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In ancient
times, scribes were devotees of the Word. They were the
bridges between worlds, charged with the sacred task of
painstakingly transcribing the Mysteries into a form
that could be referenced by holy men and women. Many
centuries later, our modern journals give us unlimited
access to the Mysteries of our souls. Through this
column, I hope to offer ways that we can approach our
own lives with the love and devotion of the scribes of
old.
Unseen Companions
One December, in the midst of the
darkest nights of the year, I experienced a dark night
of the soul. My faith was seriously tested. I struggled
with a profound sense of separation from God. Like the
psalmist David, "I cry by day, but thou dost not
answer; and by night, but find no rest." (Psalms
22:2)
Dark night or no, life goes on. One
day I stopped by the neighborhood bookstore to pick up a
few Christmas gifts. Twenty minutes later, loaded
chest-high with books, I headed to the sales counter.
The aisles were narrow, the crowds jostled, and suddenly
a book came sailing through the air and landed face-up
in my arms.
"I’m terribly sorry!"
cried the woman with whom I’d collided. "Let me
put that away!" As she reached for the book, I
glanced down. On the cover was Abbott Handerson Thayer’s
painting Angel, which I remembered from my
college humanities class. The book was called Ask
Your Angels. I laughed out loud. "That’s
okay," I told the apologetic "angel" who
caused the book to fly into my waiting heart. "I’ll
just get it."
That serendipitous event began a
magical, mystical journey through my dark night of the
soul. I began "asking my angels" in journal
dialogue, Unsent Letters and written meditation and
prayer. And, no surprise, I immediately began hearing
answers.
Angels guides, muses, the spirits of
beloved ones who have passed on, the Holy Ghost, patron
saints, Christ Consciousness, nature, devas, the Soul,
the Wise Ones, intuition, Higher Self … all of these
are unseen companions whose support and guidance are
available for the asking. The journal is a wonderfully
eclectic melting pot for unseen companions. It doesn’t
matter what you call them, or if you call them anything
at all. Just ask for their guidance. Then wait for the
answer. Write whatever comes.
It may seem odd, foreign, or
unsettling to communicate with unseen companions, but
Alma Daniel and her coauthors of Ask
Your Angels assure us it’s perfectly natural:
Contact and conversation with your
angel is filled with all the tenderness, love and
wonderment of discovering a best friend. Talking with
angels is an entirely natural relationship, although
over the centuries it’s become obscured by the belief
that if you can’t see something or touch it – it isn’t
real.
The Inner Wisdom dialogue is the
communication technique of choice for most experienced
spiritual journalkeepers. Begin with an opening ritual
in which you create sacred space. This can be as simple
as clearing your desk or table and lighting a candle.
Add any other elements of your personal spiritual
practice, such as prayer, chanting, the use of
divinatory means such as runes or tarot cards, hymns or
sacred music, altars, or any other deepening devices.
Then enter a meditative state in which
you consciously call in your unseen companions. It may
be helpful to visualize yourself in a beautiful place in
nature, or another realm where you can open yourself to
connection. Ask sincerely and openly for the wisdom and
grace of your unseen companion to enter you and speak to
you.
When you are ready, formulate a
question that your heart wants to know. Wait in patient
silence for guidance and inspiration. It may be helpful
to formulate a list of questions before you enter the
meditation.
Allow plenty of time. The Inner Wisdom
dialogue often unfolds in waves or layers interspersed
with periods of silence. Usually after a few exchanges,
the dialogue will find its own direction.
The Inner Wisdom dialogue technique
comes directly out of the teachings of the late Dr. Ira
Progoff. It remains one of the most enduring and
beautiful legacies of this brilliant man. As you
communicate with your unseen companions, offer a message
of gratitude to Dr. Progoff, and ask your angel to pass
it along to his soul.
©
Kathleen Adams. All Rights Reserved
Kathleen Adams LPC, RPT is a
Registered Poetry/Journal Therapist and Director of The
Center for Journal Therapy in Lakewood, Colorado. She is
one of the leading voices on the power of writing to
heal and is the author of four books, including Journal
to the Self and The Write Way to Wellness.
Her upcoming seminars include the annual 5-day women’s
writing retreat in Colorado July 8-13, and a one-day
Journal to the Self workshop in Denver in late July. She
would love your feedback on this column; please e-mail kay@journaltherapy.com
or stop by her website, www.journaltherapy.com.
Read
Kathleen's Past "Scribing the Soul" Columns:
November
2001 "Families Writing"
October
2001 "Coping Strategies for Times of Crisis"
September
2001 "Journal of a Synchronicity"
August
2001 "Rituals for Soulful Writing"
July
2001 "A
Baker’s Dozen Ways to Journal Your Dreams"
April
2001 "Journals to Go"
March
2001 "Healing Words, Healing Touch: Jihan's Letters"
February
2001 "Love Letters"
January
2001 "Scribing
the Authentic Self"
December
2000 "Riding the Inky Wave"
November
2000 "The Good News"
October
2000 "Soul Food: Exploring Affirmations in
Writing"
September
2000 "Diary of a Headache"
August
2000 "Making Up the Truth"
July
2000 "Pockets of Joy"
June
2000 "Five Ways to Scribe Your Intuition"
Read
Kathleen's Feature Article on Dream Journals:
Writing
in the Dark: Cracking the Soul's Code Through Dream
Journals
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