Meditative Journaling
I’m honored to return this year to the Bay to Ocean Writers conference at Chesapeake College where I have spoken for a number of years in the past, this year to speak on Meditative Journaling. As a Reiki Master it’s been my pleasure to teach Reiki and Meditative Journaling as well as Beach Glass of the Chesapeake at the restorative setting of Inn at Perry Cabin in St. Michaels, I’m happy to bring some of this information to the writing conference session, and wanted to share a few tips and tricks here as well.
In the right setting, or really almost any setting, writing itself can be a wonderful form of meditation. It brings us outside ourselves and our distracting worlds and into a creative place in our minds where we are producing something unique and genuine.
Learning a little bit about the practice of meditation and how we can incorporate it into our writing lives can bring a new sense of peace and rejuvenation to the writing process and make us more productive as writers.
What is Meditation?
Meditation is relaxing the mind. quieting the body, and awakening the spirit.
To meditate: set time aside (maybe 10-20 minutes at first), create a separate small dedicated space, think of the senses, consider position/posture, focus on breathing, and when thoughts arise, allow them to enter, then re-focus on breathing.
There’s no wrong way to meditate, and often guided meditation is a great way to start (try a Jason Stephenson video on Youtube!).
What is Journaling?
Journaling is the practice of keeping a log or record of thoughts, experiences or emotions. It is often a technique used to reduce stress, develop self-awareness, and express yourself.
Consider different specific types of journals that might work for you: a gratitude journal where you write down one thing you’re thankful for every day, a travel journal where you document your trips, or a hobby journal where you record memories of time spent doing what you love. Other types of journals include art journals, dream journals, or family journals.
In a meditation journal, you might write about the time you spend meditating and coming up with new ways you’d like to move forward with mindfulness, self-care or awareness of the positive intentions you’d like to bring to your life.
Both meditation and journaling help us step away from the distractions of our busy lives and take a look at ourselves internally to choose self-awareness and self-care.