What if we burned all the books

Journal writing can be used as a tool for reflection and a source of inner wisdom. Ira Progoff reminds us that this source of wisdom is available to us all, if only we can find the means to access it.

Ira Progoff developed his Intensive Journal system as a result of his experiences of traumatic world events during the Second World War. Reflecting on the massive burning of books that took place during the Hitler era, he asked himself what would have happend to mankind if the Nazis had continued their practice of burning books ‘until all the recorded wisdom of humankind had been destroyed’.

The conclusion he came to led directly to his development of a journal writing program. He first considered books on science and technology and decided that this knowledge would be retained if humankind was to continue to produce goods for survival and weapons of war. He then considered spiritual books of all traditions. What would happen to civilization if all this accumulated knowledge was to suddenly disappear? It was a moment of powerful insight. His conclusion was that we would simply draw new spiritual scriptures from ’the same great source out of which the old ones came’.

The Day Book journaling system

The Day Book system I discuss here is a method for developing insight into our deepest worries or preoccupations. The therapeutic and creative benefits of the system are as varied as those who use it. Here’s a list of some of the rewards journaling in general can provide:

Personal development through reflection and positive action
Clearer creative goals and solutions to blocks
Time management
Better personal relations and outcomes
Higher awareness of spritual needs
Clearer understanding of how to set and achieve reasonable goals
A way to take responsibility for your life
A place to record and analyze your dreams
Solutions to problems through clearer understanding
Coming to terms with change
A private place where you can have fun with inventive and creative ideas.

These are just a few of the advantages of keeping a journal. Once you start out with a journal the benefits become obvious almost immediately.

How to begin and keep going

Read Start a Journal if you haven’t already, and try the free writing exercise. The important thing to remember is that you need to give yourself time to allow the process to work. Make a promise to yourself that you will make daily entries in your journal for one month. It may take that long, but certainly no longer, before you begin to see the results of your journal writing. After that time is up I can guarantee that you will want to continue and make journal writing your system of choice for finding your way to your own heart.