My inspiration to write regular journals is the following quote of Srila Prabhupada:
“Realization means you should write, every one of you, what is your realization. What for this Back to Godhead is? You write your realization, what you have realized about Krishna. That is required. It is not passive. Always you should be active. Whenever you find time, you write. Never mind, two lines, four lines, but you write your realization……
“Sravanam, kirtanam, writing or offering prayers, glories, this is one of the function of the Vaishnava. You are hearing, but you have to write also. Then write means smaranam, remembering what you have heard from your spiritual master, from the scripture. ……….Write about Vishnu, Krishna. This is cultivation of Krishna consciousness. Hear, write, remember, and try to understand. Don’t be dull, dull-headed. Very intelligent. Without being very intelligent, nobody can have full Krishna consciousness. It is for the most intelligent man….”
(Srila Prabhupada lecture August 14, 1972, Los Angeles)
Three activities – conscious breathing, journal, and prayer – helps bring more awareness to our lives. And an alert mind is quick to smell, hear and see wisdom all around.
Journaling helps us not only discover wisdom, it helps us store them for future reference.
If you pen down what you read and learn during your sojourn in this world, you’d be amazed by the discoveries you make in your inner world. Writing makes what you read, yours.
And it helps you add to the wisdom on this planet!
When you speed on a highway you can’t figure out what’s on the roadside. You may see trees and greenery but it just passes you. However, if the car slows down, then you could see it’s a mango tree with ten branches; and a crow’s nest, and other flower laden trees become more visible to you. In the same manner, when you rush through life you are disconnected from your subconscious desires and patterns; your deep rooted aspirations and drive to bring value to the planet is unknown to yourself, leave alone the world. But if you slow down your life, and especially when you write a journal – about your desires and realizations, you see the minute details of your noble self. Your discovery would amaze you. You’d get more curious to explore the world inside of you.
Initially it may seem like a scary and lonely forest; but if you persist the journaling practise, you’d see a beautiful landscape within yourself.
“Writing in a journal each day allows you to direct your focus to what you have accomplished, what you’re grateful for and what you’re committed to doing better tomorrow. Thus, you more deeply enjoy your journey each day.” – Hal Elrod
To be continued….
Source: https://yogaformodernage.com/practical-benefits-and-techniques-of-journaling-part-1/