As a perpetual journal keeper I am always in the lookout for books which will prompt me into deeper exploration of self. The Creative Journal is such a book. The journal exercises detailed within the books pages offer a thought provoking exploration into your deeper self and give you the opportunity to uncover your hidden potentials, and problem areas.

Unlike keeping a diary, which details day to day existence, a journal is meant for self expression and should be uncensored. The author provides detailed guidelines for topic exploration as well as specific exercises to perform. The exercises state clearly what their purpose is and how they may benefit the person doing them.

Complete with guidelines for creative journaling, this book will help get a beginning journal keeper started on the road to self-discovery. A well-seasoned journal keeper will find a plethora of questions to delve into, such as discovering the Yin and Yang (positive and negative) qualities that shape their personality. The exercises are suitable for use in groups. Especially those geared towards sharing the deeper aspects of self.

The Creative Journal has many topics which could strike a cord with some people. Therefore, as with any group or solitary work, you should only choose to do those exercises you feel comfortable with. Creative journal work often brings up issues we are not ready to deal with, so if a topic or exercise makes you feel uncomfortable, skip it. I tend to work on the topics that I have the strongest negative reaction to as I feel those are the topics I would receive the greatest benefit from.

Although not unique in its presentation or choice of topics, this book is worth delving into. The author provides a nice, easy to work with format and gives you plenty of ideas for self-exploration. Some of the other books on the journaling process are more complex than they need to be, so having a nicely formatted one was a big draw for me. ( )