The Art of Reflective Writing
The Power of Presence
October 20, 2022
Grounding – The Foundation of Connection
November 16, 2022The Art of Reflective Writing
“The unexamined life is not worth living” Socrates
How often do you take time to pause and be still, surrender and be present to your thoughts and feelings, to strengthen your inner witness and connection to all that is?
The art of reflective writing is a very practical way in which we come to understand ourselves better. It brings us into the present moment where we set our intention to explore our unique connection with ourselves and reflect on our thoughts, feelings, and behaviours.
Today I welcome the opportunity to commit thoughts and feelings on paper but in the past, this sometimes felt like an indulgence. I now appreciate this time as an act of self-care. When life is challenging the act of unstructured automatic writing can be a safe haven which brings me back to centre and allows me to view the world as a less scary place. It then becomes easier to notice repetitive patterns and how these affect others as well as myself. In witnessing from a place of self-compassion I am more able to access my inner wisdom to determine how best to proceed in a more mindful and emotionally intelligent way.
In recalling past events I notice how far I have come in my spiritual development, and this has helped me to let go of unhelpful thoughts and feelings in areas where I previously found it difficult to do so. Regular reflective practice allows us to process challenging experiences and memories which affords us the opportunity to gain a deeper perspective and develop self-awareness and insight. We gain clarity about what gets in the way of us achieving our goals and develop creative strategies to improve our lives and the lives of others.
I enjoy creating opportunities in my daily life to be still, to practise self-care and compassion and to create a climate where I am open to new sources of understanding and learning. When I commit to practices which foster my sense of connection, I feel grounded and supported by source in a way that allows me to manifest my goals and to know that they are congruent with my beliefs and behaviours.
Spending time in reflective practice and journaling allows me to be honest with my reality and notice what I find difficult, how I might approach situations differently and to become aware of
my growth and the progress in my soul’s development. Without this practice I do not think I would know myself as well as I do. I would not know what really motivates me to be fully present in the world, what I really care about and how I can use this learning in service to others. I am much more aware of my purpose and less willing to give my power away to situations and people that do not support my soul’s journey.
Some of you may have creative ways of exploring who you are and, instead of words, you might like to create a picture to encapsulate what is going on for you. Either way I invite you to commit 20 minutes each day to this activity. You might want to consciously reflect at the end of your day, giving some gratitude and acknowledging your contribution and the contribution of others. Or you could start your day noticing how you feel in your body, what thoughts emerge, recognising triggers and patterns which come to the surface when you give them your attention.
I hope you feel inspired to explore the benefits of reflective writing: to take time to pause and reflect and take the journey towards self-awareness, self-acceptance, and self-care as you become a more conscious, connected human being.
