Types of Journals
I use many journals and I classify them into four categories:
- Written Journals
- Art Journals
- Handcrafted journals
- Altered Books/Repurposed journals
This week I will explore each of these in more detail and explain how I use them and/or make them.
Today, I will focus on the written journals. I mentioned in a previous post, about my daily practice of writing Morning Pages as recommended by the Artists’ Way author by Julia Cameron. Morning Pages consists of writing three pages in long-hand strictly stream of consciousness. Anything goes! Wherever your mind takes you is all good even if it seems banal at the time. In Julia Cameron’s experience, the true self appears usually into the second page. Sometimes in my experience it doesn’t appear at all for that day’s writing but other days the whole three pages are pure soul bearing. I typically have purchased pre-made journals for this process and I also bought a set of colorful pens to use for writing. The bright colors inspire me! I also use recycled peanut tins and empty bathroom tissue rolls to organize my pens.
Other written journals I use are a Dream Journal and a Travel Journal. The Dream Journal is where I try to record any previous night’s dreams and try to see if there’s any ongoing themes.
The Dream Journal I use was made from a purchased cheap (think Dollar Store) composition book I have altered with paint and collage. I have always been a vivid dreamer and looking at what I record in my Dram Journal, I am baffled at times as to the meaning. I recently read an interesting article about how your dreams, especially those seemingly off-the wall dreams, are actually healthy for you. Researchers hypothesize that our brains possibly dream up weird and random scenarios to help them function better
The Travel Journal I use was made from an old record book that I embellished with leftover paint. I capture memories and small sketches or words to record where I’m going, where I’ve been, or maybe to use ticket stubs, menus, candy wrappers, or other travel memorabilia from the journey. I’m pretty random about this process and don’t keep it in chronological order or really any order at all. My travel journal consists of a repurposed hardcover record book that I have used for years as a surface I use to apply leftover paints (more on that later in the Altered book discussion to come later this week). When I’m ready to record, I flip through the painted/altered pages until I come to one that strikes my fancy and use it to record that day’s travel memory.
Tell me your practices or thoughts on journaling. Do you journal? If not, are you interested in learning how? Are you a dreamer? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.
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