A spirit ual journal is similar to a personal journal, but focuses purely on your spiritual path. No matter what your personal spiritual path may be, a spiritual journal can be a helpful and valuable tool. So, you may be wondering, what is the purpose of keeping a spiritual journal?
Focus
There are times when life can knock your spiritual path off track. Stress and hardships can make you question your beliefs, or have you wondering what your purpose in life may be. Or you may find yourself falling into a rut and experiencing a type of spiritual apathy. A spiritual journal allows you a safe place in which to release these feelings, ask the difficult questions, gain perspective and bring your spiritual path into better focus.
Inspiration
This ties in with focus, but once you have started writing your spiritual journal there may be times you need a boost of inspiration to help you find greater meaning in your spiritual life. Taking a look through past writings or writing out your feelings can give your spirit just the lift it needs.
Reference
A spiritual journal can be a great place to write down prayers, quotes or affirmations that you find particularly meaningful, allowing you to refer to them whenever the need arises. You can also look through past personal writings and see how you've progressed in your spiritual path.
A spiritual journal is also a journey of self-discovery, helping you to explore your relationship with your Higher Power and discover your personal strengths.
How to Get Started
Your journal book can be as elaborate or as simple as you wish. There are many decorative blank journals that can be purchased online or at your local bookstore. You can even use a spiral bound notebook or a loose-leaf notebook. Some people choose to divide their journals into categories such as dream recollections, goals, meditation experiences and general reflections.
Find a quiet place where you can write, free from interruptions. It may even be best to set aside a certain time each day to write in your journal, such as early morning or right before bedtime.
At first it may feel difficult to think of something to write. If that's the case, just write whatever comes to mind and let the words flow freely. You'll find that the more you make a habit of writing in your journal, the easier it will be.
Prompts are a good way to get focused on writing and can help you delve deeper into important aspects of your spiritual path. Such as:
What were my spiritual beliefs when I was younger? How have they changed or evolved?
What spiritual lessons have I learned during times of personal struggle?
What am I thankful for in life? Why?
There are also books available on spiritual journal writing that can help with your journal experience, such as:
How to Keep a Spiritual Journal by Ron Klug
Book of Mirrors- A Spiritual Journal by Adam L. D'Amato-Neff
Keeping a Spiritual Journal (A companion workbook to A Journey To The Sky) by Mary K. DeLurgio
Make the time to keep a spiritual journal and let it help you stay connected with what is truly sacred in your life
