Imagine yourself curled up on the couch, cosy and warm – a mug of tea, soft music – a journal on your lap and a pen in your hand: what would you write? Would a river of words tumble onto the page or would you clam up unable to put any words at all onto your feelings? Journaling is a beautiful practice that helps us to make sense of what is going on inside us – to articulate, process and heal all that lies waiting for our loving attention.

So often we turn outwards to other people for guidance and support forgetting there is a well of untapped wisdom inside our own selves that can be unlocked by the simple art of journaling. Journaling opens a channel for all that lies hidden inside to come forward, to be held with compassion as we untangle the threads of our thoughts and feelings, and then somehow our inner wisdom surfaces and shows us the way forward.

Now more than ever we need nurturing practices that can be done at home and at little expense. The simplicity of journaling belies its power to heal.

Storytelling is crucial for human connection, and the most important story we need is our own true story and connection with our own true self. But all too often our story lies buried beneath the responsibilities we have to other people in our busy lives. Women especially put others first and we don’t make time to go within to see how things really are.

However, the biggest revelation of living with this pandemic has been the near universal yearning for better self-care, more authenticity and truer connection with ourselves and with others. There could not be a safer and more effective practice than journaling as a way to go within and to re-connect with our true self.

In this series, Journaling to Heal, I’ll help you to create a soulful space in your day to begin or to re-start a journaling practice. When we connect with our inner wisdom we gain insights and new perspectives that enable us to go forwards in life more anchored in our truth.

We’ll start to lay the foundations for success by creating a sense of ritual around our journaling practice. In the coming weeks we’ll then explore different approaches and prompts that will help you connect with yourself and unlock your inner wisdom. We’ll look at techniques to quiet the inner critic, how not censor yourself before you even begin writing, how to resist editing as you go, and most importantly, how to overcome inner blocks to writing your truth.

When I was suffering with undiagnosed postnatal depression, journaling operated as a release valve for me – it gave me a way to express the powerful and confused emotions roiling around inside me. Getting things down onto the page was immediately cathartic and soon it became therapeutic, healing, meditative and ultimately creative.

Today I want to talk about creating some ritual around your journaling practice as a way to mark it out as a special time in your day. I encourage you to treat journaling as you would any other valuable course you sign up for – honour it, carve out some me-time and commit to showing up. The more attractive we make the experience the easier it will be to commit – it’s not meant to be a chore. If we go at in a haphazard way, the results will be haphazard.

So, choose a comfortable place to sit, have the lighting ambient, maybe light a candle, burn essential oils or incense. Make it special – little touches that take only two minutes will transform your journaling practice into something more sacred and reverential. Having a sense of ritual around journaling instils a richer energy into it. Within a couple of days, the ritual will be a habit and will take no time at all to set up.

Many people find that first thing in the morning is a powerful time to write, before we are fully awake and our connection with the unconscious of sleep and the dream world is still alive. If you are not a morning person that’s fine – choose the time of day when you are at your best, when you feel more alert, robust and creative.

Choose a nice journal – I bet you already have a few lying around the house, and choose a pen that you like to write with. The success, as ever, is in the detail. Maybe you’d like to have a comforting mug of tea with you, or to have a big scarf handy to wrap around yourself so that you feel safe. Plan in advance so you don’t disturb yourself, so that the journey within can proceed with ease.

Now that your set up is organised, take a seat. Begin with a short calming practice to become present and to ground yourself. Take a couple of minutes to land: close your eyes and either meditate or just sit still for two, five, or even ten minutes to gather yourself. Take a few deep breaths all the way down into your belly. Feel your body on the chair, feel your feet resting on mother earth. Feel a connection to your inner self and feel how you belong to the whole. When you are settled, open your eyes, take up your pen and just start to write.

Write the first thing that comes into your mind. With no planning, no forethought, no set intention, simply write to find out what your inner self wants to share with you today. Open the way for her to come forward by allowing yourself to write the first thing that comes to mind.

If you would like a prompt, simply begin with this sentence: I am beginning this journaling practice because I …. Then write for ten minutes or keep going for as long as the stream of consciousness flows.

Next week I’ll share some great practices that will help you to open the channel to your unconscious, to connect with your inner self and learn how to go within so your true self can tell you your own true story.

Happy writing!

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