I’ve been journaling for a few years now, and it occurred to me that therapeutic writing is a lot like archaeological excavation-we go digging around in the soil of our souls, discarding the useless, worthless junk, and looking for treasure; pearls of wisdom that will change our lives.
Just as physical soil forms various strata, it sometimes feels as if the soul and spirit is composed of layers too. When we first practice writing therapy we may feel we are just scratching the surface with our journal entries. But if we continue our daily sessions, exploring whatever comes into our heads, we ‘get in the flow’ and go deeper.
I find that listening to classical or worship music at the beginning of a journaling session helps me to progress quickly from superficial levels of thinking to deeper places within myself.
Just like an archaeologist I am never sure what I will find when I go there. Some days I am confronted with a piece of junk that needs to be disposed of- perhaps an issue that’s been bugging me, like a relationship that’s not quite right or a memory that needs healing.
But as I commit myself to dealing with the rubbish that stands between me and my potential, and do the necessary work of forgiving, setting boundaries, and so on, then I am free to move forward and uncover my eternal treasure.
Archaeologists have to move the lumps of earth, clean the dirt off every object they find and make a painstaking examination as they identify it and make records. I seem to do something similar in my therapeutic writing. I look at my issues analytically from physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual perspectives.
I begin with Morning Pages in my everyday journal, and let everything rush out on to the page, stream-of-consciousness style (as recommended by Julia Cameron in the Artist’s Way). That’s where I deal with the messy stuff, pouring out my whole heart, praying, and meditating on scripture to find the strength and inspiration I need to confront my fears and false beliefs.
The precious pearls of writing therapy
But eventually, I get to the bottom line- the nugget of wisdom, the realization of truth that brings peace to my soul and fills me full of strength. I have another book in which to record these precious pearls of wisdom- a good quality, hand-embroidered journal which usually fills up over the course of about a year. These are my Wisdom Journals. Just like the pearls that an oyster has produced, these precious insights grew out of the pain and irritation of life as I expressed my raw emotions and handed them over to the Great Physician for healing.
I throw away my everyday journals as I complete them, but I intend to keep my Wisdom Journals forever. They are priceless to me, because I can keep re-reading them again and again, taking the lessons to heart, and growing as I put into practice what I’ve learned.
Through journaling I have managed to overcome negative self-talk and stop feeling like a victim because of people who have bullied me in the past. One day I wrote in my journal: “Stand up straight and hold your head up high. You are bigger than all that’s happened to you. The past has no power over you any more”.
I have found profound healing through prayer combined with writing therapy.
And just like a seasoned archaeologist I am excited about the next dig and the pearls I will uncover in my future journaling sessions.
ABOUT
Lyn Alderson is a professional journalist, blogger and author, based in the English Midlands.
She has 25 years’ experience of writing news and features for UK newspapers and magazines.To find out more about Lyn and her work visit http://lacopywriting.co.uk
If you want to find out more about the health benefits of keeping a journal, check out Lyn's e-book The Write Therapy: How Keeping a Journal Can Make You Happier, Healthier and More Productive available from the Amazon Kindle Store.
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