Julia Cameron’s book the sound of paper is a real gem if  you’re interested in giving your creative powers a little air time.  I think if  paper had an interest it would  be to draw more of  us out, especially the parts that are dying for a chance to say something without being censored.

If you are anything like me, you know what it means to censor yourself. I have done such a good job of it that in many instances I won’t write anything for fear of being face to face with yet another imperfect mess.  When I listen to the paper however,  it’s an entirely different story.  Paper simply doesn’t judge and what a refuge that is. If paper had anything to say about anything, I imagine it would be something like better out then in, which brings me to my point –  why I think journaling is an invaluable practice.

Here is my why. The same thought that disturbed me yesterday has space to be on the page today. In that simple act of writing it down a natural letting go can happen. All because I acknowledged what was there so that when I think it again which I am bound to do, the effect changes. It doesn’t disturb me in the same way it did and what a miracle that is. And if it is a pattern of thinking I stumble upon, the same principle applies. Given time I can relax my resistance to the pattern and in that a novel response to what was otherwise set can emerge.