On Daily Journaling as a ritual of inner witnessing

Engaging in a daily ritual of journaling is a way of taking responsibility for finding out who I AM.

I regularly prescribe journaling to the women I see in my practice as a form of stepping into the journey of Self-knowing. Of self-awareness and building that Inner Witness, who tracks and observes, non-judgementally and quietly from within.

Marion Woodman, a renowned Jungian analyst and a deep source of inspiration for my work, speaks of journaling as holding a silver mirror. When we first look into it, the blank pages stare back with ominous emptiness. But if we keep looking and trusting we gradually get to discern the face looking back at us.

Journaling unlocks a sense of wonder and curiosity. It brings what’s inside – to the surface. It’s a form of self analysis, of externalization, of meaning making, of sensing, and of arriving at a clearance.

Deep journaling gets us to meet our dark sides. It gets us closer to facing the discomfort, the pain, the forgotten wounding. This is not easy. It is something we have naturally protected against for quite some time now. It is easier to know less of it. It’s easier to turn away and dismiss our own anguish, our anger, aggression, our insecurity, our fears, our worst case scenarios and say”It doesn’t really matter. I have friends. I am ok. Life is good.” Yet the mirror does not shut up “You aren’t fully experiencing life. You aren’t living. Where is the joy, the dance, the juice in your life? Are you facing your own truth?”

Journaling brings consciousness and light to what’s dark and unspoken within.

When darkness grips us it is time to write. Let it pour out of the unconscious.

Journaling creates an intimacy by fulfilling the need to POUR OUR HEART OUT. You know this need!

Journaling offers us a chance to get to know the Parts of us that we have pushed towards the edges, the cellars, the shadow. The unspeakables. The shameful. The guilt-inducing. The ugly. The scary. The disowned. The exiled. The lonely. The sad. The not worthy.

Journaling is looking with a clear eye, inclining the heart towards opening, allowing, accepting, witnessing, befriending.

Julia Cameron had started a movement she called “The Three Morning Pages”. It’s essentially finding 30 minutes a day, in a quiet space, writing 3 pages. A time for you!

Grab a pen, a notebook, and a quiet little nook. And let it out! A little, a lot, whatever comes! Allow the patient page to take it all in, ferment it, and show you back exactly what you need. Today.

With love,

Aleksandra

Aleksandra Staneva, PhD is a Women’s Soul Counsellor in private practice. She supports women from all over the world.

horoforwomen@gmail.com