The Power of Meditation and Journaling to Heal

When it comes to healing from past wounds, there are many options to choose from. While some people prefer to dive right in and discuss their thoughts and feelings with a therapist or a friend or family member who serves as a safe space, others can be more hesitant in sharing their emotions or pain with people.

If you’re a more private person or you’re simply interested in taking your first steps toward healing on your own, meditation and journaling are perfect ways to begin your journey. 

Meditation for Healing

Meditation is a powerful tool when it comes to healing. While meditation is not proven to physically heal any ailments, it can be a great way to relieve the associated stress and instead focus your mind and energy on the body and what it needs, whether the pain plaguing you is emotional, mental, or physical. 

You can use a variety of meditation techniques to aid your healing process:

1. If you are physically hurting, you can use breathwork. Breathing techniques focus your energy and light into a specific area of your body, coaxing it into a more relaxed state to promote healing. 
2. You can paint a visual image. For example, you can visualize your light radiating out and away from you, protecting you from physical harm. 
3. If you are working to heal from an emotional wound, perhaps focusing on a mantra that reminds you thatYou Are Enough or that you are a bright light on this earth will be an effective tool. 

Whatever combination of methods you use, remember that there is no “right” way to meditate, and choosing what feels best for you and your body will be your most effective tool.

Journaling for Healing

Journaling provides you with the power to further delve into your own thoughts and emotions in a very tangible way. Studies have shown that this physical manifestation of your thoughts can help reduce pain, improve depression, and even lower inflammation responses in the body. 

You know yourself best and giving yourself the safe space of a journal to really dig into any emotions, traumas, or issues you have been struggling to deal with can be very cathartic. Releasing these emotions through pen and paper can help you process, heal, and move forward with a better understanding of yourself and a stronger assurance of your strength and abilities.

If you find yourself staring at a blank page, perhaps consider a prompt such as writing a letter to someone expressing what you need from them or making a list of what you’re grateful for. Maybe you can list what you perceive as “weaknesses” and write how they could be considered strengths. You could also write how a specific emotion feels or what a safe place looks like to you. 

Just like with meditation, you can’t go “wrong” with journaling. You can make bullet points or write entire pages. This is an exercise foryou and releasing yourself from a specific expectation is a great first step to healing and self-discovery.