Seventeen Reasons to Keep a Spiritual Journal, Part 2

Spiritual journaling is a powerful practice, and one that is at the center of my spiritual life. Recently, I revived my journaling in order to get through a rough patch—and I’ve once again been reminded of how energizing, enlightening, and supportive it can be.In yesterday’s post, I listed 5 benefits to spiritual journaling. Keeping a journal, I wrote, helps us:

    • figure out what we believe

 

  • distinguish what bolsters our spirits and what drains them

 

 

  • identify weak spots in our spiritual practice

 

 

  • find our way through suffering

 

 

  • discover the Sacred in the ordinary.

 

 

Today, I’m adding to the list with 5 more reasons to keep a spiritual journal:

6. It deepens our commitment to the spiritual life. Putting our dedication in words serves as a concrete and enduring reminder that we are spiritual beings. The simple act of stating our commitment on the page helps us never forget the importance of spirit.

7. It allows us to identify our spiritual resources in order to muster courage. At times when we feel weak, lost, confused, or fearful, journaling can pinpoint our strengths. By highlighting our sources of power, energy, and skill, journaling can help us gather the courage to get through difficult times.

8. It shines a light on the meaning of the past. For many of us, the past seems like a string of loosely connected and more-or-less purposeless events that just happen to lead up to where we stand today. It can be challenging finding purpose in the past, to see it as a meaningful evolution toward spirit. Journaling can identify patterns, directions, and trends in the road behind us. This not only helps us see where we are and how we got here, but can aid us in mapping the journey ahead.

9. It releases emotions. One of the biggest barriers to living fully and joyfully is bearing unreleased anger, shame, or grief. Writing mindfully and intentionally releases our pain, clearing our spirits for healthier and more wholesome emotions.

10. It enables us to identify our blessings. In our hurried and busy world, amid the sometimes difficult challenges of our lives, we can easily forget about the abundance that lies all around us: the love, the joy, the beauty that graces our lives. One of the greatest benefits of spiritual journaling is that it can bring us back to gratitude and open our eyes to the bounty of the Universe.

Tomorrow: The third and final installment of “Seventeen Reasons to Keep a Spiritual Journal.”