Thursday, January 9, 2025
The way we observe physical hygiene for cleanliness, we must cultivate emotional hygiene for mental clarity. What practices do you follow to cleanse your mind? Journaling is one. It clears your mind of the mess that is created every day. Writing it down lends an ear when you need it but can’t share what you have to say with others. It reveals possible solutions to your problems and heals emotional wounds. So if there is a problem on your mind or something is hurting or knotting your belly, why not jot it down on as many pages as it takes?
Your honest outpouring in words carries an energy, it has power. Dump all that down and, depending upon the problem, watch how you come up with doable intentions and make resolutions that may take a week, a month or several months to actualize. You end up with gratifying aha! moment. Writing those few pages daily replaces self-doubt with self-confidence.
For maintaining your mental clarity, you may add mindfulness meditation sessions that I’ll describe and discuss next month. What about a morning walk after your meditation and journaling session? Practice it and see what happens.
While journaling gets your personal feelings and thoughts out of your way meditation grounds you physically and calms you mentally. While you walk in nature clearer and deeper thoughts surface. Cobwebs are removed and insights and intuitive ideas float up.
It feels good to empty the anguish in your trustworthy journal friend. When you reread it after a year or five, you smile how at the time what you wrote about your distress and angst have gone and forgotten. The negative past is biodegradable. It has either decomposed into manure or is nourishing seeds of new ideas in darkness. After years of practice it surprises you what a long way your journaling has led you. Yet, old is replaced by new stresses and fears. Thus the necessity of keeping daily practice of journaling, meditation (which I intend to describe next month) and walking in nature.
With love and gratitude,
Madhu
Lorraine
We are attending a funeral tomorrow and had a very long drive today. Yesterday several phone conversations and comments from distant relatives had me holding my tongue. My stomach was in a knot last night so I woke extra early to journal. I wrote nonstop for 30 minutes this morning. I left it all on the page. Now I’m mentally and emotionally ready to see relatives tomorrow. Thankful for journaling and meditation.
Jennifer D. Diamond
Good morning, Madhu! The act of “dumping” my emotional clutter onto the page has transformed my life by quieting the constant anxious chatter that used to interfere with my ability to write! Thank you for sharing your wisdom! Namaste
Madhu B. Wangu
Sorry for your loss, Lorraine!
“Holding my tongue” is the first habit meditation instills. And then expelling your “knots” out of the system is the job of journaling. So you’re doing great on both fronts! Hope your meeting with relatives yesterday was calm and collected.
Madhu B. Wangu
Good Morning, Jenn!
Doesn’t it feel great when you have tools to deal with nebulous feelings and murky thoughts! More writing power to you! Namaste
Madhu B. Wangu
Hi