Just as every calligraphic stroke of the brush expressed the heart of the Zen Master, so every scratch of our pen on the empty page before us can be an articulation of the overflow of the reflections of our heart. We can find ourselves hesitant when coming to the blank paper because we are overly concerned with form, grammar, and sense-making. Or, we feel compelled to use words alone. Instead, allow yourself the freedom to let images pour forth from you in any form that they want to take and honor them by committing them to the page. This will give "voice" to the feelings, insights, and questions you are experiencing and will make it possible for you to have a record of the "thoughts and intents of your heart."

Some use a journal in an unstructured manner, letting it be a tool for creative expression. Others find it more helpful to use it in a more linear and organized fashion. Here are four ideas for each approach:

A Living Landscape

1. Pay attention to feelings that rise in you and use the journal to portray the feelings in pictures, line drawings or "doodlings."

2. When a fresh insight comes or a question springs up, record it along with an image or metaphor that illustrates it.

3. Write a short poem each day that describes what you learned about yourself and God the day before.

4. Write a prayer to God each day about some aspect of that day's experiences.

A Composed Canvas

1. What are the three most important things you learned about God and yourself yesterday?

2. Reflecting on yesterday, what do you find yourself still thinking about, wondering about, hoping for, and praying for?

3. In 25 words or less, write out one "ah-ha" that you received today.

4. Make a chart or a list of those things that seem to want to be remembered, along with some ideas about how you might take action on them.

"Life is lived forward, but it is understood backwards…"
- Soren Kierkegaard