Tuesday, January 4, 2025

My earliest attempts at journaling during the time of extreme trauma led me deeper into journaling. Within the span of eighteen months, my youngest brother was killed in an automobile accident, soon after that my mother passed away and my father followed her within a few months. This was the time when I also gave birth to our second child. She along with daily pouring out of emotions in words kept me sane and brought me back to my senses when I was in doldrums. Journaling was the source of emotional relief and healing. The practice transformed my life.
I simply poured out my distress and despondence, pain and sadness on the pages. It didn’t matter what I wrote, only that I did. The very process of journaling kept me calm and brought me much needed solace.
When you frequently jot down things in your notebook, you uncover secrets and facts that you didn’t even realize you had. So scribble the things you have “zipped your lips” about or “held your tongue” about. Be sincere and bold with your outpourings.
Putting your pen on paper is under your control but how your day unfolds is not. So go ahead write your raw and bitter thoughts and feelings as well as those that are filled with joy and rewards. When you release intense emotions on the pages of a notebook, a calm envelops you.
Oprah writes, “We all want to make the most of our lives . . . to become the highest expressions of ourselves. There is no better way to find that aha! moment than by keeping a diary.”
Make the ritual of journaling an integral part of your day. This daily ritual of sitting still with focus on your breath and journaling grounds you. You plant the seeds for the projects you want to accomplish even if these pertain to complete relaxation and self-care. You also sow seeds of experiencing complete attention and awareness of the present moment. These two qualities further deepen your Mindfulness Meditation Practice. Trust that these seeds will eventually sprout and blossom.
Jennifer D. Diamond
Good afternoon, Madhu. I am so sorry for all of your loss. Unresolved grief is something I’m still unraveling. And I feel like I’m being pulled in a million different directions lately. Journaling and meditation have been my rock to steady me. Thank you!
Lorraine
Every time I read your story of death and birth, I’m reminded of your strength and resilience. Journaling definitely reveals ah ha moments. I need to get back to a regular meditation routine.
Madhu B. Wangu
Good Morning, Jenn and Lorraine!
Thank you both for your kind comments and emotional stirrings. Sorry about the late reply. My Thursday class on Meditation and Journaling has been moved to Tuesdays because this year more members joined and we had to move to a bigger room. The group, which by now you know, is called Mindful Creators Group. It runs for two hours and is tiring, the reason for delay in responding to your caring comments. See you tomorrow!