings in your regular journal, you will want to read this.
Personal journaling supports our development and growth. But spiritual journaling goes deeper. Spiritual writing is a reflection of our soul. Like personal journaling it too is a tool for self-discovery, aids concentration, is a safety valve for emotions, a training ground for improving thought to paper processing, and builds self-esteem and confidence.
Spiritual growth is not just about religion, it concerns all life -- time, goals, relationships, work, politics, and our inner life. Spiritual journaling is a process where the part of us that connects with God, or our higher power, expresses itself. It is a process of where selfishness can be transformed into caring, rebellion into obedience, and despair into hope. It is with this connection that personal development occurs.
Journaling is just one discipline to a greater path of grace. Prayer and fasting are the other two. This discipline is a response to grace not an alternative. It is also an adventure in joyful freedom.
Have you ever been listening to your pastor or priest and you zone out briefly, hear something profound, and then suddenly snap back? It's there and then gone.
What about a time when you started crying and there wasn't a reason? The tears could have been triggered by words, a phrase, a visual from a conversation, television program or commercial, movie, or radio broadcast. Apparently, there was an emotional pull, do you remember what it was? Did you ever think of what actually trigger it?
It is my believe that these and other ways we receive subtitle messages, either from your inner spiritual self or a higher connection, are guidance. God and the universe talks to us all day long but because of our busy lives we don't listen very well or stop and take notice of what "really" just happened. Usually, we just push our way right though the message, shrug it off to being tired, dismiss it as irrelevant, or not having any time to address it.
But these do have meaning and it is important to record these, even if on a napkin, and spend some quiet time with them later in your journal. Then ask our higher power for guidance and understanding. When was the last time you did this? Maybe you have never asked. Maybe its time to renew the experience.
In order not to repeat past events we study them. But do we study our day so that we don't repeat certain experiences again? Usually not. What if you asked: "What occurred in today's events that seem out of the ordinary?" "What messages appeared that were quickly tossed that were spiritually based and could have additional meaning?"
For this very reason, not to repeat our mistakes and to improve our future that we should stop and ask. Throughout history we've been told: "An answer cannot be received, until first we ask." I know this last sentence must be a quote from somewhere but I couldn't find the source.
Do you read material that spiritually enlightens you? A great exercise is to journal before you read the material. This will allow your soul to reconnect with your mind, body, and spirit and enhance the reading.
What about journaling after or during the reading? Writing allows the meshing of thoughts -- the authors, yours, and the higher power. It is a powerful connection. It is the best way we can begin to see our path and our purpose.
Dear Higher Power letters are my favorite. I feel like I'm talking with my best friend and trusted father When was the last time you wrote to him or her?
Many people tell me they only journal when they need to dump their negative emotions. Yes, journaling can be a great use for this, however, journaling is actually so much more. If you do find that your entries are more focused on negative aspects of life, I highly suggest you change it. Since like attracts like, you are opening the opportunity to the universe to send the exact type of energy back to you. And who wants more negative energy in their life?
If you must post journal entries that are negative, let me suggest that you don't stop there. Continue writing flipping to the positive side. This maybe difficult at first but as it changes so will your attitude about life.
Normally, people who don't journal often tell me that they don't do so because it is always negative. Who wants to return to something that is negative? I surely would not.
Copyright, Catherine Franz. All rights reserved.
Catherine Franz is a life and business coach living in Northern Virginia. She has presented journaling workshops over 20 years. Catherine has authored two great books on tips and techniques of journaling. Copies available at: http://www.abundancecenter.com/store/main.htm
Culver prom limo ..My Dad has this old joke that goes, "What's the... Read More
Every morning I excitedly get out of bed. Just a... Read More
Far too many inexperienced writers create flat, stereotypical characters: the... Read More
Writers are an insecure lot.It's easy to understand why. You... Read More
ACCEPT, EXCEPT Not commonly seen even from unpublished writers, who... Read More
You know, I really hate it when someone catches me... Read More
You wrote a tips booklet. Maybe more than one. Oh... Read More
If your articles aren't getting published very often, or you... Read More
Creating incredible characters can be easy if you know of... Read More
May I tell you about a writing technique shared by... Read More
1. Make your goals achievable.By achievable, we mean realistic and... Read More
First, let's tackle the question that is uppermost in many... Read More
Have you been guilty of procrastinating on your book project,... Read More
With the advent of email communications in the workplace, it's... Read More
Started a book and then got bogged down? Like many... Read More
Working on my first humorous novel, I started with a... Read More
For many years, I've been a tutor for students undertaking... Read More
Ever wonder what an author's life is like? What that... Read More
Is your book nearly finished, finished, published, or even in... Read More
Lately I've been noticing an odd trend amongst the freelance... Read More
All your publishing options are as follows:--Conventional publishing--Vanity or subsidy... Read More
Do you suffer from writer's block? Is there a pending... Read More
Have you ever wondered why certain writers are able to... Read More
Writing can be more difficult that just compiling your thoughts... Read More
Writing is hard work, and like all hard work, one... Read More
Wood Dale limo ..You might not need any memoir writing help, per se,... Read More
Set your journal or diary where you will see it... Read More
This is a tough question for every freelance writer. For... Read More
You're writing a story set in your local city, but... Read More
If you either want to write a book to help... Read More
Real Estate has "Location, location, location," and writing has "Clips,... Read More
It would be very selfless or noble of me to... Read More
Readers often send me interesting and exciting e-mails about the... Read More
Freelance editing opportunities are out there, you just need to... Read More
When I was young, I used to talk to myself.... Read More
Have you ever wondered why certain writers are able to... Read More
It's clich?, but true-a picture does paint a thousand words.... Read More
The journey to having my first novel for children published... Read More
Plagiarism has been condemned lately by all types of experts,... Read More
The freelance writing market is a growing market to be... Read More
It's easy to feel overwhelmed by marketing. First, there's so... Read More
Summer's here and the time is write for dancing in... Read More
"You should write a book." For years, I had been... Read More
You can learn a lot about what it takes to... Read More
11 Secrets from an Experienced InterviewerOne of the unwritten rules... Read More
When you read a letter from someone, we are immediately... Read More
How do you describe a scene without slowing down the... Read More
So you've got your plot outlined, a title lined up... Read More
Every hero has a seminal insight - the apotheosis. Once... Read More
Short Story Writing Tips ?We all have different tastes in... Read More
Writing |