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52 Ways to Find Your Soul Voice through Journal Writing $19.95 (softcover) (www.geocities.com/shenandoahrising) This book is as crisp and fresh as a northern breeze. Author Janell Moon offers a charming collection of essays on the wonders of nature and ties them into learning about ourselves through reflection, introspection, awareness, and the art of journal writing. There are 52 refreshing chapters in the book — each containing the author’s personal observations of nature and the energy of the Great Mother. Included in each essay are quotations that complement her theme and an assortment of exercises that will jazz up your journal and the journeys through your mind. Written for the beginning journalist as well as the experienced writer, the exercises are unique and lead the reader and journalist down a stream, to a tree, or up a mountain to ponder the wealth of words, comparisons, feelings, memories, and insights within. In her introduction, Ms. Moon explains her love of reading and journaling, its benefits and how they lead her to explore the Earth, the art of myth making and telling, and her hopes for the reader. She describes in her first chapter how she would write with nature all around her, watching the moon, feeling the wind, observing the pink blooms in the spring, filling journal after journal as birds hatched their babies just outside her window. The journaling intricately began to weave together the many facets of nature that she felt were catalysts for real and genuine healing. It is clear that Moon cannot journal without being near nature and she cannot be near nature without journaling. Also clear is her deep and solid love of the natural world. Her writing is a love story to the Earth; her exercises are expressions of love to both the soul of the Earth and the soul of the writer. Her essay subjects range between mud, trees, spiders, bees, mountains, birds, rocks and more. Whatever your passion in nature, you’ll find it in this book with exercises to mix and match. One example from her chapter on birds: "What would your life be like if you became a bird-watcher in your everyday life? How could it help you in rewarding yourself and in exercising patience? What else could you add with pleasure to your life?" Another exercise to ponder from her chapter on water: "I hope you can go to water near where you live and write a poem. It could be a pond, a fountain, a creek. Use what you have even if it’s puddles after a rain. Or, fill up a bowl with water and place floating candles in it. Take a bath. Start by writing down a dozen details. The details will set the scene. Now put your feeling into it and tell a story of what you know about living your life. Read mine after you’ve written yours." For those of us who love both writing and nature, this book is like dessert. It is meant to be savored, to be indulged with your favorite tea and your homemade journal. When you’re finished with the 52 chapters, one for each week of the year, you can begin again with a whole new perspective. Put this book on your gift list for your favorite journalist and your favorite naturalist, whether teen, middle-aged, or senior. Definitely put it on your own wish list — along with a brand new journal and a fancy writing pen. |