7.26.13
My take on the Intensive Journal Method
The structure and theory behind it were developed by therapist, Ira Progoff, in the late 1960s as a non-judgmental, psychological, and spiritual tool that people could use on their own. Far more dynamic than ordinary diary-keeping, the Journal method is “one of the unique inventions of our time,” Joseph Campbell said.
I agree. It works, and I wish everyone would benefit from it as I have for the past four decades.
The “method” sets forth exercises for you to do in sequence. Doing them enables you to get in touch with your creative potentials. In a quiet, meditative atmosphere you see the purpose behind the developments of your life, clear the way for next steps, and build a strong center that withstands life’s peaks and valleys. The exercises relate to your life history, relationships, health, work/projects, and experiences of deep meaning. No special writing ability is needed; you just need to honor the contents of your own life. Doing this work will open the pathway to your inner wisdom.
I have been an authorized Intensive Journal consultant for over 30 years and have led depth psychology workshops at centers such as the C. G. Jung Foundation and the Open Center in NYC, as well as in Montana, California, Vancouver, and Greece. The United Nations once named me One of the 100 Most Remarkable Women for my work in Depth Psychology and journals.
I thought Progoff, whom I knew for about 15 years, was a wise man, who know how to evoke resonant depths in people. He wrote a thesis on Jung, which he reviewed with Jung, and 14 other books too, the best of which might be his Entrance Meditation books. He taught the lives of creative persons at Drew University; the way they kept their lives in motion helped become an underpinning of the Intensive Journal method. In the early 70s he founded Dialogue House in New York City and launched a national workshop program. He died in 1998 after suffering from a rare disease, Supranuclear Palsy.
My take on the Intensive Journal Method
The structure and theory behind it were developed by therapist, Ira Progoff, in the late 1960s as a non-judgmental, psychological, and spiritual tool that people could use on their own. Far more dynamic than ordinary diary-keeping, the Journal method is “one of the unique inventions of our time,” Joseph Campbell said.
I agree. It works, and I wish everyone would benefit from it as I have for the past four decades.
The “method” sets forth exercises for you to do in sequence. Doing them enables you to get in touch with your creative potentials. In a quiet, meditative atmosphere you see the purpose behind the developments of your life, clear the way for next steps, and build a strong center that withstands life’s peaks and valleys. The exercises relate to your life history, relationships, health, work/projects, and experiences of deep meaning. No special writing ability is needed; you just need to honor the contents of your own life. Doing this work will open the pathway to your inner wisdom.
I have been an authorized Intensive Journal consultant for over 30 years and have led depth psychology workshops at centers such as the C. G. Jung Foundation and the Open Center in NYC, as well as in Montana, California, Vancouver, and Greece. The United Nations once named me One of the 100 Most Remarkable Women for my work in Depth Psychology and journals.
I thought Progoff, whom I knew for about 15 years, was a wise man, who know how to evoke resonant depths in people. He wrote a thesis on Jung, which he reviewed with Jung, and 14 other books too, the best of which might be his Entrance Meditation books. He taught the lives of creative persons at Drew University; the way they kept their lives in motion helped become an underpinning of the Intensive Journal method. In the early 70s he founded Dialogue House in New York City and launched a national workshop program. He died in 1998 after suffering from a rare disease, Supranuclear Palsy.