The Power of Mindful Journaling

Sitting down to meditate can be scary.

And I won’t even add, “especially for beginners”. Even seasoned practitioners have days where they’d rather do almost anything than stop and be present with uncomfortable feelings, or get real about what their monkey mind is telling them.

One way to approach that scariness? Research has shown that combining journaling and mindfulness significantly increase mindfulness, as well as as a sense of relaxation, and positive thoughts and emotions. As a lifelong journaller whose writing and mindfulness practices are inextricably linked, I concur.

We’re so used to being on screens and laptops that the idea of “writing” usually evokes typing. And if that’s the only way you can write, no problem.

But if you can replace the screen with a pen and notepad, please do. Studies show that writing by hand affects our brains differently and actually has impacts that are similar to meditation. (See? You’re already halfway there.) I use a notepad for my morning pages (see below), a pile of scrap paper for brainstorming and scribbling, and a separate journal for thoughts I might want to return to later.

Yes! And no. If you’re really struggling to sit still (or walk, or stand – meditation isn’t only about having your bum on a cushion), writing can serve as a meditation in and of itself, as long as you’re doing it with intention. You might also find that after some  writing, your nervous system has settled and you feel like being still for 5 or 10 minutes (or more).

First of all, let go of any notions of “I’m not a good writer” or “I got Ds on all my essays at school.” This is not that kind of writing. What we’re doing here is allowing the thoughts to become clear. As Flannery O’Connor said, “I write because I don’t know what I think until I read what I say.”  Ideally, once we’re aware of what we’re thinking, we can then become a little friendlier with the emotions beneath those thoughts.

Imagine an iceberg. The part of the iceberg you see above water is the thought. The enormous part below that’s holding that thought up is the emotion. Writing helps us go from being stuck in our minds, above the water (plotting, planning, obsessing or worrying) to exploring what’s beneath the surface and being present, compassionately, with how we feel… which is what’s driving that mind stuff.

Let’s say  you’re angry about a situation with a colleague. You find yourself repeatedly rehearsing conversations you want to have with this person, and shaking your fist in the air.  So, you might first sit down and give yourself some time to write… about your rage, your indignation, your worries, your fears, and anything else that might arise.

The more you write, the more you might notice yourself settling. You might also become more acquainted with an emotion you hadn’t realized was there, like grief about the relationship, or fear about your job as a whole.

This might ease you into sitting with and allowing those feelings, which then allows your body to process them and let them go.

In her seminal book The Artist’s Way, Julia Margaret Cameron stresses the importance of the Morning Pages for mental clarity and to promote creativity. Many people, including Tim Ferris, swear by this practice. How to do it?