Spiritual Journaling
PUMA Class
2013
Bob Shank
Tonight’s Agenda
Session 1
1. What is a Spiritual Journal?
2. Why Keep a Spiritual Journal?
3. Getting Started!
What is a Spiritual Journal?
“A spiritual journal is a book in which you
keep a personal record of events in your life,
of your different relationships, of your
response to things, of your feelings about
things—of your search to find out who you
are and what the meaning of your life might
be. It is a book in which you carry out the
greatest of life’s adventures—the discovery
of yourself.”
-Henry Cargas & Rojer Radley
Keeping a Spiritual Journal
What is a Spiritual Journal?
“A journal or diary (the terms are used
interchangeably) is a day-book—a place to
record daily happenings. But it is far more
than that. A journal is also a tool for selfdiscovery, an aid to concentration, a mirror
for the soul, a place to generate and capture
ideas, a safety valve for the emotions, a
training ground for the writer, and a good
friend and confidant.”
-Ronald Klug
How to Keep a Spiritual Journal
Why Keep a Spiritual Journal?
1. Growth in Self-Understanding
“Keeping a spiritual journal can provide the
time and the structure for exploring our lives—
our thoughts, our feelings, our dreams, our
relationships with others and with our God,
our gifts, our beliefs. It can increase our
awareness of God’s leading and action in our
lives.”
Why Keep a Spiritual Journal?
2. An Aid to the Devotional Life
“A journal has the added merit of focusing and
concentrating our thinking. Writing out our
concerns helps to clarify things and keep us
honest… Insights that are hazy figures on the
horizon sometimes become crystal clear when
committed to a journal. Vacillating indecision
can be turned into marching orders.”
-Richard Foster
The Celebration of Discipline
Why Keep a Spiritual Journal?
3. Guidance and Decision-Making
“When we’re faced with a decision, we can
weigh the alternatives in our journal before
making the decision. Then, because we have a
record of the whole process, we can later recall
why we decided as we did. This may help us
find strength to carry out our resolve.”
Why Keep a Spiritual Journal?
4. Making Sense and Order of Life
“I find that after a hectic day or a week loaded
with events and people and problems, I gain a
great sense of peace by sitting down with my
journal in the presence of God and sorting out
my life and regaining my perspective. It’s like
walking into a messy room… and slowly picking
things up and putting them into their right
places again. Then the room ‘feels good,’ and I
can go on living there.”
Why Keep a Spiritual Journal?
5. Releasing Emotions & Gaining Perspective
“A journal can help us handle our emotions.
First of all, we can diffuse emotions by
expressing them in writing. Bottling up
emotions, especially negative ones like anger
or depression, only makes them worse.”
“If a journal helps reduce negative emotions, it
can reinforce positive ones. As we write about
our joys and our achievements and our
pleasures, we strengthen and reinforce them.”
Why Keep a Spiritual Journal?
6. Greater Awareness of Daily Life
“How do we keep in the forefront of our minds
the simple fact that we live in an indescribably
wonderful world? It’s not easy. Routine dulls
the eye and ear. Repetition and familiarity fog
the capacity for astonishment. Even so,
moments come to all of us when everything
suddenly seems fresh and new and marvelous.
This gift of awareness makes possible some of
our happiest hours.”
-Arthur Gordon
Why Keep a Spiritual Journal?
7. Self-Expression and Creativity
“I once read the statement: ‘Impression
without expression leads to depression.’ The
opposite of this is: ‘Impression with expression
leads to joy.’ Journal-writing is one form of
creativity, and it can be a relaxing, joyful
experience. It provides a non-threatening
environment, free of criticism, in which to
exercise creativity.”
Why Keep a Spiritual Journal?
8. Clarifying Beliefs
“To be confident Christians we need to be clear
about what we believe. This is not easy these
days.”
“By clarifying our beliefs in a journal, we can
‘take captive every thought to make it obedient
to Christ’ (2 Cor. 10:5)”
“As we bring our beliefs into focus we will have
greater courage and ability to witness to the
hope we have in Christ.”
Why Keep a Spiritual Journal?
9. Setting Goals & Managing Your Time
“You can use your journal to keep your goals
before you, to clarify them, and to move
toward reaching them.”
“You can also use your journal to evaluate your
present use of time and to organize your time
more efficiently in order to make steady
progress toward your goals.”
Why Keep a Spiritual Journal?
10. Working Through Problems
“In a journal we can ‘talk out’ a problem, gain
perspective on it, and sooner or later find a
God-pleasing solution.”
“And even if we do not find the answer to our
problem through journal-writing, it can help us
gain enough clarity so that if we do decide to
talk with a friend or counselor, we will be in
better shape to do so.”
Getting Started!
Nuts & Bolts
• What kind of notebook?
• What size?
• Other options
Getting Started!
Finding Time to Write
• Not “having time” is the most common
excuse for not keeping a spiritual journal
• Start small – try just 15 minutes at first
• Aim for a daily entry or every-other day
• Write in your journal whenever you can!
Getting Started!
When to Write
• Are you more of a morning person or a night
owl?
• Consider family and work responsibilities
• Find some time that works for you!
Getting Started!
Conditions for Writing
• Find a quiet spot where you can write
regularly
• Music can create a mood for writing
• Develop a habit of writing in your journal
• Experiment – try various places to find the
one that is comfortable for you!
Getting Started!
How Much to Write
• Write as much as you need to or want to
• Some days have more going on and,
therefore, more to write about
• Setting a time limit can help some
Getting Started!
Getting Started
• It is normal to feel awkward at this at first
• “Who am I to be keeping a journal?”
• The best way to start is to just start writing!
• “The thoughts may not be very profound,
but they are your thoughts. The words
may not be very eloquent, but they are
your words.”
Getting Started!
Getting Started
• “A student once asked a college professor,
‘How can I get started studying when I don’t
feel like it?’ The professor answered, ‘Go
through the motions, and you’ll get the
emotions.’ I find the same for writing. Take
up your pen and start writing, whether you
feel like it or not, and the words will come.”
Getting Started!
Exercise in Flow-Writing
• In flow-writing you stop judging what you
write and just let the words flow
• The only rule is that you must write steadily,
nonstop, for say ten minutes.
• If you get temporarily stuck, describe the
room you’re in, or repeat a word or a
sentence, or write, ‘I can’t think of anything
to say,’ or ‘This is a stupid exercise!’
Anything. Just keep writing, and don’t look
back or change what you’ve written. Write!
Getting Started!
Your Personal Contract
• “To begin your journal, you may want to
write a statement of why you want to write
a spiritual journal.”
• For example:
• “I’m starting this journal because I want to
grow spiritually. My goal is to understand
myself better and to clarify what I believe. I
think a journal will help by providing a
framework for reflection & a place to record
my thoughts & experiences”
Getting Started!
Your Personal Contract
• “Then underneath the statement you might
want to write a contract with yourself:
• “Therefore, I contract with myself, and
before God, to spend at least fifteen
minutes a day writing in my journal.”
• Then begin writing your “Daily Record” of what
happened to you today. (“This is what I
consider the heart of the journal.”)