Seventeen Reasons to Keep a Spiritual Journal, Part 3

How many reasons are there to keep a spiritual journal? Probably hundreds. In the past few posts, I’ve been listing a few—including some that are my own personal reasons for spiritual journaling. Here are seven more, in the final installment of this series.Why should you keep a spiritual journal?11. To get the big picture. We are barraged each day with details. Our minds take snapshots of moments. How those details form patterns, the greater panorama in which those snapshots are embedded—these often get lost. Journaling over time helps to make those greater patterns visible. It helps us see how everything relates.

12. To foster discipline. Discipline is essential for any spiritual life—and for any writing life. Sitting down each day to write in a journal helps develop that discipline. It is like strength training—the more you do it, the stronger your discipline becomes.

13. For companionship. Yes, a journal can be a friend, a helpmate, a confidante, and spirit guide. Anyone experiencing loneliness can find much longed-for companionship in the trusted friendship of a journal.

14. To make resolutions. I’m not a fan of making lists of resolutions at New Year’s, birthdays, or other transitions. Those lists only frustrate me, as I end up overreaching—setting up goals I can’t possibly stick with. However, there are times when a single resolution can help us make a small, important change in our lives. Writing down a resolution helps us solidify our commitment to change. It becomes a kind of landmark we can go back to, to measure our success.

For example, I used to post to this blog only when the urge struck me, a couple times a month or so. But over a year ago, I made a commitment to posting regularly—at least three to five times a week. Writing down that commitment has helped me stick with it, as I have joyfully done for the past 13 months.

15. To be honest with ourselves. Getting at the truth—even when it is harsh, hard, or unpleasant—is essential to our spiritual growth and our development as writers. Few tools are as useful in facing our barest truths than keeping a journal.

16. To keep a log of how spirit is manifesting in our lives. It’s everywhere. It’s happening all the time. It’s evolving all around us. And yet, we can go through entire lifetimes unaware of how spirit is revealing itself. Journal, and see how apparent it becomes.

17. To deepen appreciation for our lives. Write with gratitude, and start to see how different your life begins to appear. Journaling unveils the blessings we often take for granted.

So there it is: Just some of the many benefits of keeping a spiritual journal. Tomorrow, I’ll offer some resources for journal keeping. In the meantime, I’d love to hear from anyone who has tried journaling. What have your experiences been like?