The energy of conscious journaling

Sitting meditation could be scary.

And I will not even add, “especially for beginners”. Even seasoned practitioners have days once they’d relatively do nearly something than cease and current with uncomfortable emotions, or get actual about what their monkey thoughts is telling them.

One strategy to method that scaryness? Research has proven that combining journaling and mindfulness significantly increases mindfulness, in addition to a way of leisure and constructive ideas and feelings. As a lifelong journalist whose writing and mindfulness practices are inseparable, I agree.

We are so used to being on screens and laptops that the thought of ​​”writing” often brings to thoughts typing. And if that is the one means you possibly can write, no drawback.

But in the event you can substitute the display screen with a pen and notepad, please do. Studies present that handwriting affects our brain differently and actually has effects similar to meditation. (See? You’re already midway there.) I take advantage of a pocket book for my morning pages (see beneath), a stack of scratch paper for brainstorming and scribbling, and a separate journal for ideas I would wish to come again to later.

Yes! And no. If you actually have hassle sitting nonetheless (or strolling or standing – meditation is not nearly having your butt on a pillow), writing generally is a meditation in itself, so long as you do it with intention. You may additionally discover that after some writing your nervous system has settled down and you’re feeling like you might want to be quiet for five or 10 minutes (or longer).

First of all, let go of any notions of “I’m not a good writer” or “I have Ds for all my essays in school.” This will not be that sort of writing. What we do right here is let the ideas turn out to be clear. As Flannery O’Connor stated, “I write because I don’t know what I think until I read what I say.” Ideally, as soon as we’re conscious of what we’re considering, we will turn out to be slightly kinder with the feelings beneath these ideas.

Imagine an iceberg. The a part of the iceberg that you simply see above water is the thought. The large half beneath that holds that thought is the emotion. Writing helps us transfer from being caught in our minds, above the water (out of the blue, planning, obsessing or worrying) to exploring what’s beneath the floor and being current, compassionate, with how we really feel… and that is what drives that spirit.

Suppose you’re indignant a few state of affairs with a colleague. You end up repeatedly rehearsing conversations you wish to have with this individual, shaking your fist within the air. So you might sit down first and provides your self a while to put in writing… about your anger, your outrage, your worries, your fears and anything which may come up.

The extra you write, the extra you end up stress-free. You may additionally turn out to be extra aware of an emotion you hadn’t realized was there, equivalent to unhappiness in regards to the relationship or nervousness about your job as a complete.

This may also help you sit with and permit these emotions, permitting your physique to course of and launch them.

In her groundbreaking e-book The Artist’s Way, Julia Margaret Cameron emphasizes the significance of the Morning pages for psychological readability and to advertise creativity. Many folks, together with Tim Ferris, swear by this observe. How do you try this?