by Bundy P
Member since:
June 25, 2007

Journaling

February 01, 2008 10:04 AM EST
views: 89 | comments: 32

"To write spiritually is to engage in a search for authentic language. You'll find your truth by writing your way to it."

-- Patrice Vecchione

"The positive thing about writing is that you connect with yourself in the deepest way, and that's heaven. You get a chance to know who you are, to know what you think. You begin to have a relationship with your mind."

-- Natalie Goldberg

We have many great writers on Gather, but I'm not one of them.  I journal off and on, mostly as a family history for my kids and future generations.  I've never found it cathartic.

Do you keep a journal?
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Comments: 32

donna h. Feb 1, 2008, 10:05am EST
The closest thing to a journal for me is this site
Bundy P Feb 1, 2008, 10:10am EST
I hear ya, Donna!
John Doyle Feb 1, 2008, 10:13am EST
If you set out to write Spiritually it wont work. That is why so much religious poetry is so awful. Natalie Goldberg, an old colleague of mine would agree. If you truly write from your heart, it will always be spiritual.
Amy C. Feb 1, 2008, 10:17am EST
I used to keep a journal til it got me in trouble lol then I stopped!
This is also the closest thing to a journal I have .
good article 10~
flit . Feb 1, 2008, 10:23am EST
I used to journal all the time... now, not so much

I enjoy the process and find it very useful.... but then what do you do with the damn things? I always worry that the wrong person will find/read them ... if not now, then after I am gone
Kay M. Feb 1, 2008, 10:26am EST
I start them, lose interest, then start again.
Shannon S. Feb 1, 2008, 10:31am EST
I have kept a journal in the past. It is very powerful.
David V. Feb 1, 2008, 10:39am EST
I want o begin doing it again I know it helps
Larry H. Feb 1, 2008, 11:03am EST
off and on I do. h aven't in a while..
I used to every day. Now I do it whenever I get the chance.
Heather W. Feb 1, 2008, 11:17am EST
I used to write in my journal every day but I haven't done that for a while. I know I should be journaling because it's a good way of getting my feelings out.
lynn a. Feb 1, 2008, 11:45am EST
I don't journal, but know people who do. I wish I had as the years went by to leave my daughter.
Bundy P Feb 1, 2008, 12:08pm EST
Sounds like we're about 50/50 on journaling!
dianne j. Feb 1, 2008, 12:10pm EST
I wanted to keep a journal, so I looked for a class about journaling (I lived in Houston at the time). The closest I could find was a memoir class at Rice University, so I joined. I got hooked and have been hooked ever since.

I guess writing memoirs is kind of like journaling with hindsight. And it's probably more revealing because I am willing to write now about things I might not have been willing to write about at the time.
Phyllis R. Feb 1, 2008, 2:08pm EST
I used to keep a journal all the time and really enjoyed doing so.....your article my have just inspired me to start doing this again!! I am not a writer either but you are so right, there are many great writers on gather!
Cheryl W. Feb 1, 2008, 4:00pm EST
I keep about 3 different journals...all of a different type. One is just a journal of morning pages...where I just let it all out. Another is a journal of my spiritual walk. And the other one is a journal of my thoughts on about everything..
Barb (Gather Site Ferret) Carlson Feb 1, 2008, 4:31pm EST
No, not a journal, but I do blog semi-regularly. I talk a lot in the comments here, and sometimes those could be actual blog entries in and of themselves.

As for not being a great writer, the more you do it, the better you get. :) Just try to get a point across. It doesn't have to be long, just clear.
Brenda (square peg in a round hole) H. Feb 1, 2008, 8:09pm EST
No I don't. But I have been thinking about it.
Amanda "middle of nowhere" C. Feb 1, 2008, 11:37pm EST
I keep a journal, too. Not that I write much juicy material in it, but I do think journals should be exempt from police searches. It's what's in your mind. I don't like the idea that anything you put in writing could be used to prove things you have no involvement with. Just MHO.

I hope you're doing well, Bundy. Have a good weekend!
Hollie ~TNR Works~ Feb 1, 2008, 11:42pm EST
No I don't keep a journal, I have tried on/off for years to keep one and I never stick with it.
Emma L. Feb 2, 2008, 12:21am EST
I've always tried, but give up after a while
Bundy P Feb 2, 2008, 2:35pm EST
Lots of great comments!
Debra C. Feb 3, 2008, 8:40am EST
I've done it on and off (mostly off). It is a great exercise, but takes time needed for other things.
Beth L. Feb 3, 2008, 7:40pm EST
I use this site as a journal too and have done it in the past with other sites. I used Blogit to get through a divorce!! : )
Kimber L. Feb 4, 2008, 2:36pm EST
I keep a couple different journals, one related to my dreams, one related to my life, one related to my kids, one related to spiritual experiences religion and closeness with the higher power.
Karolyn Q. Feb 5, 2008, 2:01pm EST
I was never big on writing in a journal.
I never have kept up a journal past the first few entries.
Samara O'Shea Feb 7, 2008, 5:24pm EST
Not only do I keep a journal, but I wrote a book about it. The book, entitled NOTE TO SELF: ON KEEPING A JOURNAL AND OTHER DANGEROUS PURSUITS will be out in July 2008. Many of the people who have written above will find themselves in the book. Those who write everyday (I am not one them!), those who write whenever they want to, those who start and stop journals all the time (it's okay by the way), those who only journal for future generations, those who only journal online, those who find it therapeutic, and those who have gotten in trouble when someone else got his or her hands on it (that's me by the way!) What a great question. Thanks for asking!
Shelbia C. May 19, 2008, 10:48pm EDT
I don't keep a journal because I find it hard to keep up with it when there is nothing going on in my life. Still when I get upset about something picking up a pen and writing about just about anything makes me feel better.
TaShawn Tyus Sep 24, 2008, 8:27pm EDT
i have a journal lol i write all my bad thoughts in it

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