The Jewish Journaling Book

by Falon, Janet Ruth

• ISBN13: 9781580232036
• ISBN10: 1580232035
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-04-01
• Publisher: Jewish Lights Pub

Summary

Journal Keeping has been, and remains, in inherently Jewish activity. In fact, there are age-old traditions of keeping an introspective journal throughout the Jewish year. In The Jewish Journaling Book, Janet Ruth Falon delves into the practical aspects of keeping a journal as well as how you can use your journal to nurture Jewish values and concerns. She details the history of Jewish journaling throughout biblical and modern times, and outlines particular Jewish situations that were worked through by journaling. She also includes extensive how-to instructions that teach you specific journaling techniques to help you create and maintain a vital, organic journal, froma Jewish perspective. The Jewish Journaling Book shows how a journal can be the tool you use to better understand yourself and the world, and to hash out how you can contribute to tikkun olam, teh repair of the world, and in doing so, the repair of yourself, too. Janet Ruth Falon is an award-winning journalist, essayist, poet, and teacher. She teachers journaling and creative writing at many venues, including the University of Pennsylvania and Temple University. Her articles and essays have appeared in the New York Times, the Philadelphia Inquirer, and the Christian Science Monitor.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	vii
Introduction: Why Is Journaling Jewish?	xiii
Part One How It Works	1	(46)
Part Two Putting It into Practice	47	(210)
Tool 1: Starting Your Book of Life	49	(4)
Tool 2: You Don't Have to Write Every Day	53	(4)
Tool 3: Don't Write Only When You're Miserable	57	(5)
Tool 4: Use Any Words, Any Topics	62	(3)
Tool 5: Don't Cross Out or Worry about Spelling and Grammar	65	(4)
Tool 6: Think about the Journal as a Scrapbook	69	(4)
Tool 7: Don't Worry about Making Sense	73	(3)
Tool 8: Focus on Yourself	76	(5)
Tool 9: You Don't Have to Focus on Yourself	81	(2)
Tool 10: It's Okay to Use a Computer	83	(3)
Tool 11: Consider Process as well as Product	86	(4)
Tool 12: Reread Your Journals	90	(5)
Tool 13: Don't Write Only on Vacation	95	(3)
Tool 14: Title Each Entry	98	(3)
Tool 15: Create a Journal-Writing Ritual	101	(5)
Tool 16: Think Twice Before Discarding	106	(4)
Tool 17: Write in One Book	110	(3)
Tool 18: Don't Get Hung Up on Names and Definitions	113	(4)
Tool 19: Think about the Book, Paper, and Pen	117	(5)
Tool 20: Deal with Your "Inner Editor"	122	(4)
Tool 21: Try a New Writing Style	126	(5)
Tool 22: Use the Space on the Page	131	(4)
Tool 23: Use a Tape Recorder or a Scribe	135	(4)
Tool 24: Use Your Journal as a Jumping-off Point	139	(5)
Tool 25: Make Sure You Feel Safe	144	(6)
Tool 26: Know Your Audience	150	(4)
Tool 27: Always Carry Paper	154	(3)
Tool 28: Don't Try to Be a "Writer"	157	(3)
Tool 29: Find-or Create-a Journal-Writing Setting	160	(4)
Tool 30: Try "Time Travel"	164	(5)
Tool 31: You Don't Have to Write the Truth	169	(3)
Tool 32: Don't Use Only Words	172	(4)
Tool 33: Write Lists	176	(7)
Tool 34: List the Benefits of Journaling	183	(4)
Tool 35: Identify the Person You Would Most Not Want to Read Your Journal	187	(3)
Tool 36: Be a "Journalist"	190	(4)
Tool 37: It's Okay to Contradict Yourself	194	(4)
Tool 38: Make a Pact with Yourself	198	(5)
Tool 39: Write in the Right Language	203	(3)
Tool 40: Create a Journal Group	206	(4)
Tool 41: Keep a List of Prompts	210	(3)
Tool 42: Become Immortal	213	(4)
Tool 43: Use Music	217	(4)
Tool 44: Read Other Good Books about Journal-Keeping	221	(4)
Tool 45: Give Each Journal Book a Title	225	(3)
Tool 46: Consider Sharing Your Journal	228	(5)
Tool 47: Watch for "Freudian Slips"	233	(3)
Tool 48: Read Published Journals	236	(4)
Tool 49: Use Your Nondominant Hand	240	(4)
Too1 50: Use the Journal to See Better	244	(4)
Tool 51: Women Should Publish	248	(4)
Tool 52: Encourage Children to Keep Journals	252	(5)
Glossary	257	(6)
Suggestions for Further Reading	263	(4)
Notes	267	(3)
About Jewish Lights	270