| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
plum
United Kingdom
641 Posts |
 Posted - 02/09/2013 : 04:21:55
|
Last night I lay awake awhile. For quite some time now I've been sieving different healing methods, something I see in a friendly light as the frustrated toil of the unhealed.
It occurs that I am annoyed that journaling *didn't work*. I believe in the premise. I have journaled my whole life. I have engaged in no-holds barred writing. Then I realised two things.
First, journaling with the expectation of healing was doing me no favours. I give you Ace1's basic concept of strain.
Second, I don't journal. I used to but somewhere in the last five years the daily ritual that I cherished so much has become a stranger to me.
Now, this is not an epiphany. I have opined on this before. However what reveals itself to me is that I need no grand gesture, the simple day-to-day soothe over day-to-day grind suffices.
Many, many, many years ago I stumbled across a book called The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron. From it I took deeply to heart the discipline of The Morning Pages. This is a fairly self-explanatory practice whereby each morning you write three pages of freeflow, stream-of-consciousness words. No editing. No thinking. Just writing.
I did this religiously forever. When friends from the past contact me, they ask if I still pick up my trusty fountain pen and scribble away every day? And the answer, now, is no.
But today I did.
And tomorrow I shall too.
Will this liberate me?
Who can say? I'm content to lay that weary expectation down.
I must say thank you to gentle, beautiful Cath for helping me distill this, and Jared whose prose split an over-ripe fruit. |
|
|
shawnsmith
Czech Republic
2048 Posts |
Posted - 02/09/2013 : 05:43:32
|
Hi Plum,
I now journal because I truly enjoy it and not so much as a pathway to healing. I can easily write 5 to 10 pages in one sitting as I love to write with a pen in my hand. Don't always concentrate on the negative when journaling, because reality itself is not all negative. Write about something which gives you pleasure. Occasionally I will write out a sexual fantasy and then read it back to myself, but I am not going to share that here, LOL... |
 |
|
|
All1Spirit
USA
149 Posts |
Posted - 02/09/2013 : 07:26:54
|
If I could read my writing once I journal it would help. I dont think you can become a doctor if your writing can be read!!
Around and Around the Circle We Go....
The Answer Sits In The Middle and Knows... |
|
|
|
balto
839 Posts |
Posted - 02/09/2013 : 07:39:30
|
quote:
Originally posted by All1Spirit
If I could read my writing once I journal it would help. I dont think you can become a doctor if your writing can be read!!
Around and Around the Circle We Go....
The Answer Sits In The Middle and Knows...
You got that right, that's why I sometime can't debate with Ace1, I can't understand his writtings sometimes. Hehehe 
------------------------
No, I don't know everything. I'm just here to share my experience. |
|
|
|
plum
United Kingdom
641 Posts |
Posted - 02/09/2013 : 08:07:43
|
quote:
Originally posted by shawnsmith
Hi Plum,
I now journal because I truly enjoy it and not so much as a pathway to healing. I can easily write 5 to 10 pages in one sitting as I love to write with a pen in my hand. Don't always concentrate on the negative when journaling, because reality itself is not all negative. Write about something which gives you pleasure. Occasionally I will write out a sexual fantasy and then read it back to myself, but I am not going to share that here, LOL...
You're such a tease. Truth be told I used to relish writing in the erotic realm. Maybe I should dust off my nom de porn. |
|
|
|
Ace1
USA
1040 Posts |
Posted - 02/09/2013 : 08:10:49
|
I don't mind explaining anything that is not understood by me  |
|
|
|
plum
United Kingdom
641 Posts |
Posted - 02/09/2013 : 08:14:41
|
quote:
Originally posted by Ace1
I don't mind explaining anything that is not understood by me
Awesome zen koan. |
|
|
|
Cath
116 Posts |
Posted - 02/09/2013 : 09:30:15
|
Sweet, darling Plum I'm so glad that I was in any small way instrumental in you picking up your pen again. Your prose has a beautiful lyrical quality to it, and so many of your posts are inspiring and soothing for the, as yet, unhealed of us here.
I have journalled sporadically myself in the past, and when I stumbled across the TMS theory, I too put pen to paper on a daily basis. When I first began, it was like taking the top off a very fizzy bottle of pop. Words exploded onto the page in a torrent of free-flowing angst. And yes, it was a strain. I tried to resolve some of my deeper issues, but couldn't sort through the jumble of my life as it appeared on the page. I have since sought help from others and have talked through a lot of the jumble. But your post has inspired me to try again, at a more gentler pace.
Much love
Cath |
|
|
|
shawnsmith
Czech Republic
2048 Posts |
Posted - 02/09/2013 : 19:59:19
|
GET IT RIGHT NEXT TIME - GERRY RAFFERTY
Listen / Watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXW-sL5gzHQ&feature=share
Out on the street I was talkin’ to a man
He said "there’s so much of this life of mine that I don’t understand"
You shouldn’t worry yes that ain’t no crime
Cause if you get it wrong you’ll get it right next time (next time).
You need direction, yeah you need a name
When you’re standing in the crossroads every highway looks the same
After a while you can recognize the signs
So if you get it wrong you’ll get it right next time (next time).
Life is a liar yeah life is a cheat
It’ll lead you on and pull the ground from underneath your feet
No use complainin’, don’t you worry, don’t you whine
Cause if you get it wrong you’ll get it right next time (next time).
You gotta grow, you gotta learn by your mistakes
You gotta die a little everyday just to try to stay awake
When you believe there’s no mountain you can climb
And if you get it wrong you’ll get it right next time (next time).
Next time, hmmmmm |
|
|
|
alix
USA
434 Posts |
Posted - 02/09/2013 : 21:30:40
|
| Dr.Alexander suggests in his book to draw a picture instead of journaling if it is more meaningful to express yourself that way. I think it is a great suggestion. |
|
|
|
plum
United Kingdom
641 Posts |
Posted - 02/10/2013 : 09:05:08
|
Cheers alix.
There's much to commend dancing too.
|
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
The Morning Pages
