Customer Reviews

Visual Journaling: Going Deeper than Words

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Those who have never tried this technique before(drawing what your Unconscious wants to express, instead of what your Ego dictates) may be reticent to try it, especially if you feel you "can't draw". Don't worry. Drawing perfect, highly detailed, realistic images ISN'T what this book is about. It's about teaching your Unconscious to express itself and speak to you through images of its own creation. (Sometimes just through color alone.) I've WRITTEN in a journal for quite some time, but was amazed at how the "visual journaling" adds to the whole experience. I found the exercises and examples in this book VERY helpful and encouraging; and was amazed by what I was able to see in the images -- which may sound odd to the uninitiated. You may ask: "Come on, Mare. How can you be surprised by a drawing that comes from YOU?" And I'll answer: "If you do the exercises properly, you'll see exactly how surprising YOU can be to YOURSELF!" I've been able to tap into a new understanding of "hope", "opportunity" and "spiritualty" through the exercises, while also giving a "face" to my "fears"(so I can recognize them when I see them in future drawings, should they reappear). The book is a wonderful self-help tool... and written intelligently enough that it can also be used as a therapuetic tool by those qualified to use it as such. This is an excellent book! Buy it; you'll really enjoy it. [[And if you'd like to share with someone, you can even send some of your visual journaling drawings to me via e-mail when you're finished with them.]]

I purchased this book for myself but I'm now coming back to purchase the book for my sister. I am an artist and my sister is a writer but you would have to be neither to gain personal satisfaction from the pages of this book. An excellent way to journal expressing your ideas and thoughts through drawing or painting. I have kept a journal with words and sometimes I would draw pictures to remember the moment or idea, but THIS is a way to really see into yourself! ...And you don't have to know how to draw a straight line to benefit from it. Written in simple workshop form, truly a work of art in itself!

"Visual Journaling: Going deeper Than Words" is a self-help guide that will assist you to "take ownership of your life, in a loving way."

The abundant imagery, contributed by individuals who have taken the course the authors offer, combined with their words describing their visual imaging thoughts and emotions, adds realism and credibility to this book. This is no hypothetical how-to manual, but rather a candid glimpse into the inner emotions of real people who have struggled with the same frustrations, the search for identity, and the fears we all face from time to time.

The book focuses on techniques to re-connect with your right brain, to discover your soul-purpose in life, and to use art as a healing technique to express visually what words cannot express.

Do you feel you are trapped, powerless, and unable to break free? Use imagery to express how you feel, and to express the fact that you must take ownership of your life, and by so doing you will discover the inner power to be the real you. Draw a tiger leaping out of your drawing, for example, to express your power to break free.

The authors believe that everyone has a soul-purpose, a reason for living. Through visual journaling you are encouraged to discover that soul-purpose, and explore the fears that hold you back from following your soul-purpose.

This book shows that imagery can be used to express powerful ideas, and encourages you to find the words that describe what you have captured visually. Find your soul-purpose, explore your joys and your fears. Other books to consider include "If It's Going to Be, It's Up to Me," by Robert H. Schuller who says, "Behold, courage isn't feeling free from fear; courage is facing fears you feel."

You may also wish to read "Maximum Achievement: Strategies and Skills That Will Unlock Your Hidden Powers to Succeed," and "Great Little Book on Personal Achievement," by Brian Tracy, who reminds his readers, "You are fully responsible for everything you are, everything you have and everything you become," which is a more direct statement of the need to take ownership of your life in a loving way.

The authors are enthusiastic about drawing and journals, but this approach seemed a bit overdone. To get started drawing does one have to always make an intention, write it down, get centered, breathe, get in touch with the body-mind, say a prayer, and visualize? The great part of art is the joy of just creating, not getting bogged down in a laundry list of "must-do's." I also felt the authors were a bit too simplistic in their observations about the brain (that drawing is about the right side of the brain-- for heaven's sakes, you have to use both sides to draw) and that anger and anxiety cause illness (somehow the authors missed genetics and environmental factors). The idea of a visual journal is not new-- Cappachione and many others have talked about this for the last 20 years. I do commend the authors for encouraging people to try a drawing journal as a way of knowing the self. But readers interested in this approach might want to read Allen's Art is a Way of Knowing, McNiff's Trust the Process, Malchiodi's Art Therapy Sourcebook, books which speak of the joy of art making and the true excitement of creativity and self-expression.

As an arts therapist and professional counselor, I was disappointed in the content of this book. Visual journals have been used for decades by art therapists and a lot has been written on their worth as a tool for healing body, mind, and spirit. While there are some good suggestions in this book, it falls short in terms of depth and substance. Also, the people I work with-- mostly cancer patients-- found the authors' comments about cancer and other illnesses insulting. Yes, imagery may help to improve a sense of well-being, but this book implies that people control their health and can do so through visual journals. The authors are too simplistic in their claims and as a professional I cannot recommend a book that makes such claims to people in search of help and healing.

This six week program was helpful to explore emotions and to give me a structure for how to understand my many feelings. It took me longer than six weeks, but I still do the process to keep me in touch with myself. I got this book for a friend as well! We both love doing it together.

This is a wonderful and thorough introduction to visual journaling, arranged in a six-week progression. I particularly liked that, unlike some other visual/art journaling texts I've seen, the exercises are very open-ended. They suggest some good media to start out in and give general outlines for how to journal, but don't assume that you have access to a professional-grade art studio and space to do giant mixed-media collages.

As a couple other reviewers have said, I did find the lengthy intention-setting and analysis a little offputting. Some centering and intention is good, but after a certain point I find it just gets in the way. But the authors are very quick to let the reader know that doing the full pre- and post-exercises isn't necessary if you don't find it useful in your own work.

Since I'm not exactly a professional-caliber artist, I really liked the variety of example journals given. Some are very detailed and technically skilled, while others are blobs of color or simpler line drawings, and it really drives home the point that you don't have to identify as an artist or have any formal artistic training for this to be useful to you. I wish the written reactions were typed out, though -- in several places the authors suggest that you read over one of the "conversations" another journaler has with their work, and it's very difficult to read the tiny photocopied handwriting.

My one major pet peeve with this book was the emphasis on getting in touch with your right brain and throwing away the attachment to logic and words...by having extended verbal/written conversations with your work before and after drawing. I really like the technique and am finding it very useful, but some of the psychology and philosophy surrounding it seems contradictory or superficial and I keep getting distracted by how much it annoys me.

This book was first discovered at my local library. After rechecking it out several times I finally bought a copy for myself. It was life changing and such a catalyst for my own creative empowerment. Because of this book and this process, I realized I am an artist even though I can't draw and that I have visual expression within me bursting to get out. The connection between body sensations, the subconscious and the use of color, symbols and shapes revealed inner wisdom I previously had not known about. Thank you for creating this book and for helping me see how I could tap into my creativity to learn more about myself. By the time I have finished doing the process, I look back at my intention and realize I'd forgotten what it was and it still totally pertained to it and the questions were right on in bringing it all to the surface.I recommend this book to all my workshop participants when I do wellness workshops.

I strongly disagree with TheCafeWriter's critique of this book. Firstly, it should be pointed out that the authors suggest experimenting with different media (pastels OR crayons OR thick markers) to find one that best suits you. They suggest these media because they assert that such media allow for freer expression (with broad, sweeping strokes) than something carefully drawn with thin pencils and pens, for example. There is no mention in the book of any "smelly fixatives" needed. If chalk pastels don't work for you, perhaps try one of the other media? Hello?!

There is no need for the reader to understand what other journal-makers have drawn/painted and how that symbolizes what they were feeling. It is emphasized several times that no-one but the producer of the art can interpret what the symbol means. Each person's art is unique and different people will produce different symbols for different feelings and the body's feeling of different life situations. The reason for the exercises of getting you into your body, is that the body is where the symbols originate. You go inside your body to feel what is there, how your body is holding a life situation. After sitting with the body for a while with interested curiosity, you notice if there is a symbol that would express how/what you feel. It is also stated that this symbol may not be a picture - it may perhaps be a word, for example.

It should be pointed out that the title of the book is "Visual Journaling", so of course the emphasis is on visualizing, seeing in your mind's eye what your body is experiencing. Forgive me, but isn't drawn and painted art necessarily visual? And so sorry if your particular questions and needs weren't met - it's a book, so of course it's going to be general information! Go get private instruction if you need specific questions answered. Sheesh!

It's been great to be able to trust the instruction of the authors of Visual Journaling and make exciting new connections between my mind, body, and spirit. I am an artist/writer and spiritual director and a former teacher. I look forward to returning to Chapter 1 and re-starting all the exercises for a second time around!