Why You Should Invite Journaling into Your Meditation Practice
“Journaling is like whispering to one’s self and listening at the same time.” -Mina Murray
Our meditation practice clears the constant stream of mental chatter, opening pathways for us to journey to a state of mindful awareness, present to all of life’s opportunities. When we are present, we are fully connected to ourselves and the world around us. We are tapped in to the source within us that holds boundless creativity and unlimited potential. A meditation journal can be an incredible tool for recording insights, documenting our process, and providing ourselves within an outlet for expression.
Keeping a meditation journal can help you to:
Connect With Your Inner Guidance
There is a voice deep down inside of you that is yearning to speak its truth! This is the aspect of you that holds all of the answers to any questions that you may have. You can access any information you are seeking simply by tuning into this deep, inner knowing and allowing yourself to receive. Our conscious minds are usually overloaded with information regarding the ins and outs of our daily lives. It is all too easy to lose ourselves in mountainous to-do lists and excessive advice from external sources. With meditation, we drop the baggage of the over-stimulated mind and slip into the still, serene abyss of intuitive perception. Try meditating on a specific question or simply asking for any important information to come though. Remain calm and open, waiting for the answer to arise. It might show up as a full-body sensation. A voice. An image. Be receptive and non-judgmental. Use your journal to record whatever comes to you. Let it flow uninterrupted – there is no need to criticize or critique. This is pure, free-form expression. When practiced enough, you will sense a clear distinction between the interjections of the ego and the sweet musings of spirit.
Release Subconscious Patterns and Conditioning
Our subconscious mind keeps a record of everything that has ever happened to us. It is a gigantic storehouse of every memory, every emotion, every experience that we have ever collected during our entire lifetime. If we don’t take the time to consciously clear ourselves of our past conditioning, we overflow with outdated, irrelevant information that could be taking up valuable space. Meditation frees up the mind and journaling allows the stagnant, subconscious material to flow and release from its confines. Try closing your eyes, putting your pen to the paper and seeing where your hand is lead. There is no right or wrong here – just mindful movement and meditative release.
Document Your Process
One of the effects of existing as a human being is riding the complex wave of emotions swept our way each day. We are able to feel on-top-of-the-world elation, earth-shattering devastation, and everything else that presents itself in between. It is safe to say that each day holds a unique set of emotions that ultimately influence our perceptions and actions. If we can shift our perspective to one of neutral observation, we begin to notice what influences our day-to-day interactions with the world. We view our lives from a place of non-judgmental witnessing where we can make choices that will benefit our highest good. By keeping a journal of your meditation sessions and current states of being, you accumulate valuable insights into what may be triggering reactional behavior or strong emotional responses. You start to appreciate the depth and remarkable range of your ability to feel, allowing for healthy processing and acceptance of all states of being.
Manifest Your Visions
Meditation opens the channels for visions, ideas, and insights to arise spontaneously. Having a journal at the ready to record whatever comes is a definite way to anchor creative conceptions into the present moment. This process teaches us to immediately act on our ideas, to actualize our dreams in waking reality. We give definition and physical form to intellectual concepts, exercising our ability to actively create our best possible personal and collective lives. We can also look back on past insights and gain inspiration in the present. The most influential teacher is the one within us, sprouting seeds of wisdom when we least expect it.
“Journaling has become one of the most gratifying and fulfilling practices of my life. Not only do I derive the daily benefits of consciously directing my thoughts and putting them in writing, but even more powerful are those I have gained from reviewing my journals.” – Hal Elrod
