Daily Examination Practice For Journaling

213.

Hi,

Welcome to Peacebeam and to this daily examination practice for journaling.

Journaling has so many benefits and over the last few years research has proven the links to a number of those benefits which include stress reduction,

Improved immune function,

Mood boosting,

Improvements in memory and the strengthening of emotional health.

I can say for myself that it changed my life since I began about a decade ago,

But I do remember how hard it was to begin and then to establish the habit.

And this practice is a five-step method of daily examination that I tried quite a few years ago now but found that it really stuck.

So I hope that it gives you a framework for you to build your own practice.

Now during this session I will give you time to write and it may be that you find after listening to this Peacebeam a few times that you can establish your own rhythm and your own time periods.

I found that for some people five minutes a day is enough and it may be that writing words or fragments or phrases are sufficient,

Whereas for others it may be a longer practice and the physical writing may be much more extensive.

You'll find that you will settle into your own rhythm relatively quickly and you'll find what works best for you.

I recommend that you do your journaling at the end of the day just before sleep or early in the morning before the day begins.

This practice is an examination of the preceding 24-hour period so pick a time of day that's going to work best for you.

And finally make sure that you have a pen and paper to hand.

I've always found that part of the ritual and the pleasure of journaling has been having something lovely to write with and something lovely to write on or in.

So do make sure that you find something that really pleases you.

And so let's begin.

Quietly settle into yourself,

Have your pen and paper or journal to hand as you just take a few moments to close your eyes now as we begin with step one of this five-step practice,

Connecting to yourself.

So just sit quietly and connect to your breath.

Just notice your breath moving in and out.

Feel the movement of your chest up and down if you like.

You can place your hand on your chest and really drop into its motion.

Feel your breath's natural rhythm.

And I want you to feel to the soft kindness of your breath and your heartbeat.

Your breath and your heartbeat are with you through all the good,

The bad and the indifferent of the ordinary days.

They are the soundtrack to your life.

So just be here now with them,

With their natural rhythm,

Their natural spaciousness,

Their natural peace.

And let's move to step two,

Give thanks.

The day that has just been,

The preceding 24 hours,

Has been a pure gift.

Whatever happened within it,

The time that you have had,

The hours,

The minutes,

The interactions,

The events,

The shape of the sky,

The weather,

The smells,

The sounds,

The conversations will never occur again,

Not in exactly the same way.

We didn't earn the day,

It was given to us.

So let's just be here for a few moments,

Giving thanks.

And now let's move to step three,

Reviewing the day.

So take up your pen.

If your eyes have been closed,

You can open them now.

Open a new page,

Write the date if you like.

And for the first part of this review,

I want you to reflect on what the high point of your day has been.

What do you feel grateful for?

Be detailed,

Recall the details of the events that come to mind now.

Perhaps something somebody said,

Something that was done for you,

A beautiful view,

A funny story,

A delicious meal,

A perfect cup of coffee,

Whatever it is,

Just allow yourself to feel the warmth and light that the recollection brings.

And I want you to notice how you feel.

Observe your mood,

Your emotions,

And your thoughts.

What is present for you here in this question of gratitude for the day that has been?

And I'll give you a minute to write.

So wonderful.

That is just about a minute.

So when you're ready,

We're going to move on to the second part of the review of the day.

And now I want you to ask yourself when you think about the preceding 24 hours,

The day that has been,

What made you feel ungrateful,

Dissatisfied,

Or angry today?

What has made you feel sad?

And again,

Be detailed,

Call to mind the events of the day,

Let your mind wander over the day.

And notice what is in there that you would not have chosen.

Notice how you feel,

How that affects your mood.

Is there sadness?

Is there pain?

Is there anger or anxiety?

Just notice and begin to write now,

Making a note of what you do not feel grateful for in the day that has just been.

And again,

I will give you a minute and come back for you when the minute's up.

So okay.

Well done.

That's about a minute.

And that completes step three,

The review of the day.

And now we're going to move to step four,

Which is acknowledgement.

So having made this review,

I want you to take a moment to acknowledge where you are now.

Are there areas in yourself or in your life that need work or attention?

Are there areas that need forgiveness,

Either of yourself or of somebody else?

Does any of that feel possible or will it need the healing of time and grace?

And just acknowledge that answer and make some notes here if you feel moved to.

Sometimes it might just be a word,

A fragment of a sentence,

A phrase,

An image that comes to mind.

Whatever it is,

Just make a note here as you acknowledge how you are and where you are in your life.

And where you are in your life.

The last 24 hours,

The last hour,

The last five minutes are filled with moments that you will never experience again.

Each one,

Whether we label them as good or bad or indifferent,

Each one was a pure gift of life.

So just pause for a moment and hold some space for gratitude,

Longing,

Hope,

Resolution,

Whatever is present for you now.

And as you pause here,

If you feel moved to right,

Right.

And now let's move together to the concluding step of this daily examination practice,

Looking forward.

Now that we have reviewed the day,

Examined how we feel,

Where we are,

We let the day go,

Knowing that it will never come again.

There may be emotional and physical traces from the day,

But as we have examined them and are conscious of them,

We can carry them in the light of our consciousness and feel that they are lighter for it.

Tomorrow is a new day.

The dawn always brings a new beginning full of possibility.

So now as your final entry,

Make a noise of what,

If anything,

You feel about the possibility of tomorrow.

And I'll give you a little time to do that.

And I'll come back for you so that we can finish together.

Wonderful.

Now with your daily examination complete,

Just take a moment to take a few deep breaths.

You can put your pen down and close your journal.

Be ready for you in 24 hours as you come to examine tomorrow.

And just let the day slip away now with thanks.

And I wish you every blessing for a beautiful day to come.

Thank you.