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How to keep a personal journal...And why you should

By Melissa Hirschl

Hoping for an epiphany but willing to settle for a dose of wisdom, I recently dropped in on a journaling class led by Sue Meyn, a counselor for more than 20 years. What I received was a combination of insight and wisdom, fused with a determined attitude to make journaling a permanent part of my life.

The class I attended was a combination of men and women from all walks of life, all  anxious to probe their deepest feelings and bring them to the surface through writing. An essential part of the class involved the use of “journal cards,” a unique 55-card deck packed with thought provoking questions.

Created by Meyn and sold at Tempe’s Changing Hands Bookstore, they are aimed at jump-starting the thought process. More on these later.

“What I like about journaling,” says Meyn, “is that no one can do it wrong; each person does it perfectly for themselves, and their journal becomes a reflection of who they are. It’s a way of getting to know oneself in a very special way.

“If there’s a downside to journaling, it’s that people sometimes will just write and not do. It’s important to remember that we need to take action on our wisdom and not just let it sit in a book; even if it’s just a baby step, we need to do something.”

An avid journal writer herself, Meyn has seen the difference this unique writing style has made in the lives of her patients.

For that reason, she began a shift toward teaching, specifically journal writing, 10 years ago. Since beginning, she continues to view writing as a “magical” experience; one that has helped not only to center her, but also to find inner confidence.  

“The journal,” says Meyn, “is powerful because the user is powerful. The journal simply reflects back to us that which was written. Each of us has our own individual magic. The journal, through its creative, reflective process, helps individuals to find their own magic, by getting us to quiet down.” 

According to Meyn, benefits of journaling include:

·         Providing a method to release and review emotions;

·         Creating a safe place to explore difficult issues and relationships;

·         Helping to refocus on where you are and where you are going;

·         Helping to create action steps to improve the quality of your life; and

·         Discovering more about yourself by exploring your strengths, goals and dreams

The first five minutes of Meyn’s class is devoted to “free form” writing--an exercise meant to shift the mind from the external to internal by listening to the inner self.

Next comes a “check-in” whereby participants discuss issues in their lives and talk about their feelings.

During my class, Meyn discussed the “opening up” process. The questions posed were “what are your blockages?” and “what keeps you from wanting to open up”? 

A guided meditation was next on the menu, with the culmination of the class involving everyone picking some of Meyn’s “journal cards” to really get the mind juices flowing.

“I wouldn’t do a class without the cards, because I see the immediate benefit,” says Meyn.

“There’s an immediate shift into greater depth and greater intensity. Sometimes it seems to me that the cards are really the essence of what people really need to work on at that time; they almost sum up exactly what their primary issues are.

“By picking cards by chance, the whole process of journaling is less personal and less threatening for participants. I definitely think we move into more intimacy by using the cards.”

A sampling of questions included:

Write your own Declaration of Independence--who would you give it to besides yourself? Do you feel as though you need to make amends with someone because you have been too selfish?

What issues of health are you confronting today? Imagine that your body can speak to you.

What does it want to tell you about your health condition?

Meyn created the journal cards so her patients would have something to focus on when they were writing.

“I realized that they are just the kind of questions that counselors use,” she said. “The essence of the cards is that people already have their own answers. What they’re not very good at doing, without some practice, is asking questions.

“The cards provide the questions, and everyone can then find their own answers. The questions are very perceptive, meaningful and positively oriented so that they all take the participant in the direction of looking at how they can be empowered rather than feeling depleted or diminished.”

Meyn says she was heavily influenced by Ira Progoff, the father of journal therapy. Although he died recently, his groups still go on.

“I discovered in reading his books,” she says, “that my intent was similar to his; what I try to do is get people to their core, or center, by using various exercises, a technique he also used.

“Combining these exercises in a series helps people get to move into greater depth, rather than just writing across the surface of their lives.”

Meyn presents her program, called Journal Magic, to classes and groups, leads workshops on a wide variety of topics, coaches journal writers in person and on the Web, does freelance writing and is currently working with employees of healthcare organizations to help them manage their stress.

She is also a facilitator at the Wellness Community National, where she conducts 90-minute workshops for cancer survivors and their families.

Meyn’s website is www.journalmagic.com. She can be reached at (480) 945-9180. Changing Hands Bookstore, where Meyn’s journal cards can be purchased, is at the southwest corner of McClintock and Guadalupe roads, near Trader Joe’s.

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