Writing has always been a form of meditation for me.It is like a confessor which keeps my secrets safe. Jawaharlal Nehru wrote to his daughter while confined to prison; Anne Frank from her secret annex. Hugh Prather writes notes to himself; Franz Kafka did not even want his writings published. Generals narrate anecdotes from their lives; so do politicians, bureaucrats, artists.
Infact I believe there are many forms of writing, and many styles. We all have different ways of expressing ourselves; we also have varied reasons for doing so.
But when pen and paper make contact, thoughts are released and the mind gets more focused as we are instinctively drawn towards the quiet center of the self.
I feel it is a therapy which can be prescribed to everybody, not just for the disturbed, distressed or dying because it is the soul searching for truth. Of course one can also talk it out or learn from a guru.I guess since knowledge needs to be stored writing might have begun as it is easy to retrieve and is forever.Once we write down we can see the trend of our thoughts and get insights into our problems.So if you agree with me I suggest it is good to write on specific issues that bother you,it might help solve problems and also resolve interpersonal matters.
I do it and call it a stress diary.It worked for me.Getting into the habit of noting daily stressors and their effects helped me identify potential stressful situations.Once I knew the problem I could chalk out specific plans to deal with it.
In one of the training sessions I attended, we were suggested to write, but in a structured manner. Make 3 columns, under the heads: situation,thoughts,effects.
I believe this pattern is derived from cognitive therapy and it surely works well.
So go ahead, pour your heart on paper. Do not worry if the spellings, style, sequence or syntax are not exactly the way they should have been. The objective is to be sincere and open, for the simple act of writing will make you whole and happy.
