At a Journal Workshop: Writing to Access the Power of the Unconscious and Evoke Creative Ability

Almost all current authors on journaling owe a great debt to this work by Ira Progoff, the grandfather of modern journal writing. This book is not an easy read but worth the time to get yourself oriented to the author's views about jounaling and psychology. AAJW was meant for those who could not attend a workshop where this method is taught in several two and three day sessions. It is also used, perhaps more so, as a reference guide to those who have attended such workshops and need a reference tool for review. This journal method is unlike anything else on the market and to be fully appreciated one might first read some of Progoff's other works that shed light on his Jungian influenced theory of psychology and personal growth. Progoff's Intensive Journal Method was so successful that it overshadowed his great psychological insights. His other books may be out of print but are available at used book stores and the Progoff Center in NYC

By all means, try to attend a journal writing workshop sponsored by Dialogue House, and read this book as well. It will extend the workshop's effect in your life and deepen your appreciation of Progoff's work in the areas of spirituality, recovery and social transfornation. This edition of Progoff's classic integrates prior work covered in his other books on Holistic Depth Psychology, Life Study, Process and Creatvity, Synchronicity, and Jung. Perhaps the greatest value here is in having Progoff's work in those areas brought together under the four dimensions of the Journal Process itself: Life/Time Dimension, Dialogue Dimension, Depth Dimension, and Meaning Dimension. Those who go along with Progoff in this work, whether through his books or at a workshop, will find a way to access personal depths of creativity, healing and recovery on an ongoing basis over a lifetime.

This book is amazing! It is difficult to read but I found a way around that problem by taking clear, simple notes while reading the book slowly, with a dictionary by my side. I dropped out of school in the 8th grade, but this book offered such rich rewards that I had to find a way to understand it. It took me almost a year to get through the whole book, to completely understand it, and to compile a set of practical, simple notes. It was WELL worth it! This book is one of the best books I ever found in my life, by far, and I can't praise it enough! This book will add such a richness and texture to your life, such meaning, and insight, so much creativity, so much more self-acceptance . . . really, I can't praise it enough.

I have personally studied the works of countless writers of journal keeping techniques and Ira Progoff's National Intensive Journal method is #1 in my book. I am a former consultant for Dialogue House, and though I currently teach and use a synthesis of many teachers techniques (including many of my own), Progoff's method is the heart and soul of journal keeping. Soundly based in Jungian theory and the theories of other depth psychologists, as well as the world's great spiritual traditions, this work is the basis for all modern journal keeping. This text isn't the easiest to read, however (very scholarly) so I recommend actually experiencing the method in a workshop setting in addition to using the book as your journal keeping bible. Progoff is the father of contemporary journal keeping, in my estimation, and using his work as foundation, serious journal keepers will find their experience richer.

This book provides information about the Progoff Intensive Journal (IJ) method, a series of interrelated exercises that generate rich information about one's life, which were developed over 20 years of researching creativity and depth psychology. Exercises include work with dialogues, dreams, twilight images, and steppingstones. Adapted from the IJ workshops offered by Dialogue House, this book is an excellent resource for those new to the method as well as those who have take the workshop. Personally, I've found the book most useful as a reference tool to supplement the workshop experience.