Journaling is once again becoming popular as a self-care tool and there are so many ways to benefit from journaling. What I would like to focus on today is the powerful combination of journaling and meditation.
Please make sure that you have a pen and journal ready, as you will be starting your self-care Journal Journey mediation today!
Question: What excuses and beliefs have you used as avoidance?
JOURNAL ACTION: Before continuing to read the article, take a moment to reflect on this in your journal and see what truths come out in your writing.
I’ve had my fair share of writing blocks over the years, for all kinds of writing. I did not realize how often I used the phrase, “I can’t write” as an excuse to avoid putting pen to paper and seeing what lay within. To be honest, I was scared of what was hovering below the surface and I wondered how sharing my woes would really help anyone. I mean, how would I know I was doing it right?
My journey with meditation hasn’t been an easy one either. My chatty mind was always getting in my way and again, I wondered if I was “doing it right”.
It has taken years of studying spirituality and, more importantly, putting what I was studying into real practice in my everyday life. I’ve learned living and breathing spiritual tools over the years and how to use them as and when required. I’ve learned to understand what “tools” to turn to and when to use them. I’ve learned to make the right choices when it mattered, which has helped me in times of mental and emotional trouble.
Question: Can you remember a time when you made the right self-care choice for your highest good?
JOURNAL ACTION: Before continuing to read the article, take a moment to reflect on this question by writing in your journal for a few minutes and see what truths come out of you.
One time that I recall using journaling as a tool was back in 2016. We had a major election in my country and it had torn people — friends and families in some cases — apart. I can remember one day shortly after this election feeling such turmoil as I drove home from a friend’s house. My mind was full of confusion and anger… how was I going to cope with this inner unrest going on?
I realised, when I was driving home, that if I were a client of mine, I would say, “go and let it all out in a journal. Pour your heart and anger and frustration out and have diary diarrhoea”.
Now, if I was flying on autopilot, I could have easily driven straight home, emotionally exhausted and drained, and just sat in front of the TV and avoided all those feelings but I thought, “No, I will do as I would advise”. So, I pulled my car into a place near me where I could look out onto the sea, took out my pen and notebook — which I carry with me constantly now just in case — and wrote.
I wrote and I cried and I scribbled and I cried. I put on some music that would touch me emotionally and I continued to write and cry for a good two hours.
After I had gotten rid of all what I was feeling inside, however jumbled up it seemed, I then burnt all that I had just written. Letting it go on paper was enough to honour and acknowledge my feelings and release them.
Emotionally exhausted but feeling so much lighter, I drove home and still watched TV. I felt a lot calmer inside and more at peace with the world and myself.
When no one else is around and pen and paper are always there for you.
Of all the self-care tools I use, journaling and meditation have become my best friends. They are always there for me, even when I feel like there is no one there to talk to. When I need to hear my own thoughts and feelings, they are there for me. These tools have enabled me to become more self-reliant and trust my own voice and wisdom rather than look outside of myself for approval, understanding, and guidance.
How you journal is different than how you think. Although you may have a looping negative thought or belief going on in your mind, when you actually write, it doesn’t repeat so obviously. Believe me, you do not end up writing, “I am not enough”, over and over again, like the broken record of a thought that goes around in your mind.
One aspect of journaling is getting into a meditative state. Sitting in total silence is not a kind of meditation that I have found easy to get along with, however, I can sit and quietly write for hours. The more I have journaled, the more clarity and insight I’ve gained about my life experiences and feelings. I have found that my mind is now naturally more silent.
The best way for you to get to know how powerful journaling and mediation can be together as a self-care tool is for you to start today. I can write about how wonderful it all is but, until you try it, you won’t be able to see and understand the clarity, release, and wisdom that can be gained from combining journaling and meditation. So I will leave you with an extract from my third book, “Journal Journey To Your Truth”, which will be out later this year. Embrace the Journal Journey Meditation and see what truths lie within.
SURRENDER
Heart Meditation – Reflect in the image and questions below and see what truth is in your heart.
Questions: Have you ever had a moment of complete surrender to the Now?
What does surrender mean to you?
Surrender Visualisation
Settle yourself in a comfy position and make sure you have all that you need. Ground yourself as you know how before you continue.
There are many things in life that we cannot change and therefore, the logical conclusion is to surrender and stop resisting.
I would like you to pick a situation or experience in your life that you could not change even though you would have liked to. Bring forth the memory in your mind. Feel all the different parts to it. Feel the fear connected to it. Feel the frustration. Feel the anger. Feel the sadness.
Focus on feeling the fear behind it. Feel all of the fear, thoughts, and emotions and write them down in your journal. By writing out your fears, you are acknowledging them and starting the process of letting go. I surrender to the fear of….
Breathe in Universal source energy. Breathe out all tension and stress. Focus on feeling the frustration. Feel it in the centre of your being. Write all of your thoughts down in your journal, letting out (and go) all of those negative thoughts connected with this frustration with what you cannot change. I surrender to the frustration of….
Breathe in Universal source energy. Breathe out all tension and stress. Allow yourself to now feel the dark fury surrounding your anger like the deepest parts of hell. Let it rise up within you and allow yourself to vent and let go of some of that anger now in your journal. I surrender to the anger of….
Breathe in Universal source energy. Breathe out all tension and stress. Now bring up the sadness. Quite often, there is a deep sense of sadness or loss over the things we cannot change. Connect with those emotions and allow yourself to pour words of sadness out into your journal. I surrender to the sadness of….
Breathe in Universal source energy. Breathe out all tension and stress. Take a moment to relax and place your hands over your heart and allow yourself to feel the feelings of peace and love in your heart centre. Connect with this love that understands and communicates through acceptance, compassion, forgiveness, and gratitude. Come back fully into your mind and body now.
Insightful Journal Journey
Write in your journal about what you were able to control and change with regards to the situation. How could you have chosen to turn fear, frustration, anger, sadness, and loss into acceptance, compassion and forgiveness?
Journey Awakening Action
Give yourself a day of surrendering to the Universe. By this, I mean, have a coin to flip every time you find yourself with a decision to make. Heads for one outcome and tails for the other and then follow that lead. Instead of thinking that you know best, take the day off and just let the Universe be your guide for the day and see where it takes you.
To find out more about Sue Allsworth’s Book, “Journal Journey To Your Truth”, sign up to our mailing list! We’ll let you know when it comes out!
