The catharctic value of daily writing

Much has been written about the therapeutic value of writing. Writers and coaches, such as Julia Cameron and Anna Runkle have talked extensively about the therapeutic technique of letting your thoughts and feelings on paper. And many others of course. In this article, I ll talk about the value of that kind of writing that no one else has any chance to look at, that is the writing that we know beforehand is goind to be 'respectfully destroyed'. 'Respectfully destroyed' means destroying the pages not in a way of just discarding (in a bin for example), but carries with it the sense of letting go the thoughts and emotions expressed on it, so they can transformed, while honoring the process of having expressed them.  The catharctic value of daily writing comes when we sit down every day and free-write at least one A4 page long, by pouring the heart out open on paper and then, and be sure that this page cannot be accessed by another human being- ever, not even us actually.It is important to ensure that they cannot be accessed by another human being, because if not, subconscious inhibitors will self-censor the writing.And it is exactly these self-censored tiny details that need to get out in the light of day. So, it is not a diary, it is not memoirs. In cathartic writing, you need to know beforehand that this writing is a completely free and safe space to say anything you want about anyone or anything. If during the writing,you arrive at some important conclusion or insight, fine, you can make fresh notes afterwards or discuss it with someone,if you wish. But the raw process of cathartic writing has to be free. You may want to vent,to lash out, even say things we don't really mean,so the paper is a temporary platform for this.

This daily writing can help re-establish the connection between the self,the world and God. Life can be seen as a journey on Earth, one with ever increasing speed, and this honest writing is like the witness to this journey. After all, when the journey is over, all we are left with is the lessons from the journey, this is the only thing that will stay with us. And these lessons are expressed on the daily pages. Even if they don't stay around for anyone to read them, they have emerged through the surface of  human consciousness and  can be connected to something wider and more useful. People around us may be part-time witnesses, as they only know a little bit of us. The daily attempts to make a more consistent witness. For those on a religious/spiritual path God is the ultimate witness,knowing all things about us, including those we are not aware of ourselves. But the daily writing is our conscious effort to bring some of this hidden self into awareness, into the light. Because we write the truth, it is a meeting of witnessing minds, our minds, God's mind. It can feel very healing and empowering.

We often have resistance to daily writing. For example, if we find its content depressing: well, we  do it anyway. The sentence can start with something like : 'I now think that... I seem to want to... I feel as if I...' These introductory phrases create a sobering distance between us and the thought/desire/feeling. It is empowering to see it this way, especially when very strong emotions arise, like rageful thoughts of revenge. 'I feel like I want you to suffer so and so...' is a more accurate and safer way to lash out whatever revenge fantasies we may have in mind. It needs to be expressed and this is a safe way to do it. There is no censorship in the cathartic writing. Do not judge it, do not evaluate it. The only gentle reminder is the introductory phrases... Even at the moment of lashing out, it helps to remind us that we are bigger than what we write.

Do not forget to do the daily pages.Another reason for resistance is busyness or tiredness. But the truth of your experience of the life journey is what counts more than anything else, more than other tasks, more than rest even.Value it.Even if no one else knows about it, value it. It's like saying to God this is the truth of who I am, this is the truth of what I experience, help me, bring clarity to me.By showing the truth, one cannot be but helped. By exposing all that is bothersome or ugly inside, it cannot but change. It will save years of therapy and countless troubles.Its purpose is to cleanse, to bring to light, to form the questions.Once formed, they cannot be but answered, sometimes in surprising ways.

Victoria Prekate www.victoriaprekate.blogspot.gr, 1/8/2021