Structured Journal Systems

[primitiveworker]

I came across [Lion Kimbro's][1] [complete mind map notebook][2], and
am frustrated that his [notebook wiki][3] appears to be down, along
with the bit about the [Focus Notebook][4].

So now I'm curious about constructing a notebook which functions as a
forward-looking mind-shaping device, rather than as a historical
archive.

Anyone know of any Structured Journal systems that are _not_ of the
[diary][5] or "inspirational" variety? Has anyone here already worked
in this area? Developed a meta-journaling framework for
Self-reconfiguration?

[1]:http://speakeasy.org/~lion/nb/
[2]:http://speakeasy.org/~lion/
[3]:http://notebooks.wiki.taoriver.net/
[4]:http://notebooks.wiki.taoriver.net/moin.cgi/FocusJournal
[5]:http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?StructuredJournal

- - -

Tangentially, Tibetan Buddhist monks developed a "structured journal"
called a "Six-Time Book" which is used to keep track of vows, break old
habits and form new ones. I wonder if something like this can be
adapted to "modern" life. If not in its form, but in its general
theory of incremental change toward a desired goal.

Using the book meant that six times a day you would check your own
behavior with respect to a different vow. Each entry should take less
than two minutes. You'd write a one-line positive, and a one-line
negative, and a quick to-do to help correct or minimize the impact of
that negative. (They can have 147 or more vows so it is useful for
young monks to memorize the vows, and for older monks to perfect them.)
It is not intended to be read, merely written into as a mind-training
device. So, you're not building up a reference of notebooks, it's just
something you do to keep yourself focused. They often throw the books
into a river or burn them when they're done with each one.

[Jeffrey Windsor]

The great American example of using a journal as a mind-shaping tool
is Benjamin Franklin. In his journal [1] he gives a detailed account
of using his journal as a means to improve himself. This was mostly
accomplished by creating a checklist-matrix of virtues and days [2],
which he could check off to mark his progress.

Is this the kind of thing you have in mind?

[1] http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/etcbin/toccer-new2?id=Fra2Aut.sgm&images=images/modeng&data=/texts/english/modeng/parsed&tag=public&part=2&division=div1
(especially applicable are pages 82 - 92ish)
[2] http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/images/modeng/public/Fra2Aut/Fra2Au85.jpg

--jw

[Nik]

Neat idea. I do something similar for my family's scrapbook. I have a
Word template that just has some headings in it such as Birthdays,
Trips, Pets, Illnesses, Births, Deaths, etc... Then every time iCal
reminds me (well, NEARLY every time) I go down and fill out the
questionnaire, and the results are printed and put in the scrapbook.

Pretty easy.

Notebook and Notetaker easily allow you to duplicate pages, so you
could keep pre-set pages with the appropriate metadata tagged to each
entry and then add your thoughts on each line. The summarize commands
that both offer will let you then create metapages of only entries
pertaining to specific goals. I've found NoteTaker to be a fairly good
journal system, and I don't see why NoteBook would be any worse.

Also, ANY application that lets you assign custom fields or metadata
(iData, TinderBox, Filemaker/any other database, etc...) could do this
for you by just setting up custom fields for each point you wish to
track.

Life Balance does something similar to this as well.

Another option would be to use a blog and set up a category for each
point. Tinderbox could do the same thing pretty darn well.

Just some thoughts.

--Nik

[primitiveworker]

This is very similar to what I had in mind. Though I was perhaps
looking for something more engaging, there is great utility in merely
making note of inner blemishes as it side-steps the self-hatred and
guilt triggers which would discourage the use of the book in the first
place.

Thank you also for pointing out a work I should have become familiar
with long ago.

-eric

[simon...@gmail.com]

primitiveworker wrote:
> I came across [Lion Kimbro's][1] [complete mind map notebook][2], and
> am frustrated that his [notebook wiki][3] appears to be down, along
> with the bit about the [Focus Notebook][4].

I found some explanation of the Focus Notebook online in some cache
somewhere, and snagged it into my blog at:

http://recursism.blogspot.com/2005/03/misunderstanding-of-focus-journal-and.html

The Notebook Wiki has been down for some time so it was a bit of a
struggle to find in in Google cache, etc.

> So now I'm curious about constructing a notebook which functions as a
> forward-looking mind-shaping device, rather than as a historical
> archive.

The Moleskine hack where you mark < previous | current | next > for
linking thoughts from page to page was enlightening, and would be
required for the focus journal.

> Anyone know of any Structured Journal systems that are _not_ of the
> [diary][5] or "inspirational" variety? Has anyone here already
worked
> in this area? Developed a meta-journaling framework for
> Self-reconfiguration?

I'd like to see an example of that Ben Franklin idea I saw somewhere
else on this list, perhaps not with so much of a "moralistic" view and
with more critical thinking and universal intellectual standards
"checkboxes." Maybe even throw in some "Six Thinking Hats" matrices.

>
> [1]:http://speakeasy.org/~lion/nb/
> [2]:http://speakeasy.org/~lion/
> [3]:http://notebooks.wiki.taoriver.net/
> [4]:http://notebooks.wiki.taoriver.net/moin.cgi/FocusJournal
> [5]:http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?StructuredJournal
>

[... Six-Time Journals elided ... ]