Developing Your Inner Spirit Wisdom (A Reminder)

I thought today would be a good day to remind you about what I am teaching.  Specifically it is a way to use journaling to develop your inner spirit wisdom.  It's quite simple really in terms of the steps:

1.  Use a journal and write down whatever is on your heart on a regular basis.  I do this almost daily now, but when I started years and years ago it was something I did every once in a while, then once or twice a week, and now I hate to miss it.  I am a morning person so I do it first thing or after a few chores.  It often starts off with what I did the day before or what's coming today but then I also get into what's bothering me or what's making my heart sing.  I might also write my gratitude list in my journal but not always.  You decide what time of day is best for you and what you include in your journal.

2.  When you think you have written out what's most pressing on your heart, write out the question "God*, what do you want me to know?"  

3.  Then write down what comes to you.  If you feel compelled to use a tool, use a tool.  Tools include things like meditation cards (I like the ones with one word on them), a book that you open up randomly and read what's on that page (I often use the Bible or Psalms for Praying by Nan Merrill but nonreligious books work too). If you're not sure what tool to use, let the Spirit* guide you.

This is the daily practice.  It can take as much or as little time as you have.  Doing it often provides value because it gives the opportunity to look back over your journey.  You can look back over a period of time to see what was happening in your life and what your Higher Power* was telling you, often repeatedly.  Maybe you want to look at the last week, the same week from a year ago, the last whole journal.  Whatever time frame is on your heart is right for you.  Be a pattern hunter:  was the same thing on your heart last year, have you pulled the same meditation card 3 times in the last month, did you write about the same place or person?  Write down what you uncover.

The hard part is making the time to do the work.  For me, it has made a significant difference in that I have found an easier way to live, allowing the Great Spirit* to be my guide.  

-----------------------------------------
Now for the reflective questions which you can journal about or if you'd like to share your story, the community and I would love to hear from you!  Your comment could have a major impact on someone else.  Most likely it will be just the right thing at the right time for one of the readers. For me, God* wanted me to know that helping even just one person is wonderfully impactful.

Reflective questions:
1. Pick one:  How has journaling changed your life?  Noticing cases of 3 pings?  What about God moments?  Are you recognizing your thought patterns?  Is there something crazy good that's come from your journaling?

2.  What does God* want you to know about this (ask directly, God, what do you want me to know?)

* I use the term God as a universal term.  You may decide that Great Spirit, Allah, Higher Power, etc. better suits you today.  It is not for me to decide.

Photo by MH, OC, NJ
Note:  These posts are part of a broader call to do spiritual journaling (read more at CardinalTouch.net)

Seek and Find Patterns (Be a Pattern Hunter)

I thought today would be a good day to remind you about what I am teaching.  Specifically it is a way to use journaling to develop your inner spirit wisdom.  It's quite simple really in terms of the steps:

1.  Use a journal and write down whatever is on your heart on a regular basis.  I do this almost daily now but when I started years and years ago it was something I did every once in a while, then once or twice a week, and now I hate to miss it.  I am a morning person so I do it first thing or after a few chores.  It often starts off with what I did the day before or what's coming today but then I also get into what's bothering me or what's making my heart sing.  I might also write my gratitude list in my journal but not always.  You decide what time of day is best for you and what you include in your journal.

2.  When you think you have written out what's most pressing on your heart, write out the question "God*, what do you want me to know?"  

3.  Then write down what comes to you.  If you feel compelled to use a tool, use a tool.  Tools include things like meditation cards (I like the ones with one word on them), a book that you open up randomly and read what's on that page (I often use the Bible or Psalms for Praying by Nan Merrill but nonreligious books work too). If you're not sure what tool to use, let the Spirit* guide you.

This is the daily practice.  It can take as much or as little time as you have.  Doing it often provides value because it gives the opportunity to look back over your journey.  You can look back over a period of time to see what was happening in your life and what your Higher Power* was telling you, often repeatedly.  Maybe you want to look at the last week, the same week from a year ago, the last whole journal.  Whatever timeframe is on your heart is right for you.  Be a pattern hunter:  was the same thing on your heart last year, have you pulled the same meditation card 3 times in the last month, did you write about the same place or person?  Write down what you uncover.

The hard part is making the time to do the work.  For me, it has made a significant difference in that I have found an easier way to live, allowing the Great Spirit* to be my guide..  

-----------------------------------------
Now for the reflective questions which you can journal about or if you'd like to share your story, I'd love to hear from you and the community would love to hear from you!  Your comment could have a major impact on someone else; most likely it will be just the right thing at the right time for one of the readers. For me, God* wanted me to know that helping even just one person is wonderfully impactful.

Reflective questions:
1.  If it's not journaling, what else are you putting off?

2.  What does God* want you to know about this (ask directly, God, what do you want me to know?)

* I use the term God as a universal term.  You may decide that Great Spirit, Allah, Higher Power, etc. better suits you today.  It is not for me to decide. 

Career Pivotal Point II

As my kids grew they had daycare and then before care and after care.  But once they got into middles school they would be coming home to an empty house unless I made other arrangements. Although I don't remember the exact time (because I didn't journal then), my guess is that my hope was to leave the working world when my son started middle school.  What happened instead though is that as the time kept slipping by my answer was always the same:  "In three more years I will quit."  However, if the same number of years remains your target time frame, the end time never comes.  So for me, time kept moving forward with no change.  As a result, my son started middle school and came home to an empty house.

In 2008 I had outpatient surgery for melanoma.  It was considered phase zero meaning it had not invaded the skin, but it did eventually give me a kick in the pants because a few months later my sister in law was diagnosed with end stage melanoma.  She died about 8 months later.  As her illness was progressing my mantra of "just three more years" became "you only have one life to live." Within a month of her death I gave my notice.  To this day I still can't believe I resigned, but man am I glad that I did!

-----------------------------------------
Now for the reflective questions which you can journal about or if you'd like to share your story, I'd love to hear from you and the community would love to hear from you!  Your comment could have a major impact on someone else; most likely it will be just the right thing at the right time for one of the readers. For me, God* wanted me to know that helping even just one person is wonderfully impactful.

Reflective questions:
1.  Is there something that you keep putting off?

2.  What does God* want you to know about this (ask directly, God, what do you want me to know?)

* I use the term God as a universal term.  You may decide that Great Spirit, Allah, Higher Power, etc. better suits you today.  It is not for me to decide.    

Career Pivotal Point I

     

In 2000 I was still working in Human Resources.  I had a love for recruiting people to places I enjoyed working.  It was still fulfilling, but the work was getting away from me because I had other demands.  I had two small children, endless resumes to look at, and constant turnover of staff who left with the experience I worked hard to give them.
In October that year I went to a conference where the keynote speaker was life coach Cheryl Richardson.  Her message contradicted the working world but was so much of what I wanted to hear.  She spoke about how we each needed to take time for our lives.  When I look back I think about the irony of the situation and I have to laugh.  Our companies sent us to this professional conference to hear a keynote speaker who said we should work less; indirectly, of course, but the message to me was loud and clear. Her question that so resonated with me was where and with whom did we spend the most time and would those people be at our death beds?  I worked in a hospital and my answer was even "no!"
For me, it didn't mean leaving the profession but one month later I did leave that employer to work for a company that had more resources which enabled me to work smarter.  I also signed up for Cheryl Richardson's electronic newsletter which gave me a checklist surrounding things like self-care and creating the life I wanted.
---------------------------------------
Now for the reflective questions which you can journal about or if you'd like to share your story, I'd love to hear from you and the community would love to hear from you!  Your comment could have a major impact on someone else; most likely it will be just the right thing at the right time for one of the readers. For me, God* wanted me to know that helping even just one person is wonderfully impactful.

Reflective questions:
1.  Who do you spend the most time with?

2.  What does God* want you to know about this (ask directly, God, what do you want me to know?)

* I use the term God as a universal term.  You may decide that Great Spirit, Allah, Higher Power, etc. better suits you today.  It is not for me to decide.

A Longer Quicker Looking Back

Sometimes our lives are so full that we don't have time to journal.  When I am on vacation, a time one would expect to have time to journal, I often find that I skipped a day or two or even most of the week sometimes.  This is because I am busy living, enjoying my extended family and the joys that come from discovery, primarily from being in a new place.

If you haven't been journaling, don't despair.  You can either start journaling today, or if you want to look back over a longer period and get a lot of your history down in a short time, try something different.  Here's a method by Abigail Thomas that comes from her memoir What Comes Next and How to Like It.  She suggests picking a ten year period of your life and writing three word sentences to tell the story.  If you like this method you can do it for all the ten year periods of your life.  I have done 4 already and think I will go back and do it again at some point in order to compare them to each other.  This will be a powerful way to look back.  I can't wait for the Spirit* to move me to do it!
-----------------------------------------
Now for the reflective questions which you can journal about or if you'd like to share your story, I'd love to hear from you and the community would love to hear from you!  Your comment could have a major impact on someone else; most likely it will be just the right thing at the right time for one of the readers. For me, God* wanted me to know that helping even just one person is wonderfully impactful.

Reflective questions:
1.  Is there a ten year period of your life that you'd like to forget?

2.  What does God* want you to know about this (ask directly, God, what do you want me to know?)

* I use the term God as a universal term.  You may decide that Great Spirit, Allah, Higher Power, etc. better suits you today.  It is not for me to decide.

Why I Journal (Journaling = Vomiting)

I've had food poisoning a few times in my life and have learned a few things:  1.  Never use the tartar sauce on your walleye if it's been sitting out in the sun at a festival; 2.  You feel much better after you've spewed it from your body.

For me, although a crude description, journaling is like vomiting.  I just write everything that's on my mind and heart, usually first thing in the morning.  I write whatever comes to mind.  It usually consists of things I did the day before, how I am feeling at that moment, and the response I receive to "God*, what else do you want me to know?"  Sometimes it includes a dream or dreams I had the night before and what I think each dream might mean.

Why do I do it?  It allows me to check in with myself.  It makes me feel better. It makes room for the present day.  Don't believe me?  Just try it for a few weeks.  Don't beat yourself up if you don't do it one day or you don't get to it until right before bed, just do it.

The learning (i.e. unrefrigerated tartar sauce on a hot day spells trouble), comes in the looking back.  I don't have a specific formula for how often I look back but when I do I generally start with a three-month look back to see what my spirit has resolved and what I am still working on ("It's gold, Jerry!  Gold!") For me, looking back is part of the adventure.  It's amazing what I find out about myself and about the way God is working in my life.  With the next post I will give you an example.

And regarding the photo:  it's attached to an article about the value of sperm whale's vomit.  See  https://theideagotcrazy.wordpress.com.  It's an interesting article, but I think my journaled vomit is worth a lot more.
--------------------------------------
Now for the reflective questions which you can journal about or if you'd like to share your story, I'd love to hear from you and the community would love to hear from you!  Your comment could have a major impact on someone else; most likely it will be just the right thing at the right time for one of the readers. For me, God* wanted me to know that helping even just one person is wonderfully impactful.

Reflective questions:

1.  If you were to "vomit" yesterday, what things would it include about your feelings, activities, dreams, etc?

2.  Do you want to learn about or from your own journey?  Why or why not?

3.  What does God* want you to know about this (ask directly, God, what do you want me to know?)

* I use the term God as a universal term.  You may decide that Great Spirit, Allah, Higher Power, etc. better suits you today.  It is not for me to decide.