Imagine if you had access to an authoritative wisdom guide you could turn to at any time in your life. One who always has your best interest at heart. One who knows your desires better than anyone else. One who can provide answers, guidance and direction. One who offers comfort in times of grief and who will be your biggest cheerleader on your path to personal success. What if this guide was traveling beside you at all times?
Each of us has access to such a guide, through the wisdom of our highest selves. The spark of light and love residing within your heart. Often in our busy lives, where we are called from one external crisis to another, we have stopped listening to the quiet wisdom of our own souls. We have forgotten who we are beyond the labels we wear. We have forgotten our passions, our gifts, our connection to a higher consciousness.
Alongside meditation, the most powerful practice I have discovered for tapping this inner wisdom has been journaling, both written and visual. This process of self-reflection on the page played a significant role in my own spiritual and self-development. I highly recommend the process. Keeping a journal creates time to pause and reflect on life, experiences and emotions.
Keeping a journal was not something I had done successfully in the past. Fears of diary pages being discovered and critiqued held me back. During my late twenties, I tried the process anew, beginning with a dream journal. Every morning, as soon as I would wake, I wrote my dreams down onto the page. The first entry in that journal involves dining at a restaurant that only served jelly sandwiches and was manned by staff wearing costumes straight out of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Somehow, writing my dreams down was less intimidating than putting my daily activities on the page. Eventually, I began a new journal for capturing inspirational thoughts, quotes and ideas.
My journals took an interesting twist when I read about the concept of visual journals in the book The Art Therapy Source Book by Cathi Malchiodi. The concept was to utilize visual art materials as a form of journaling. With an emphasis on process rather than end product, shape, line, texture, color and imagery can help us speak more than words. As soon as I read the chapter, I knew it was an avenue that would become an important part of my life. It later revealed itself to not only be a therapeutic tool I could use for my own self-discovery, but one that I would be teaching to others.
When there are no words to express my Self, I allow creative expression to serve as communication. Expression through art, visual, movement or song.
Creative expression flows through me always. Creative expression in unlimited. Words need not be the only way of expressing or communicating.
I have felt an energy that has no words. It is growing, changing, expanding and radiating Joyously.
I have now been keeping visual journals for over 20 years. Artist sketch books bursting at the seams, line my shelves. On each page is an expression of my love for creativity, writing and spirituality. These journals are loaded with personal insight and inspirational text.
Now, when someone asks me what my go-to spiritual tool is, I say, “Journaling!”
Do you have a practice for listening to your inner wisdom and connecting with your higher power? If journaling with a pen or with paint has not made it into your spiritual tool-box, I invite you to give it a try.
