How to Keep a Spiritual Journal (Plus Writing Prompts to Get You Started)

Spiritual journals differ from regular journals in many ways. Even a slight change in how you enter your entries can completely affect your state of mind, allow you to accomplish new goals, and improve your emotional well-being. In this post, you'll learn just how to keep a spiritual journal that fosters your spiritual growth.

In order to cultivate insightful self-reflection by keeping a spiritual journal, you do not need to be a seasoned writer or particularly spiritual.

This article will show you how to use journaling to develop your spirituality, whether you have never thought about doing so or are looking to add some new flavor to your current entries.

What is the purpose of keeping a Spiritual Journal?

The first step is to define a spiritual journal and clarify what it isn't.

It isn't just a general term to refer to the location where you keep your daily thoughts. You don't just need to change what's in a name to validate your musings if you cringe at the word “diary” due to its connotation of gushy feelings and young love.

If you want to journal for spirituality, you should take change into account as you do it.

An insightful spiritual journal can help you open up a little more, integrate a little deeper into your worldly pursuits, and find the realization that comes only when your intuition flows.

However, you shouldn't completely forbid yourself from keeping a diary.

It can be comforting sometimes to express ourselves as we are. It's okay to express your feelings in writing. Our spirit must also be encouraged to realize its full potential, as well as to develop ourselves.

Keeping a journal for the purpose of managing a growing spiritual journey differs greatly from keeping a diary for weeping teenage blues. Psychological and spiritual awareness is the purpose of this journal.

Tips: Learn more about the connection between spiritual, physical, and mental health.

Why Keep a Spiritual Journal?

In order to gain the most benefit from a spiritual practice, it is crucial to document it. Essentially, a spiritual journal is a journal you keep to keep yourself in touch with god source.

Spaces that are sacred versus spaces that are mundane. Practicing spirituality involves us being in a different state of mind than we would be in during daily life. Observation of natural places is as important for meditation and ritual as it is for rituals. We may gain deep insights or experience moments of insight and awakening. Retaining those insights is crucial to the development of our minds. A person is very likely to lose important information if they don't write it down.

Whenever I experience spiritual experiences through ritual or mediation, I always write them down (often, I write in my journal before a tree is cut or I leave the forest) in order that I do not lose memory. Having these experiences fresh in my mind allows me to write about them. In the long run, I will probably remember and recall less and less accurately, especially when we spend time in wild places and perform rituals.

Your Memory is Inaccurate

We forget many things because our memories are imperfect. We can offer our future selves a record of our experiences and understandings by writing them down (or using another method I share here). We risk losing some of the important insights we gain during our spiritual practices if we try to keep everything in our heads.

Keeping a Spiritual Journal for Recordkeeping

Journaling offers your future self a record of what you feel, experience, and what you are engaged in at that moment. You can use this to track and understand your spiritual development. My old journals are so interesting to read and see just how far I've come! Observing the journals also helps me see where I was struggling, where I am still struggling, and where things have changed.

Focus, expansion, and reflection on your thoughts

It's not just about writing down events or insights, it is also about pondering or sitting with those insights. This work benefits us in two ways. The act of reflecting on recent experiences is another form of meditation, which I consider. I expand my thoughts by writing down my thoughts and insights after completing a journey, whether it is a physical trip, a spiritual trip, meditation, ritual, or whatever. It's also part of the journaling experience that you're not just gaining insight, but going deeper and focusing on it. The insights and experiences become more clear.

Second, reflection allows us to reflect on our experiences, synth sizing our experiences and our own understandings. Journaling allows us to dissect, to turn things around, to wander about, to see things from multiple angles. It is perfectly acceptable that this kind of work is spread out over a longer period of time. In addition, writing studies research strongly supports both of the above-we learn through writing and we gain much from reflecting!

Check Out These Spiritual Journals

How to Keep a Spiritual Journal: Tips for Beginners

Put a date on your work

Rereading your words will make you realize how quickly the years have passed and what has changed and stayed the same. Your reality is grounded in the dates.

It does not matter what type of journal you use

Experimenting with different formats is encouraged. Despite trying bullet journals, apps on my phone, and three-ring notebooks with dividers I always come back to smaller lined journals that you can find anywhere.

Don't be afraid to write anything, but always remember someone will one day read what you have written.

I am 99% honest in what I share when I write and fully intend my children and grandkids to read what I write. They will also find notes I've written to them in the future.

Write as if you were praying

Is there anything I am praying for? How can I express my gratitude? Writing out an experience and realizing the depth and at times anguish of that experience, deciding back and forth between options, recording special quotes and scriptures, taking notes from retreats and conferences, and just talking with God fill the pages for me. Take notes of what you hear, see, taste, read, dream, risk, and observe. Observe your daily life and record it. It's easy. Edit not. Don't hold back. It's yours.

Include articles and writing from blogs and magazines

During an online retreat, I was given the assignment to find a picture of myself when I was young and write about: What do we see when we look at that photo?

Write what you want

If you miss for a while, don’t fret – just start again. My journal writing is hit and miss but ends up about weekly to every other week. Find your own pattern and write.

Spiritual Journal Prompts

Journaling helps me discover what really drives me. My more intuitive, soulful side is able to thrive here. I've created my own career path, traveled to different places, and discovered who I am and how I can show up as my best self every day with this daily practice.

These writing prompts will help you get started with your spiritual journaling:

As a means of self-discovery

What is it about my life that I love the most?
What makes me happiest?
What causes me to get totally absorbed at the moment?

For your own well-being

In what ways do I feel soothed and calmed?
What is my most peaceful moment?

Just for fun

To whom do I enjoy spending time the most?
How do I express my creativity best?

Check-in on a daily basis

What is my current state of mind?
Would you like to feel this way today?
I want to feel good today. How can I achieve this?

Guidance on spiritual matters

Deep down in my soul, what do I truly want to do?
Can I imagine how my life would be if I allowed myself to do that?

I am writing this post to help those who want to start or speed up their spiritual journals. Through this practice, I have evolved not only in awareness but also in focus and spiritual progression.

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Ian Walsh

Nerd. Book lover. Spiritualist. Ian Walsh is a 38-year-old artist who enjoys writing, traveling, and theatre. He is energetic and creative, but can also be a bit snarky.