Harmonize yourself with stream of consciousness writing

How do you make time for yourself?

I desperately needed to make time for myself when I finished first semester earlier this year. In addition to regular end-of-term fatigue, anxiety around covid-19 churned through me. Will I ever see my family again? Will I have the same access to opportunities? How can we protect ourselves and those around us? There were many more questions I asked myself that I’d never articulate to another person. But that didn’t mean I didn’t need to work through them.

I took a week off work to focus on re-finding my centre. On the first morning of my break, my head burned. So many unexpressed thoughts and emotions brewed inside me, begging to be released. My pen darted across the page when I pulled out my journal. Everything I couldn’t say materialised on the page before me. I wrote until every niggly sensation disappeared.

The tone of my journal writing shifted when I arrived at this point. I went from writing about fear, to hope and then gratitude. I wrote about how excited I am to be in my final year of university and that I’m looking forward to living more independently as an adult. I also wrote about how grateful I am that I can pursue higher education, work part-time, enjoy beautiful relationships, and develop my passions. Life really is beautiful.

Putting down my journal, I quivered with energy. I went for a run, started an SEO crash course (I work in content-marketing), and made some progress on a book I’m writing. Honouring my thoughts and feelings through stream of consciousness writing helped me metabolise what was holding me back. Instead of blocking what makes us uncomfortable, stream of consciousness writing creates space for processing, helping us feel more grounded.

What other benefits can we harness from stream of consciousness writing?

Here are the top three ways we can harmonise the self through stream of consciousness writing:

Greater self-knowledge

I define stream of consciousness writing as “the act of writing every word as it passes through us”. Forget grammar, punctuation, format, and style. Stream of consciousness writing is about releasing everything inside us exactly as it comes out. The only rule to the exercise is to not stop writing! I typically like to spend 15 to 20 minutes doing this.

Taking time to become aware of my thought patterns helps me understand my deepest needs. Stream of consciousness writing reveals the silent motivators behind everything I do and say, showing me what needs attention. In addition to self-realisation, I’ve found stream of consciousness writing to be incredibly useful for relationships. Because stream of consciousness writing helps me better understand my needs, I’m more equipped to communicate them to the person I’m in partnership with.

Giving ourselves permission to be free with ourselves is vital for optimal wellness. Be it bumping into someone we’ve felt hurt by or getting caught up in a conversation about politics we don’t agree with, there are too many situations that force us to wear psychological masks. Being permanently closed is no blueprint for a fulfilling life. But we can turn this around. The act of expressing ourselves through writing has been found to strengthen our immune system. Stream of consciousness writing helps us metabolise pain, relieving our bodies from the burden of having to hold onto it.

Having the courage to do stream of consciousness writing isn’t always easy, especially when we’re starting out. The act of recording our innermost thoughts and feelings can make us feel vulnerable. Let’s not run from this. Being vulnerable helps us actualise our heart’s truth, the essence that flowers passion and purpose. Whenever you’re feeling anxious about doing stream of consciousness writing, gently remind yourself that no one needs to read what you write. This is a sacred space, free from judgment and scrutiny.

Enriches our craft

I always do stream of consciousness writing when I’m feeling nervous or unmotivated to do something. Whether it’s a university assignment or a personal writing project, releasing my inner chatter sharpens my focus. This allows me to think clearly and critically about the task I’m preparing to do. I’m not the only who finds this helpful. Neuroscientists have found strong links between expressive writing and one’s ability to perform a task more efficiently.

I think most writers would agree that stream of consciousness writing offers a compelling antidote to writer’s block! As well as ideation, stream of consciousness writing can be used to enhance character development in films, novels, short stories, plays and any other method of storytelling. American psychologist, William James wrote how stream of consciousness writing provides intimate access to the flow of a character’s psyche in ‘The principles of psychology’ (1890). He emphasised that we learn more about a character through stream of consciousness writing over linear, rational thoughts. This is because we often have a myriad of thoughts running through us at any moment with no real logical sequence. Using stream of consciousness writing to reveal characters is believed to encapsulate the rhythm of the human psyche more accurately.

Whether we’re a creative practitioner or have an impending task, stream of consciousness writing enriches the way we work.

A way to channel other realms

One afternoon, I was doing stream of consciousness writing on what I’m aiming to achieve when I graduate university. My temples grew warm as I wrote. It felt like someone turned a heater on inside my head, transforming the formerly cold room. It was one of the sweetest sensations I’d ever felt. The being who entered my consciousness channeled a message through my writing. Clear as day, they said, ‘Invite that which is receiving you’. The being spoke then spoke about the power of affirmations and the importance in showing gratitude to everything that is holding space for us. The key to embodying all that we seek lies in our willingness to affirm our worth. We are worthy of the life we desire. We hold the key to casting ourselves on the trajectory we yearn for.

I love how simple it is to do stream of consciousness writing. All we need is a pen and journal, and we’re good to go. Never underestimate the value in journaling your inner dialogue. We all have special things to express. This blog post has been my way of sharing some of my experiences from doing stream of consciousness writing.

What are your experiences with stream of consciousness writing?