Journaling and writing
I spent quite a bit of time in America in the late 80s and
in that time I was fortunate enough to take a seminar on journaling. It was a life-affirming seminar that has
stayed with me all my adult life. Back
then journaling was evident in the UK but in the USA it was gathering its own
very clear momentum. Now, of course, it
is a global occupation for a core group of creative and dedicated beings. I am not sure where I would be without my
journals and I have come to realise that I take them for granted. Pondering on their value has led me to record
their special qualities and search out how others see journaling.
Journaling is, by definition, a record. Your journal is a space where you can record
whatever you like. At its best it has no
boundaries and no agenda. It is a space
where both conscious and subconscious thoughts can be left to play quite
happily together and you will be content to leave them there. There are many reasons to journal and we all
know why we do it, but sometimes we forget.
I had forgotten that my initial reason to journal was to record my
experiences as my professional dance career found its feet. I had forgotten because when I look back at
those early journals I see so much more than dancing. I see a young dancer trying desperately to
find her creative voice in a fiercely competitive world. I see a frightened young dancer living in a
strange country but making the best of friends.
I see a dancer that emerges into a young woman through a defining role
as Eurydice and I see so much more.
This has taught me that we do not, in fact, always know why
we are journaling but the joy in looking back on old journals is one of life’s
most rewarding personal experiences. I
have always viewed journaling as a highly creative medium of expression. You give yourself permission to be free in
your journal and you are also free from judgement. Many of us keep our journals private, but
increasingly there is a culture of sharing.
I think perhaps a combination of both approaches is the one I favour. There are parts of my journals that I keep
private and sacred but there are other parts that need to be lifted off the
page and shared. An example of that
would be a piece of choreography that demands an audience.
For me, it is important that my journal is not just about
words. Many of us view the world in
pictures and pictures take front of stage in our minds as we try and make sense
of our world. Therefore pictures deserve
a place in our journals. Creating
pictures can take many different forms and sometimes the joy is in the
identification of the medium. Some days
I am drawn to watercolours while others it is charcoal and so the decisions
take shape. Sometimes my pictures are no
more than doodles but I have come to realise how important these simple
pictures are to my journaling process. I
have often found a new and inspiring idea locked away in a doodle and the joy
is in finding it. It is almost as if my
conscious mind plays hide and seek with my subconscious mind.
There are black days though.
On black days I sit and stare at an empty page. I desperately want to journal that day but
for some reason or another there is nothing.
I have no starting point and I have no motivation. Over the years journaling has become part of
my spiritual life and I often feel a strong urge to journal. But on black days there is nothing. In those dark moments I turn to others for
help. There are many excellent web sites
dedicated to journaling and I have left you with some useful links at the end
of this piece. I particularly like the
‘tips for journaling’ pages as they offer up starting points and usually that
it all you need to break through the blackness and find the colour once more.
I have just a few tips of my own that I have found useful
over the years –
·
See your entire page as an expression for your
entry. Take time to create a background
for your words and note the association between the two aspects of the page
·
Never be frightened of a blank page – it is your
gift to yourself
·
Keep writing or drawing and don’t stop until you
know you are done and you will know.
·
Date your entries as this will be important when
you look back.
·
Don’t avoid difficult subjects as sometimes they
offer up the greatest learning
·
Only ever share your journal on your terms
·
Avoid erasing you will probably regret it
For me, as a writer, my journals are often my starting
point. They offer up suggestions and
they don’t mind if I move away in new directions. My journals are my constant companion and I
usually have more than one on the go at the same time. I am not sure I have ever truly experienced
writer’s block as my journals have saved me from that fate. There is always something there; you just have
to look long enough. Everything goes in
my journal and it often appears to make no sense on first reading. I am always fascinated by the connections
between different entries. For me this
is where the subconscious finds its true voice.
It has already made the connections and it is just waiting for the
conscious mind to catch up! I view my
journal as my writing fodder as it feeds me all the time. I have a small notebook that I carry around
with me all the time that feeds my journal.
My journals are too precious to throw in a bag as I dash out the door so
I use a small notebook for that task. In
my notebook I record what I see, hear, taste, smell and feel. I record anything that interests me and then,
when I have more time, I transfer these points of interest to my journal. This is a joyful stage where, sometimes in
the transference, mutation occurs. What
eventually ends up in my journal has changed and grown wings and I love
that. And so the creative process begins
and I am grateful that it has never ended.
Journaling is my creative life blood and if I could take them with me
after I die I would.
If you have never tried journaling give it a go. Visit some
of the web sites suggested here to help you get started. For me, one of the best bits of the entire
process is choosing the journal that you are going to use. The world is awash with wonderful notebooks
and it is your job to find the one for you.
You will absolutely know when you have found it though! I hope that
journaling brings you joy, peace and much creativity.