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
cheap limo service Lombard .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareEvery writer expends a great deal of creative energy developing... Read More
Creative Writing Tips ?We all tackle plotting differently. How you... Read More
EditingExpect, allow, and accept that every first draft will represent... Read More
It is satisfying to be a part of such a... Read More
As a freelance writer, it is important to present yourself... Read More
Congratulations on writing your first book. That is quite an... Read More
What is a freelance grant writer? These individuals have a... Read More
As writers, we initially tend to be either more cerebral... Read More
Creative Writing Tips ?How we usually begin the preparation stage... Read More
There are so many ways for writers to make good... Read More
As a previous article ("Making Better Word Choices ? 4... Read More
Authors need to write their book according to their target... Read More
Clustering, also called Mind Mapping, is a great way to... Read More
So, you want to freelance as an editor, writer, copy... Read More
The hardest part of nonfiction writing is finding a subject... Read More
Ever wonder what an author's life is like? What that... Read More
By far, I have found that the lack of discipline... Read More
I do on occasion run out of ideas for my... Read More
Style manuals are all well and good, and in fact,... Read More
Rejection. This scary word plagues virtually every writer this side... Read More
Creating written documents reveals so much about you and your... Read More
The Benefits of Co-Publishing There are a number of publishers,... Read More
At some point along the way, most of us have... Read More
Listen, consider this scenario.You have a deadline to honour. Time... Read More
These 8 tips on using characters in your stories will... Read More
limo O'Hare Glen Ellyn ..Hands up all those who'd like to have a successful... Read More
If you are an aspiring writer, or you simply want... Read More
As a child, I loved to write. I can't remember... Read More
Do you love someone very deeply? A spouse, son, daughter,... Read More
Every hero has a seminal insight - the apotheosis. Once... Read More
LATER, LATTERLater means afterwards; latter is the second of two... Read More
ELICIT, ILLICITElicit means to extract or draw out; illicit means... Read More
Style manuals are all well and good, and in fact,... Read More
ISBN stands for International Standard Book Number. It is a... Read More
Some writers are just too kind.They hate to put their... Read More
It occurred to me one day that I needed something... Read More
I love writing. I love the swirl and swing of... Read More
Long ago, movie directors mastered the technique of creating a... Read More
And a dreadful thing from the cliff did spring, and... Read More
This article contains a short guide on how to edit... Read More
It's clich?, but true-a picture does paint a thousand words.... Read More
BAITED, BATEDBaited usually refers to traps or snares. When the... Read More
Started a book and then got bogged down? Like many... Read More
If you have been online for any length of time... Read More
Agents and publishing houses have their best interests at heart,... Read More
User documentation is all too often written by programmers for... Read More
Has the thought run across you mind that you might... Read More
Traditionally, business writing uses the "one thing after another" format,... Read More
This article is to help identify which style, technique or... Read More
I've been in the communications business a long time?over 25... Read More
Writing |