Is Journaling More Powerful Than Meditation?

In 2016 I published this blog post: 10 Reasons Why You Should Start a Spiritual Journal Today.  With time I have become even more convinced about the benefits of journaling, or rather the Morning Pages.  But are they more powerful than meditation? 

So I decided to create this video to share my personal experience and insights. 

This is not a how-to guide though. Instead, the video itself is a form of meditation. I hope that by the time you finish watching it, you'll feel inspired to sit down with closed eyes, or that you feel compelled to start writing a daily journal right away.

But if you prefer reading, here is my story.

On the path to self-discovery

For more than a decade, meditation has been an integral part of my life.  It is the first thing I do in the morning, every single day, without fail.  

I aim for an hour sitting in silence.  On some very rare occasions, I might reach 10 minutes extra, but usually, for some strange reason, I stop at around 53 minutes.  

There are of course days where I barely make it to 20.  And that's alright.  Meditation is a never-ending journey, with its ups and downs.  

No, I have not become enlightened. Not even close. I'm just a regular guy, perhaps 1% better than who I was when I began.  

But at the same time, I don't know who I would be without meditation.  

Would I still be here? 

Hmmm, I'm not so sure. 

But there is something else that I've learned on the path to self-discovery, something that seems in a way more powerful and practical.  

Journaling.  

Ok, to be honest, I don't use a notebook.  I live a nomadic lifestyle so I can't accumulate notebooks that I can't store anywhere.  

I use a digital journal instead. Besides, I'm able to catch my thoughts faster with a keyboard.

So every day I set myself to write at least 750 words.  It doesn't matter what I might write about.  I just need to reach 750 words to call it a day.  

Why 750 words, you may ask?

It all started with this book a friend recommended, back in 2014.  The Artist Way, by Julia Cameron. 

I never finished the book, but I did learn the most important lesson that it had to offer me:  The "Morning Pages," three handwritten pages, every. single. day.  Nothing but a brain dump of everything and anything that is taking space in my mind. 

It's a way to silence the inner critic, or the Censor, as Julia Cameron calls it, the number one obstacle that inhibits creativity and prevents us from living the life of our dreams. 

So how do I write three pages in a digital format? 

Well, I first estimated it should be around 300 words.  Then I switched to 500.  But later on, I discovered online that it should be 750 words.

I liked that number, so I stuck with it. 

750 words, every single day.  Ok, almost every day. 

A dialogue with myself

With time, my journal has become my best friend, my guide, my counselor, my therapist.  The best therapist I could ever find, available 24/7.  And the only fee: a bit of my time.  

Best deal ever, in my opinion.

I share with my journal everything.  The good stuff and the bad stuff. Especially the bad stuff.   My darkest secrets.  My fears.  My doubts. 

My journal listens carefully to all my struggles, and without judgment, it answers all my questions.  

“What can I do about this issue?  How can I solve this problem? What should I do next? What is my purpose?”  

I simply write down the first answer that comes to my mind.  Usually, the first answer is the right answer.

You can see a real-life example of my journaling in action in this video I called, “Stop Delaying Happiness.”

So my journaling is simply a dialogue, a dialogue with myself.

This reminds me of a story from an ancient Indian scripture. 

A sacred Indian story

A warrior, the greatest warrior of all times, standing in the middle of the battlefield, affected by grief and attachment, loses his composure. 

He drops his bow and arrow, and collapses on his chariot, unable to fight.  

So he asks for advice from his charioteer and wise friend.  

And at that very moment, just before the battle began, a mystical dialogue took place, a dialogue that has been recounted and sung for thousands of years. 

In this dialogue, the wise friend answers all his questions, clears all his doubts, shatters his confusion, and reveals to him secrets never told before.  

Finally, with all this wisdom, the warrior regains his courage. He is now clear about what is his purpose and what needs to be done. With firm determination, he charges into battle. 

The hidden meaning behind the story

Well, here is the lesson.  

The ancient Indian yogis tell us that the warrior and his wise friend, are actually one and the same.  The warrior was simply having a dialogue with himself, with his higher Self.  

Even the Upaniṣads, the last book of the Vedas, happen in the same way.  They are a dialogue between teacher and student, between incarnated soul and realized soul, between the self and the higher Self.

Upaniṣad—sitting down near.  Who else can be more near to you than your Self?

And that's journaling to me, a dialogue that reveals the silent voice of my inner guide.

I ask questions, and He answers.  I ask for guidance and He offers it.  I ask for counsel and He responds.  

I might not be able to listen sometimes, but He is always there, waiting for the right questions.  

Any lessons I've learned, any wisdom I might have gained, have come through these dialogues with myself.  

What about meditation?

But, what about meditation then?

Well, meditation is also a dialogue. 

A silent dialogue.

A dialogue without words.

Let the mind slow down. Let the mind settle.  Let the mind become silent, and dive within.  

There is nothing else to do in meditation. Your higher self already knows all the questions and all the answers.  You just need to be in its presence.

Is journaling more powerful than meditation?

Unfortunately, it's not as easy as it sounds.  The mind sometimes refuses at all costs to stay calm, no matter what you do.  

Journaling on the other side is more straightforward.  You just need to sit down and write. That's it.  And the results are usually quicker, more tangible, and practical.

So does this mean journaling is more powerful than meditation? 

No, not at all.  

Even a restless mind during meditation is a good sign.  It is a natural event in the process of mental purification, a life-long process.  

The benefits of journaling might be more tangible, but the benefits of meditation happen more behind the scenes.

I think we need both, the silence provided by meditation and the opportunity to express ourselves through journaling. 

One is not better than the other.  They complement each other instead.  

Journaling clears the mind for meditation.  Meditation calms you down and awakens your intuition for deeper insights through journaling. 

At least, that's my experience. 

Ultimately, both of them together, help us discover who we really are, at every level.