Dancing on the page
The process and value of journalling
I don't know about you but I have learnt to love the answers that come from the open page and the pen that dances over the lines when I journal. There is something that the structure of the page and the other boundaries that I have placed around my journalling practice that gives me the permission to cautiously examine what is going on in my heart.
There are days that I pick up my pen and the words flow in a rambling, jumbled mess, all pressing their way forward in a hurry to be heard. I don't read back what is on the page as the process of giving voice to the thoughts tumbling through my mind and pouring out my heart is what is important. So often I don't know what is going on in my head and although I try my best to remain aware of my emotions, that doesn't always happen either and a daily journalling practice is a way of giving myself permission to check in with what is happening.
Other days, I pick up my pen and stare at the blank page before me. It is as if the thoughts are stuck and I am afraid of what I might find once I start writing. I might write a few sentences before staring at the page all over again, trying to resist the call of my to-do list or the allure of different distractions and numbing strategies I might have. I am learning that this is when it is extra important to stay in my seat and push into what is going on.
It is when I feel stuck and unmotivated that I use different prompts and questions to dig deeper and better understand what is going on for me. Prompts are also something that I use to help myself engage further with the different ideas and thoughts that come up in my bible reading and devotions. As you read through each of the reflections that I share through this project you will notice that each one will end with a few journalling prompts for you to take and engage with the reflection in a more personal way.
Journaling is a deeply personal practice and takes many shapes and sizes. How you develop and sustain it depends on your unique interests and personality. Below are a few key considerations for creating structures and routines that support your practice.
Environment: Create a supportive space
Where do you journal? Is it the corner chair in your living room that gets that warm morning light or the back verandah where you can listen to the birds flitting through the bushes of your backyard.
I have a beautiful roll-top desk in my art room that is set aside for my journalling and devotional practice. The pictures on the walls and the way the desk is positioned to look out over the plants in my shade house all add to the space so that I have an environment with minimal distractions, that helps me to get into the right mindset for my practice.
As you think about your own environment for journalling, reflect on the things that distract you the most and how you can minimise those distractions as well as what environmental factors help you to find calm and peace. Perhaps it is being in your garden or having that perfect shaft of light, or it is having a picture of the beach or another special place on the wall near your desk, reminding you of the serenity found there. Or maybe you need other touch points that remind you of who God is and how he is a refuge and comfort for you, a picture of an eagle, a rock or a model of a fortress as a visual reminder of his promises to you. The options are endless.
Routine: Establish a consistent rhythm
Having a practice of anything requires building a routine and sticking to the rhythm you create. For me, my journalling has become a part of my devotional practice and is something that I do every morning. After walking the dog I make myself a pot of tea or coffee and take that to my desk where my bible, journal and optional devotional book are waiting for me.
This has become such a routine for me that the mornings that I sleep in more and don't have time to walk the dog, I often don't end up sitting at that desk. Over a period of time, I have built a rhythm into my mornings and when I miss a beat the whole morning becomes a little bit messy.
As you think about your own routine for journalling reflect on how often you will journal and where it will fit into your routine. As you figure that out, reflect on what you can add to your journalling to make it more special, such as leaving your phone on the kitchen bench, making a cup of tea and finding ways to engage your senses.
Engage the senses
As you start journalling and build out a routine for your own practice, reflect on different ways that you can add in special parts to your routine that engage with your senses. Different scents, textures and even music are ways to create something meaningful and harmonious for your practice.
For me, engaging the senses means always using the same pen, one that feels great in my hand and writes smoothly, a sharpie felt tip pen to be precise. I enjoy having pretty notebooks and will occasionally play some music or put a vase with some flowers in it on my desk. The cup of tea or coffee that I make is also something that grounds me in the present moment with the warmth, scent and taste.
Think about what you would enjoy to make your own journalling practice special for you. Is is scented candles, playing music or having a particular blend of tea for each time you write.
Structure and Boundaries: Shape your practice with intention
I try to write three pages every day. Some days those three pages are written in no time at all and other times it takes me forever to just write half a page. The more committed that I am to writing those three pages, the easier it is for me to pour out my heart onto the page. For you the structure and boundaries may look very different, it might be blocking in 15 minutes to journal, or choosing a specific prompt/question to reflect on.
As you think about the structures that you might want to put in place, reflect on the different challenges or fears you might have around journalling and expressing your heart on the page. Are you afraid of all the emotions that might come pouring out and never stop? Maybe it is worthwhile have a very short time for journalling and using structured questions. Are you afraid of expressing certain emotions? Do you avoid certain experiences, interactions or activities or find yourself drawn to other unhelpful practices? Perhaps targeted prompts and questions will help you pull that apart. If you have never journaled all that much but like the idea. perhaps it will be helpful to start small and work your way up to more.
Find what works for you
Journalling is not meant to focus just on myself and where I am at or gain any extraordinary insights into my own psyche. The goal for me is to learn more about who I am in relationship to God, to better understand what is going on and hold that to the light of what I know from scripture. It involves exploring and understanding what is going on in my own heart, bringing that before God and reminding myself of who he is and how that connects to the things that are happening in my heart and life.
As you reflect on the different considerations explored above think about what might work for you when it comes to journaling. There might be some things suggested that sound really nice but they don't fit into your life and other things that you only like as concept and not a practice. For example, I love the idea of lighting a candle but have allergies so I haven't been able to find candles that like me, I have thought about using a diffuser and some fairy lights/electric candle but haven't got that far just yet. Play around with different ideas, think about what you like and what is important to you and be ready to try different things. Have fun and learn to build in things that would make this practice motivating and engaging for you.