Journal Writing Resources: Approaches To Journaling

Ira Progoff's Intensive Journal Seminar

Ira Progoff, a psychologist who studied under Carl Jung and D.T. Suzuki, has developed a method of structured journal writing that enables the writer to access the deeper layers of his or her consciousness. There are a number of different sections in the intensive journal, each of which mutually reinforces and deepens the exploration process. The method uses stillness, free association and a dialogue format to explore different dimensions of our lives. Some of the dialogue sections are dialogues with persons, works, the body, situations or society. Other sections include inner wisdom dialogue and work with dreams and twilight images.

This process is described in the book At a Journal Workshop , by Ira Progoff. Seminars are given nationwide. (I have taken this seminar and have found it to be of incalculable value in my life). Ira Progoff has also writtenThe Well and the Cathedral, which combines guided meditations and writing (very effectively I might add).
For more information contact:

The New Diary: How to Use a Journal for Self Guidance and Expanded Creativity, Tristine Rainer, Putnam/Tarcher, 1979

Boundaries of the Soul: the Practice of Jung's Psychology, by June Singer, Doubleday, 1972

A fascinating work on Jung's psychology. There is one chapter on active imagination that goes into some detail on combining writing and drawing, including mandalas. This is definitely worth a look.

Writing the Natural Way , by Gabrielle Lusser Rico, Jeremy Tarcher, NY 1983

This is a book about creative writing which includes a number of techniques about writing from the deeper parts of the self. One effective technique is clustering. You can take any subject and expand on it, using free-association. The way to do this is to write your subject in a circle about one third of the way down the page, and then connect the free associations that flow from this by means of lines and circles. The author illustrates this with the word "afraid". This can be a very effective means of exploring issues relating to fear, or any other subject.

Recovery of Your Inner Child , Lucia Capacchione, Simon and Schuster, 1988

There are a lot of techniques and exercises showing how to contact your inner child. Much use is made of writing questions to your inner child with your dominant hand and then writing your inner child's answers with the non-dominant hand. There are also numerous drawing exercises that can be done.

Some Other Journaling Resources