My Daily Practice Journal Instructions
What is a Practice?
A practice is any activity that lays the groundwork for personal transformation. There are as many
ways to practice as there are people to engage in a practice. Some examples of practices include:
• Sitting or walking meditation
• Attending a church service
• Praying
• Yoga
• Chanting
• Walking the labyrinth
• Spending time outdoors
• Running
• Gardening
• Cooking
• Rock climbing
• Dancing
You’ll notice that either traditional practices or those you invent for yourself can be used as a vehicle
for transformation. Whatever it is that you choose should resonate as important and sacred to you.
Your chosen practice should also allow you a break from the noise of everyday life and a chance to
hear yourself; for some people this will be a quiet time alone, while for others it will be a crowded
train. Find what works best for YOU.
Once you find what works, ritualize the act and perform it daily.
Why Practice?
Daily practice helps to:
• Open to insight
• Keep your ego in check and make it work for you
• Let go of blocks and old baggage
• Live in the moment
• Surrender to the mystery
• Get out of your own way
Benefits such as these are not always immediately apparent; often they reveal themselves slowly or in
unexpected ways, which is why journaling can help you see the benefits as they unfold.
One of the most revealing benefits is a better awareness of your ego. Your ego may not understand or
support the non-linear nature of your practice. By continuing your practice despite arguments by your
ego you will learn to make choices that support your heart, not your ego.
Using this Journal
This journal is designed to help you focus on and record the impact your daily practice. The journal
encourages you to practice twice a day, in the morning and the evening. These practices need not be
long, a few minutes are all you need to begin to raise your awareness and lay the groundwork for your
personal transformation.
The journal asks you to record your “manner of practice”, allowing you, over time, to find those
practices which bring you the most fulfillment. You can choose a different manner of practice for the
mornings or evenings, or the weekends versus weekdays, or whatever combination works for you.
Page 1
My Daily Practice Journal Instructions
Morning Practice
As you first read through this recommended routine you may think “I don’t have time for all of this,”
but you would be mistaken. Once learned, the entire practice can be performed in just minutes. Of
course, it can also last hours if you desire, it’s entirely up to you.
• Open a sacred space
You should begin this time with a sign that you are leaving ordinary life and entering into your
own sacred space. Some people like to greet an alter by bowing and ringing a chime, others may
connect with symbolism of the four directions, expand their eighth chakra, or ritualistically lace
their hiking boots. Develop your own ritual for entering into this sacred space and time.
• Become present in this moment
Become aware of your breath, feel it as it moves in and out of your body. Feel your body present
at this moment. Sense the people, plants, and animals – all of life around you at this time.
Continue expanding your sense of life until you can take in the whole of planet. Ground yourself
in the core energy of the earth itself.
• Open your heart: what are you grateful for?
Reflect on what you are grateful for in this moment. List the things you are grateful, acknowledge
them and their meaning in your life.
• Intentions for the day
Create one or more intentions for this day. Intentions should always be phrased in the positive as if
they have already come to be. Instead of saying “Today, I won’t be so rigid” say “Today, I am
amazingly open and creative.” You should write out the intentions in the space provided, but also
take a moment to speak them out loud.
• Open practice
Now that the “stage is set” you can perform any activity related to your practice. Meditate, walk,
chant, climb, dance, pray—freely and joyfully participate in your practice.
• Offer thanks and close your sacred space and time
Offer thanks for this time you have spent in your sacred space. Design a ritual to close this space
and return to ordinary life, but be sure to take any positive benefits of the practice—such as joy,
stillness, or radically alive energy—back with you.
Evening Practice
The evening practice is time to note the benefits, manifestations, and insights gained throughout your
day.
• Open a sacred space
• Review your intentions and how they manifested
Look back over your list of intentions for the day and once again speak them out load. See how
they may have manifested. At first you may see no results at all, but as you continue to hold the
intention (try every day for at least a month), eventually, almost miraculously, circumstances shift
to make your intention real.
• List the choices you made today
In all of life we are making choices: if you are feeling like a victim you are choosing to have
circumstances impact your attitude; if you are not taking action, then you are choosing non-action.
As you become more aware of what you are choosing you will become more empowered to
choose the life you want. List any choices that you made regarding conflicts, challenges or
Page 2
My Daily Practice Journal Instructions
perceived problems you are experiencing so that tomorrow you can decide if you want to make the
same or different choices. If you feel so inclined, create intentions around these issues and choices.
• Allow the issues to rest for the night, trusting in your intentions
Allow your thoughts to let go of your problems and issues and trust in the intentions to manifest
themselves. Free yourself to rest.
• Note your insights
Note any insights, brilliant or otherwise, that you have come to realize through your practice.
• Open practice/meditation
• Offer thanks and close your sacred space and time
Note: If you do not have time for the full evening practice, simply open your sacred space, put issues
to rest for the night, perform your practice for a few moments then close the sacred space. Then try
and get to the full evening practice at least once a week.
Printing this Journal
The journal contains a title sheet, 30 day and 30 evening pages, providing enough pages for roughly a
month of practice.
The journal is designed to print in an A5 page size as this smaller format is easier to keep near you
during a variety of practices. If you’re using 8.5” x 11” paper, simply cut it in half to be 8.5” x 5.5”.
The journal can be printed either single or double-sided to save paper. If you print it double-sided you
will notice that the journal is designed to have a morning practice on the left page and the evening
practice on the right page. This will allow you to see the intentions you set in the morning without
having to “flip” the page. Of course, people have reported that they prefer to have a single page, front
and back, with one day’s practice. It’s your journal, use as it however it works best for you!
Once printed you can use any binding for as many pages you choose. Some people may keep the
pages loose, taking only day at a time. Others may choose to bind a week or a whole month. It’s
designed to be as flexible as needed.
Page 3