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A path to clarity, healing, and wholeness…

Introduction

People commonly ask me: “What are you writing about?”

I usually smile, because it’s hard to answer without turning it into a TED Talk.

The truth is, what started out as a way to store ideas and free up mental space ended up turning into so much more. Reflecting regularly led naturally into emotional release — as the mind quietened, the heart began to speak. Journalling with no filter or censorship thus became one of the best ways to listen.

I realised that we can spend years exploring the world outside, but how much time have we given to the world within ? Maybe it’s more about recognising that a major part of the map to peace has been there within us all along.

“We shall show them Our signs in every region of the earth and in themselves…”
(Qur’an, 41:53)

Have there been times when you’ve subdued parts of yourself, even when alone? As if certain thoughts, emotions, sensations, fears, or dreams aren’t “allowed”? Writing about what’s going on inside us — without the critical voice stepping in — allows us to express ourselves fully and gives our unspoken parts a voice.

Thus, tuning in fully — mind, body, and soul — helps us stay in step with the underlying symphony of our lives.

Why Journal

Not yet convinced ? We can turn to research evidence supporting what has been traditionally known for a long time, that writing heals.

Professor James Pennebaker’s studies found that writing about key life experiences for just 15–20 minutes a day over four days improved immune function and emotional resilience. This form of journalling uses keywords as prompts to write about what weighs on the mind. Releasing these thoughts by putting them on paper has a direct and positive impact on both the body and psyche.

If trauma, pain, and unprocessed memories are held in the mind, they manifest in the body — often as weariness, weakness, or exhaustion. Just as we can see hyperactivity physically, our minds can also become hyperactive. Journalling is a “top-down” way of processing experience, using our higher faculties to make sense of what we’ve lived through. Other “bottom-up” methods — such as movement (martial arts, yoga, prayer, Qi Gong), breathwork (Tonglen, Metta), and touch — are beyond the scope of this essay and will be discussed in another article. Science has clearly shown what many have felt, that writing heals both mind and body. Whether you keep or destroy what you write, the act of writing itself is rewarding. When we feel disconnected, isolated, or lonely, journalling helps us reconnect with our inner world — a way to show up for ourselves. It is simple companionship with pen and page, a place that anybody can create in order to offer understanding.

It is different from diary writing (which details events) and more about expressing emotions, perceptions, and reactions. This allows us to release, learn from, and improve our responses.

Psychological Clarity

How do we rein in a mind that seems to be going at 1,000 miles per hour? Journalling gives it a mindful workout — one with direction and purpose to cultivate calm and focus. Psychologically, journalling regularly — even a single page a day — allows us to examine the mental scripts, patterns, and themes running in our lives. It’s like opening the inner task manager — closing the tabs that can confuse and crash your mind. This frees up bandwidth for clarity and creativity, which in turn creates space for new insights, discoveries, and self-knowledge. Asking how we formed certain views — and how society or external expectations shape them — is incredibly important. We begin to work on the architecture of our inner world.

If we view the mind as an operating system, journalling allows us to look into our inner code. We can edit what no longer serves us, reprogram limiting beliefs, and integrate experiences with awareness.

By understanding and reviewing the past, we more easily release unhelpful cycles of thought and behaviour and choose to traverse a path that more closely aligns with who we wish to become. This is the way to develop in-sight, by seeing within.

Through writing, we can recognise distorted thinking (such as cognitive distortions) and see how such thoughts impact our experience. Adjusting these stories that can derail us allows us to realign with truth.

As we clarify our thinking, emotions start to surface into consciousness. This leads us to the realm of the heart.

Emotional Release

Just as doing complex maths in your head can be frustrating, trying to “solve” emotional equations mentally only adds more pressure. Journalling helps you process what’s in your heart and mind, freeing up mental bandwidth for creativity and problem-solving.

Emotionally, journalling is one of the safest forms of relief. You can pour your heart out without censorship. If you feel restricted or subdued in what you write, you can even shred what you write afterward if privacy is a concern.

Writing about emotions related to our experiences allows the heart to settle — it feels seen. Those parts of us feel heard, understood, and validated. Including fears, jealousy, longing, grief, anger, and joys in our writing is deeply fulfilling. Those emotions soften as they are acknowledged. This helps the heart heal and make sense of experiences, reducing denial or victimhood.

Dealing with pain, loss, failure, and regret can be remarkably tricky. Working in high-pressure situations and in healthcare professions means regular encounters with death, disease, and distress. During such moments, we’re vulnerable to anguish, despair, and sadness. Especially when it seems like too much, too fast and too soon. Pouring your heart out onto paper releases these burdens without excessive judgment or censorship. Let the page absorb it all. Rather than abandoning those parts of yourself, you honour and care for them. This steadily harmonises our core as we go from dispersion and fragmentation to integration and unity.

Uncertainty, loss of control, perceived threats, or loss of love can be turbulent for the mind as well as the heart. Paying attention to these emotions and working through them can bring relief — and even moments of grace, hope, and contentment.

The most painful thing we can do is abandon ourselves by ignoring these meaningful inner experiences. Simply naming and acknowledging emotions — without trying to fix them — is deeply healing. Maintaining balance internally also improves how we relate to others. The real work in relationships often begins within. By resolving inner tension, grief, and anxiety, we can show up more fully for others as our capacity to connect deepens. Through dialogue, acceptance, and review, we rekindle our emotional capacity and re-energise ourselves in order to show up fully.

As emotional release deepens, it opens the heart and soul to spiritual insight, inspiration and guidance — the next layer gets unlocked.

“Whoever knows himself, knows his Lord.”

Spiritual Reflection

Our choices plant the seeds of what we will one day harvest:

“O believers! Be mindful of God and let every soul look to what ˹deeds˺ it has sent forth for tomorrow.”
(Qur’an 59:18)

Spiritually, journalling allows us to tend to the garden of the heart and refine our character. It lets us trace the roots of our thoughts, emotions and behaviour — seeing where they branch, tangle, or need pruning so that they can result in virtue rather than in vice. Imam Al-Ghazali (R.A.) wrote in Ayyuhal Walad (“O Dear Son”) that rather than bury ourselves in endless learning, focusing on the matters of the heart through muhasabah (accounting), muraqabah (vigilance), tafakkur (contemplating), du’a (supplication), and dhikr (remembrance) is far more fruitful as we journey toward our Lord.

Habits that lead to harm can be examined and made sense of through muhasabah (self-accounting) and muraqabah (self-vigilance). It is far better to account for our deeds now than to be taken to task for them later.

Through journalling, we can own our errors and shortcomings, creating space for divine insight and guidance. Each entry is an opportunity to remove weeds and thorns that cause harm. As Rumi advises us in the Mathnawi (2:17), not to be like the man who delayed uprooting the thornbush. These thorns grow stronger each day as the days go by. We can instead nurture qualities such as contentment, gratitude, and patience — allowing us to receive fruits in the form of grace, peace, and faith. Removing blockages in our heart also means we have greater chances of entering those streams of joy, rapture and bliss.

We can write to a power that is above us, about whatever might be troubling us and ask for help — for whatever we need most. This ally knows our life story intimately and desires goodness for us. Why not write to them asking for support? This can be the bridge between the soul and the Source. We can ask for the assistance to inspire us to perform deeds to reach the level of the elect.

All you need is a quiet moment, a page, and willingness to listen inwardly.

How to Journal

With the inner meaning of journalling explored, let’s turn to how we can cultivate this practice.

We can start by acknowledging : What’s been swirling around in our head ? Are we stuck in repetitive patterns of thought, emotion, or behaviour? How would we like to relate to them ? It’s our choice — our responsibility. With this responsibility, comes great power. The power to change how we respond. Creating a safe environment is essential to access the inner self. We can dedicate even a short period to write whatever weighs on the heart Noticing our surroundings and how we’re breathing before beginning can allow us to settle in. We can then observe and purify our intention before beginning e.g. to seek clarity, healing and be closer to the Divine.

A simple reflective structure to use daily:

  • [+/=)] What went well
  • [–/=(] What didn’t go so well
  • (>) What can I improve or do differently next time

If you’re often on the move, keeping a small notebook to journal in a Bullet Journal style is a viable option too. Digital journalling works too, but writing by hand has a grounding rhythm. The immersive flow, tactile nature and tangible outcome make it deeply satisfying. The movement of pen (or pencil!) on paper can reveal much more than the words.

“Proclaim, that your Lord is most Generous, who taught by the pen, who taught man what he did not know ”
(Qur’an 96:3-5)

When and how often to Journal

Some writers prefer to journal in the morning to catch insights and process what surfaced overnight. Recalling dreams and noting their associated emotions as soon as we’re out of bed offers huge returns on investment. This is because dreams often reveal what our waking minds suppress.

Others prefer to journal in the evening to process the day’s events — or even throughout the day. The most important factor is consistency.
The best time to journal is the one we adhere to.

You can also mind-map recurring thoughts, emotions, behaviours, or memories. Like tracing constellations in the sky, this helps reveal patterns and meaningful coincidences (synchronicities).

Remember to celebrate your strengths and achievements too — cherish any praise, progress, or wins. Doing this strengthens the heart and makes it easier to extend appreciation to others.

Reflecting on what these moments mean for who we were, who we are now, and who we want to become opens the path to growth and healing.
It moves from a habit to a spiritual journey. Sharing this path with others can light the way for them too. As we go deeper and deeper and depending on the material that is discovered, it is worth considering seeking out a guide, in the form of a qualified counsellor or coach.

Conclusion

Journalling offers meaningful benefits — not only for our psychological health but also for our biological and spiritual well-being. It is an act of remembering and honouring ourselves. Showing up in this manner is one of the greatest gifts we can offer ourselves: meeting ourselves where we are, instead of where we immediately wish to be.

The key is to find a method that works for you — and to keep going. The words that allow us to reflect, become our mirrors — not only reflecting who we are and who we are striving to become.

May your pages become places of light and healing, a place to rediscover the world within.

Happy journalling.

…and if this ever becomes a TED talk, you heard it here first !

Part 2 : Practical tools to start journalling

For those who would like to delve deeper, Part 2 goes further into journalling methods and prompts : Part 2: Journalling Tools

Further Reading

  • James Pennebaker: Expressive Writing Protocol