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Writing to Heal "I want to write ... I want to bring out all kinds of things that lie buried deep in my heart." Anne Frank
Why has journaling become so popular? Why the passion to write? How does writing heal? How can writing connect us to our souls?
I unknowingly discovered the power of writing to heal when I was fourteen. Home from school for a semester with mononucleosis, I could barely lift my head from the pillow for the first three weeks. As a result, I was pulled deeply into my inner world. Marion Quigley, home tutor, diarist and chamber musician, gave me my first diary, bound in green leather, with lock and key that read "Diary" printed in gold leaf on the cover. When I could sit up, she encouraged me to make daily entries in which the only rule was 'no censoring.' I began revealing my secrets in the small green leather book. I wrote about how scared I was that my friends would forget about me. I admitted that I liked having Mom and Dad worry about me, that I was relieved I didn't have to do chores, and that I loved having my parents and brother wait on me. At times I'd cry and crying had never come easily to me. I grieved the death of Sweetheart, my parakeet, giving full rein to feelings I'd blithely dismissed 2 months earlier. I also had glimpses of greater possibilities for my life. I wrote about wanting to be a writer and also a nurse or doctor so that I could help people out of their pain. Even though my outer world was small, confined to bed or my room, my inner world flourished. Writing became an ally and a practice that helped heal my body, heart and soul.
A journal is a safe and secret place where anything goes - no shoulds, no explanations why, no thought too strange, no feeling off limit. You can be an angry child who's speaking for the first time in 40 years or a poet who's been hiding in the shadows waiting to find her voice. Frozen pockets of grief may thaw and your wise inner self can offer insight. You can write your life story up until now and then create a new life story, using writing to help you chart your next steps. Writing frees. Writing transforms you. Writing invites the forgotten and the forbidden. When you write from your soul, forgetting about grammar, spelling and whether or not the writing is 'good', you are bypassing the analytical mind and gaining entrance into the wild, rich and alive realms of the unconscious.
Writing makes us aware. When, for example, you write honestly about your job, and discover as you write that you are much less satisfied with your current situation than you were willing to admit, it won't be as easy from then on to deceive yourself. Writing is a powerful tool for dismantling our coping strategies and bringing us into an authentic encounter with ourselves. This is both good and bad news - good because it brings us to truth, difficult because it brings us to truth. As my daughter, Heidi, says, "The truth will set you free, but first it might make you miserable." Because deep writing does bring us face to face with ourselves, it is fine to dip in and out of your journal. As Emily Dickinson said, "The truth must dazzle gradually, else all men be blind."
You can create a journal for any purpose at all. If you are dealing with physical illness - yours or another person's - you might start a Healing Journal where you express the challenges that you're facing as well as the ways that you are growing from this experience. You can write unsent letters to relatives, friends or healthcare providers, perhaps voicing feelings that you are not ready to share in person. A Spiritual Journal is a wonderful way to explore and deepen your spirituality. At the end of each day, you can reflect on the day and note when you were 'on your beam', when you were off and consider what you might do to maintain your spiritual connection the next day. You might include inspirational quotes in your journal, write letters to your soul or keep track of the gifts that appear on your spiritual path. Writing heals ... and writing helps you maintain a deep and intimate connection with yourself. Your journal may be your next best friend. I hope that you write away!
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FREE WORKSHOPS
Writing from the Soul, Rockridge Library, Oakland, CA, Saturday, June 21, 2:00-4:30 pm
The Write Way to Health, Fairfax Library,
Fairfax, CA, Tuesday, August 12, 6:15-8:45 pm
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RADIO INTERVIEWS I was a guest on Debbie Ford's radio program in January and September 2007. Use these links to listen to the interviews:
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THE CREATIVITY AWAKENING PROCESS:
A six session course in San Rafael, California
July 17, July 31, August 14, August 28, September 11 and September 25 7:30-9:30 pm
Fee: $240 before July 1, $270 after July 1
In this course, you will:
*Choose an area of your life where you want to express your creativity
*Discover the benefits of creativity for health and wellness
*Overcome creative blocks
*Experience the direct links between spirituality and creativity
*Design a specific action plan to achieve your creative goals
A 30 minute follow-up session with Susanne is included in the course offering
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INTUITION DEVELOPMENT SEMINAR
I will present Soul Solutions: Finding Intuitive Answers to Everyday Questions at The Center for Hypnotherapy in Oakland, California as part of a two-day seminar on Intuition Development. The dates of the seminar are July 25 and July 26, 2008. Call (415)721-0766 or email me at susannewest888@yahoo.com for more information. | |
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Click here to visit my website if you'd like to learn more about my phone or in-person INSIGHT TO ACTION COACHING and/or HYPNOTHERAPY SESSIONS, WRITING FROM THE SOUL PROGRAMS and PROGRAMS FOR CREATIVITY AND INTUITION DEVELOPMENT. |
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