Every year, when we pull boxes out of the attic and dust off beloved, old decorations, we return to the touchstone of our traditions. We connect with the stories, rituals and memories of what has shaped us into who we are. These holiday delights of pumpkins, turkeys and carols are the anchors to our own…
Write What You Like
A few Sundays ago, I spent an afternoon conducting an experiment. Instead of meeting at the usual garden setting to practice, I gathered with a group of women at an art gallery called Destination Art in Torrance, California. Our question was simple; can visual art inspire reflective journaling? After a creative conversation about the benefits…
Coming to My Senses: Using a Journal Practice to Sharpen Focus
In the animated movie, Soul, music teacher, Joe Gardner, is experiencing life after death without the benefit of a body. He recalls “The joys of life like…Pizza!” Then realizes that without his sensory body (his ability to see, taste, smell, hear, feel) he is unable to enjoy life as before. He’s just a numb bystander…
Beginner’s Mind: An ancient tool for today’s journaler?
Even though we may love new experiences, we generally resist the idea of being a beginner. It’s uncomfortable to be inexperienced. Human beings prefer knowing the answers to things. It makes us feel secure and safe. But this “know-it-all” bias also leads to a closed mind and a limited perspective. Beginner’s Mind opens to the…